The call came in at 9:11 p.m.  It was for an overturned semi on the Number One Highway.  No other details were available.  As a member of the Qu'Appelle Volunteer Fire Department, I have to be ready to respond to any crisis at any moment.  That is why I keep by my side my trusty steed, which also doubles as my bicycle.  I pedaled hard for the fire hall.  The air was calm, and the night was still.  The lights of the trucks were ablaze as I turned the corner heading for the hall.  I was a touch behind.  Everyone was loaded and ready to depart.  I grabbed my gear and jumped into the unit that we call The Bus.

            The Bus is a bus.  It's really that simple.  It's not a new bus, but a very old one that has seen far too many kilometers.  It runs mostly on heart and courage, as well as a little gas.  As I climbed into The Bus, I gave a little chuckle to myself.  For standing at his usual position was none other than Big Bill Burrew.  He always places himself by the side passenger door on the lowest step, with one leg on the highest one so that he can place his arm on his knee.  For the normal person, it is quite an authoritative position; hell even I do it now and again.  But then this is Big Bill Burrew, so it doesn't really help him anyways.  He is constantly scanning the area, eyes narrowed looking intently.  Whether he is actually looking at something or not is debatable.  Whenever the radio so much as crackles, his ear is next to it listening for any change in the situation, and if there is, no matter how minor, Big Bill Burrew will report it to us, even though we can hear it quite clearly.

            Now for those of you that don't know Big Bill Burrew, let me fill you in.  He is a relatively young guy with less experience than I.  He has been on the force for about a year or so.  Everyone likes Big Bill.  There are never any ill feelings towards Big Bill Burrew, and no one ever questions his heart.  He is the type of character everyone loves to have around in those no pressure situations, such as this very night.  The trailer was on its side, and the semi was on a 45 degree angle.  The driver was taken care of.  His load as we found out was nothing but cookies and brownies.  I had my fingers crossed that a milk truck might hit the other ditch.  I mean, one can't have cookies without milk, that's unpatriotic.  But the only real problem we faced this night was that diesel fuel from the engine had kind of gotten all over the place.  The real difficulty lay in trying to find someone to clean it up, and hopefully before the diesel got into the all those fine baked goods the truck was carrying.  While that was being solved, Big Bill took command of the situation, though no one really knew it. 

            He's not a big guy by any means, maybe five foot two.  But he charges around with his head forward like he's about to knock down any wall that may just happen to appear in front of him.  He has no rank of any kind so he can't really order anyone around.  He tries of course, but most just simply shrug him off.  Big Bill Burrew takes no notice of this slight; he merely goes about his business like nothing happened.  An individual with rank, or anyone for that matter, can tell him to do something, and he will do it immediately.  At this point, he'll say, "You there, come with me," thereby taking along several of the younger guys just to show them how in control he really is though he really isn't in control of anything.  When he is asked to get a wrench from The Bus, he gets that wrench from The Bus.  For Big Bill Burrew, there could be no greater task.  And that's why we love him.

            This article was brought to you by the letters W and Q, the number 2, and of course the splendid people in the Qu'Appelle Volunteer Fire Department.  Feel free to join anytime.  If Big Bill Burrew can be a fireman, then anyone can, including even a lemur.

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