Working Late

“How may I help you?”

“I’m stuck, and need help; it hurts.”

“Where are you? What is hurting?”

The caller didn't respond. Renee was in the last few minutes of her 3-11 p.m. shift. She and her co-workers called the time immediately before clocking out the last call. And when the phone rang, it was literally the last call during her last call. Her shift would continue now, and she wouldn’t be paid overtime.

“Hello are you there? Speak to me, please. I’ll send help. Give me your address or location.”

Renee was met with silence and sighed. She yelled across the room: “Joe, I’ve got a caller who isn’t responding. I need the location.”

“Okay, I’ll set up a triangulation.”

“Caller, I’m still here. Tell me what is happening.” Joe was looking across the room, and Renee shook her head.

“I’m here. I think I passed out.”

“Give me your location.”

“I don’t know where I am. It is dark, hard to breathe, kind of damp and musty. I was taking a walk. Then, something happened; I don’t know what.”

“What is your cell number?”

Silence.  “Joe, I lost her again. She says it is dark and dank where she is.”

“Renee, I’m re-bidding the network so it will query. We’ll find her. Hey, aren’t you off the clock now? You should be out of here.”

“She’s my last call. I can’t just up and leave. We all know Edith would, but you and I don’t. We finish the job, right, Joe?” She grinned. This wasn’t their first crisis partnership. They were a team, dedicated to saving people.

“Rebid, Joe. She’s not answering my voice. I hear strange background noises.” Renee heard a few hollers, car engines, and finally a train whistle. “A train is going by,” she yelled.

“The ping shows a location near the corner of Taylor and 29th near the tracks.” He hit the radio button and dispatched an ambulance to the coordinates. “They’ve dispatched an EMT unit to the area.” He put his enormous hand on Renee’s shoulder. “It’ll be fine now. You can clock out and go home.”

“No, I have to wait until I know they found her. The line is still open. I’m not leaving my last call hanging in the unknown.” He squeezed her shoulder and motioned to speak to the caller. Renee handed him the phone.

“Hello, Ma’am. My name is Joe. You were the last call during my partner’s shift, and she and I are not going anywhere until the medics get to you. They’re on the way. Do you have any idea if you are inside a building or a vehicle?”

“I d-don’t know. I..I…was sick to my stomach. It’s horrible, I’m cold and probably smell bad from vomit. It’s so dark that I can’t see any lights or even my hand. And, I need a restroom. This is so embarrassing. It’s scary and I think there are rats here.” The caller began sobbing, then shouting at the rats to get away. Joe heard scratching noises through the phone.

“It’s all right, Ma’am, the EMTs are used to sick people. They’ll be there shortly, I promise. Just keep talking to us. I’ve put you on speakerphone so we three can talk. Tell us about yourself. How old are you and where did you grow up?”

The caller launched into a long ramble about being born in southern Indiana, and then moving as a baby to Montana; later, in grade school, she moved to Iowa and was raised on a farm. Her parents grew corn and wheat, and she told them all about the grain and cobs. They discovered she is 44 and considers 4 her lucky number. When they told her the EMT’s ETA was in 4 minutes, she let out a holler that could have called the cows, sheep, and all the hogs home. It was her lucky, lucky day, she shouted.

Joe and Renee began chuckling.

“Dispatch, Medic 4 here, on scene. It is pitch black, no outdoor lights, and there are no vehicles or buildings.”

“See, Joe, it’s my lucky day, because you sent Medic 4 to me.” Joe smiled, but then frowned. The medics didn’t see the caller.

“Ma’am,” he began, but she interrupted.

“I’m Marjorie. Hell, just call me Margie.”

“Ok, Margie. The medics are there, but they don’t see you. Can you move or wave an arm or a piece of clothing?”

“Dispatch, we’re not seeing anything. We’re walking the area in a quadrant to locate her.

“Ohhhh, it hurts so bad. I think I broke my arm, and possibly my ankle. Get away! The rats are gnawing on my shoe. Please help me, they are going to bite me! Joe…”

“Medic 4, there are rats nearby, freaking her out. She thinks her leg is broken.”

“Roger that, dispatch. Arnold, get the 4000 lumens from the rig.”

“Got it, Boss.”

“Shine it around, let’s find our injured person. Walk in a large circle and narrow it down each time you complete one.”

“Roger that.”

“Margie, they are coming. If you have a sweater or hat, you could wave it around to scare off the rats.”

“Okay, Joe. I’m waving my ballcap. I can’t move to take my sweater off. It’s so dark and really tight in here. When I try to move, I get horrible shooting pains.”

“Can you tell if you are bleeding?”

“I…oh, no, yes.”
“Yes, you are bleeding?”

“Yes, there is smeared blood on my hands. Help me!”

“Rescue 4, she is bleeding and injured. It's dark and she can’t move much in the space and experiences extreme pain when she moves.”

“Boss, nothing over here!”

“Come this way with the torch, Arnold. Hurry it up!”

“Get away from me! The rats, Joe...”

“Dispatch, I hear her voice; keep her talking. Okay, closer, closer…wait, there’s a hole…I see her; she’s down a manhole. Someone left the cover off. Arnold has her. We’re bringing her up.”

Renee and Joe waited, listening. They heard Margie thank the EMTs, then sob. Margie was loaded into the ambulance; the sirens blared as they sped off to the hospital. Joe clicked the mic off, and then both of them slumped in relief deeper into their chairs.

“Renee, your last call is over. Good job! And it’s way past your time to leave.”

“Joe, you are the man! Thanks for helping me.”

Joe heard her as she left: “Marianne, I’m on my way. No way! They can’t have last call before I get there! I’ll be at the Pub shortly. Tell them to hold off. I saved a life tonight and need a nightcap.”

               Copyright © 9/2/2026 by Andrea O. Corwin