After my reply, an awkward silence followed. He stared at me straight in my eyes. My enthusiasm dropped a bit. I tried to find his reaction to my answer. However, it met a deadpan face."You don"t know the whole story," said and after some time, I left the hall. I had a bad feeling in my gut. I was not selected that day. That didn"t come across as a surprise.
Only later did I realize that he wanted to give me time to consider my choice.
I found they saved the baby from the fire, but her mother died. The fireman entered the fire to save the mother. He could not save her.
As for the baby, in a desperate attempt to save the baby her mom threw her out of the window. Even if the baby was alive, it suffered many injuries and died a month later.
The baby and her mother both died. If I am scared just watching it. How would those people feel? When you can"t save a person you could have? Do I want this to be a job? My life?
This haunted me for many days in the form of nightmares. Anything and everything I did to get rid of them was fruitless.
One day the 6-year-old girl"s face came to my mind. Wasn"t she saved?
Next day I regave the exam and interview. This time they asked me why did of becoming a firefighter, I said, "I wished to make a change in people"s life If I can." He smiled. He sure didn"t have high standards, and I was selected.
You can"t save everyone, but at least you can change a few lives.
-----
Everything somehow made sense to Ira. She stared at the girl before her. She was many years younger than her, but it was like this girl figured the way she wanted to live her life.
She sighed, "It"s a dangerous job. Not only you see death but also many firefighters lose their life. Line of duty fatality by burn, smoke inhalation, building collapses. Don"t you feel scared? Think about changing jobs." She chewed inside her cheek. Ira knew that it was a vain attempt to change her mind yet she had to try.
Reeya curled her lips in a beautiful smile. No one ever worried about her enough to advise her to leave it. Many loved to pry in her exciting life and asked their share of questions. No one looked concerned as Ira. They were just curious people not a single one was sincere. She was happy to find a genuine friend.
"Fatality, deaths come with the job. Death is never pretty. You are supposed to do a good job. And for us, a good job means risking life. It is our job." she said in a casual manner. Reeya took Ira"s palms in her and pressed them, "Don"t worry. It"s not that bad. We have a lot of fun. Get many holidays except we have to stay nearby and reachable. "
Ira had asked her to be careful earlier as well. This gesture touched her heart.