Just a routine fire call

Horns blatting, Siren whooping, A firetruck works its way through Manhattan traffic. Its an everyday occurance, and one that's going to feel anything but everyday to most New Yorks for quite some time. If you don't grow up with it, it takes a little while to get used to the background sounds of Manhattan. The butt of more jokes than most people can imagine, it provided Russel Baker fodder for far more NY Times columns than I can count. Sirens are just a fact of life in a city with crowded streets. Firetrucks on call tend to have a specific set of sounds, anchored in the deep, throaty horn that blatts in short, urgents honks as they cross intersections against the lights, or chivy traffic out of the way.

But, since September 11, people stop and watch. Oh, sure, people have always tended to look at firetrucks as they go by. it's part of the rich pagent of urban life that makes NY a fascinating place to live. But this is different. Far more people turn and look, and the look is...different. Intellecttually, you know it's probably nothing more than a kitchen fire, a bit of smoke in the basement, a false alarm from an overly eager smoke detector. But, you can't help thinking about the over 300 men and women who, to a similar chorus of honks, sirens and wails headed off to the World Trade center. Not intent on being heros, just intent on doing their job. And that's what they're still doing. They're still leaping into the trucks and loading the gear and heading towards possible danger; perhaps that's the most remarkable thing of all. That and the thoughtful, respectful looks of New Yorkers, as they turn and watch.