Special Notes:

*[ any phrase or sentence ]* = The deaf person speaks in sign language only. Please be advised that some words or phrases in the parenthesis, i.e. (to the) or (that is), are omitted that the deaf person doesn’t use those words to communicate with someone else in sign language only.

Example: *[Yes, you (are) right.]* Brian agreed.

{{ any phrase or sentence }} = The hearing person speaks in sign language with his/her voice at the same time.

Example: {{Hi, how can I help you?}} Lisa asked a deaf customer nicely.

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It was a mid-summer day around noontime. A hearing impaired couple, both Caucasians in their mid-30s, had just arrived at the supermarket where they were supposed to get groceries. The dark brown-haired man, Gary, parked his car in the parking lot. His red-haired wife of 4 years, Andrea, was 38 weeks pregnant with their first child. Exiting the car, they approached the entrance of the supermarket when Andrea suddenly stopped walking, she grabbed her stomach and gasped. Following behind her, Gary stopped to take a look at her face. Puzzled by her expression he tapped her shoulder, she looked up at him.

*[What's wrong?]* Gary asked, a look of concern on his face.

*[I think (that my) water broke.]* Andrea signed back, as she slowly slid down the side wall of the store to the sidewalk.

Gary dropped to his knees by her left side as she began to have some difficulty breathing. Slowly and gently, he laid her down on the sidewalk. An elderly woman of about late 70s was just getting out of her car, she was arriving for her haircut appointment. She slowly walked with the aid of her cane towards the beauty salon, which was next to the supermarket. She spotted the commotion immediately, a small crowd of people next to the stores outer wall. She quickly walked over to the scene, lying on the ground was a young, obviously pregnant woman, she was breathing hard and clutching the hand of a young man kneeling beside her.

“Hello dear, are you all right?” She had pushed her way past the people standing in front of her, she leaned over the man's shoulder to look into the face of the lady.

She and the pregnant woman made eye contact, she noticed right away how the young woman motioned to her companion and attempted to sign to him.

*[Wait.]* The anxious man signaled a “T” with his both hands to ask the stranger in a polite way to wait, while he continued to help his wife with her breathing. When he looked up at the stranger again, he used his body language to tell the old woman that they were deaf. *[We. . .]* He continued in body language and shook his head at the same time. *[Can't hear.]*

Suddenly, the woman understood that the couple was obviously hearing impaired. Gary pulled a notepad and pen out of his shirt pocket. He began to scribble frantically:

< ~ > ~ < ~ < ~ > ~ < ~ < ~ > ~ < ~ > ~ < ~ >

< ~ > ~ < ~ < ~ > ~ < ~ < ~ > ~ < ~ > ~ < ~ >

He thrust the paper at the woman. She looked at the man's poor writing with a grimace, it took a moment for her to read the untidy scrawl. After she finished reading the note, she wrote her answer on the same paper:

< ~ > ~ < ~ < ~ > ~ < ~ < ~ > ~ < ~ > ~ < ~ >

< ~ > ~ < ~ < ~ > ~ < ~ < ~ > ~ < ~ > ~ < ~ >

She turned the paper back to the man, she laid a reassuring hand gently on his shoulder. Reading the note, he looked up at the woman, and smiled, nodding his agreement.

The woman made her way to the phone booth in front of the supermarket and called 911. She explained the situation briefly and asked for an ambulance, but she forgot to mention about the young couple's hearing impairment. Hanging up the receiver she leaned against the glass of the booth, glancing at her watch nervously, her hands were becoming very shaky, she was tired and worse, she was late for her appointment. Feeling that she had more than done her civic duty, she gathered her purse, took hold of her cane and made her way to the hair-stylist’s shop. She glanced back to where the young man still knelt over his wife, and shook her head, * poor people * she thought.

Gary looked down at his wife, he couldn't believe this was happening, they thought they had planned for everything. It had never occurred to them that this could ever happen. Gary squeezed her hand in both of his hands. Andrea continued panting every so often she would look at Gary, a pleading look in her eyes.

<> E! <> E! <> E! <>

At the Station 51 firehouse, a middle-aged screenwriter and his young girlfriend had just walked out of the kitchen's door while Marco Lopez watched Chet Kelly overcooking chili. Chet turned the stove off, took the kitchen towel to cover the large saucepan's handle, and pulled the saucepan off the stove. As Johnny Gage still stood by the kitchen's door from where the couple had just left, Chet approached Johnny and showed the burning chili.

The tone sounded:
“Squad 51, woman in labor at the supermarket. 1714 S. Crenshaw Blvd. Cross street: Carson Street. Timeout: 12:08”

Johnny looked from the burning chili to the two bowls he held in one of his hands, he shrugged and dropped the small bowls into the saucepan. Chet’s mouth hung open in utter disbelief while Johnny turned to put the other two plates on the table and strode off to the bay.

“Squad 51, KMG-365.” Roy DeSoto responded to the dispatcher, as Johnny jumped in the squad and took his place in the passenger seat.

Roy hurriedly shut the door to the squad, turned over the engine and turned the siren on, the squad left the station, lights and siren going.

<> E! <> E! <> E! <>

Arriving at the supermarket, Roy and Johnny removed their helmets and simultaneously leapt out of the squad. Several onlookers surrounded the deaf couple outside the storefront in the blazing California sun. The paramedics quickly spotted the red-haired woman lying on the sidewalk, panting. Gary still knelt next to Andrea's left side and looked at her while the paramedics approached the couple.

Roy knelt next to the woman's right side while Johnny took his place next to the man on her left side. Roy looked at the man and tried to question him, but the man didn't hear Roy's voice and continued looking at his wife. Johnny gently shook the man's left arm with his right hand. Gary quickly turned around to look at the dark-haired paramedic. Johnny motioned with his head to look at his older partner. Gary quickly turned to look at the sandy-haired paramedic. As Roy spoke, the man tried to lip-read what the paramedic said. Andrea impatiently panted and seemed to be ready to deliver at anytime. Gary was about to pull his notepad and pen out of his shirt pocket. Watching what the man was doing, Roy and Johnny realized with certainty that the man was hearing impaired.

Johnny tapped the man's left shoulder. Gary quickly turned around to look at the paramedic. Looking at the man's face, Johnny flashed his friendly smile and signed and spoke at the same time, {{Hi, are you deaf?}}

The couple was surprised by the paramedic's fluency in sign language, Gary replied, *[Yes, my wife and I (are) deaf.]*

{{That's okay, everything's all right. My partner and I are here to help you.}} Johnny responded.

*[Great.]* Gary smiled nervously.

Johnny interpreted for the couple in sign language when Roy asked them questions. He also explained everything that was going on.

Gary motioned to Johnny and anxiously explained to him in sign language, *[Our baby's due (date is) September 27. Somehow, when we arrived here (about) 15 minutes ago, my wife's water broke. We need (to) go (to the) hospital right away. We need (to) hurry up!]*

Johnny understood everything the man said. He also understood the man's fear. {{Take it easy.}} He advised the man, {{Let me call Rampart Hospital and find out what a doctor says, O-K? I need some information about your wife. What's your wife's name?}} He pulled his pen out of his uniform shirt's pocket and quickly took a notepad from the biophone.

*[A-N-D-R-E-A.]* The man spelled his wife's name, as Johnny paid attention the man's fingerspelling and started writing down information about the woman on the notepad.

{{Your last name?}} Johnny questioned.

*[W-A-G-N-E-R.]* The man spelled their last name.

{{How old is she?}} Johnny continued questioning.

*[34.]* The man replied.

Johnny picked up the biophone receiver and relayed the patient's condition to Rampart.

At Rampart Hospital, Dr. Kelly Brackett stood by the radio and listened to Johnny's report. Sitting on the stool at the ER nurse's station, Nurse Dixie McCall monitored the call. At the mention of the deaf woman, she turned to look at Kel and silently continued listening to the exchange between Johnny and Dr. Brackett.

As Gary held his wife's hand in his, he watched while the paramedics worked; Roy advised her through Johnny's sign language interpretation, "Take a short breath."

Andrea continued trying to take short breaths as best she could.

With Dr. Brackett's advice, Roy and Johnny agreed to deliver the baby inside the supermarket. Roy stood up and went to the squad to get a stretcher while Johnny remained kneeling beside the couple.

As the man watched the conversation still holding his wife's hand in his own, Johnny informed the woman, {{We have to move you inside the supermarket. O-K?}}

Still panting with her labor pains, Andrea nodded silently.

At Rampart, Dixie stood up and joined Kel at the radio.

Roy and Johnny put Andrea on the stretcher and moved her into the supermarket while her husband followed them.

A middle-aged store manager had just finished his lunch break and was walking out of his office to enter the shopping area through the sales shelves. He suddenly spotted the paramedics bringing the pregnant woman into the supermarket. Approaching them, he anxiously questioned the paramedics, “What’s going on?”

Roy answered in a polite but hurried voice, “Please, we need a private area to deliver this baby.”

The manager nodded and quickly led them to his office so they could work in privacy, away from the still gathering crowd of onlookers. Entering the office, the manager cleared the way, piling things on his desk, to make room for the paramedics to work. The men gently placed the woman on the floor as the manager left, closing the door behind him. Without missing a beat, the two resumed their work. Gary knelt down by his wife's left side and resumed holding her hand in support. Roy left the manager's office and went outside to get the medical supplies and biophone. Kneeling by the woman's right side, Johnny explained the situation to the couple in sign language.

At Rampart, Dr. Joe Early just walked out of the door next to Dixie's ER nurse station and continued looking at a patient's chart. Suddenly, he overheard something about a deaf woman being in labor. He stopped in front of Dixie's desk and looked up at Kel and Dixie for a few seconds. He joined Kel and Dixie and listened to the radio about the woman's status.

Behind the closed door of the supermarket manager's office, Roy knelt in front of Andrea as he prepared to deliver her baby. She struggled for breath as her labor progressed, Gary anxiously holding her hand. Johnny knelt behind the man and continued interpreting for the woman.

Roy advised Andrea through Johnny's sign language interpretation, “You need to push harder.”

She did what the kind paramedic instructed her to do.

Meanwhile, at Rampart, Kel, Dixie, and Joe were standing by awaiting an update from Squad 51.

With a final push, Andrea delivered her baby into Roy's waiting hands. Johnny glanced at the newborn baby and turned to look at the couple.

Johnny happily smiled at the couple and said to them, {{It's a girl! Congratulations!}}

Elated to have their first child finally arrive, Gary excitedly squeezed his wife's hand with tears of pure happiness in his eyes.

*[Thank you!]* The couple replied with happy smiles, looking at the younger paramedic.

Johnny proudly smiled and winked at the couple while Roy cleaned the baby.

Johnny picked up the biophone receiver and reported to the hospital, “Rampart, Squad 51.”

At Rampart, Kel replied, “Go ahead.”

Johnny told Kel the good news, “She's got a baby girl! Both mother and baby are doing fine.”

At Rampart, Kel happily replied, “That's great to hear! Tell her ‘Congratulations!’ from all of us. When you're ready, transport.”

“Sure. ETA is approximately 12 minutes.” Johnny hung up and looked at the couple. Still lying on the floor, Andrea held her newborn baby girl with both hands on her chest. Her husband had laid a hand on the baby, he was wiping the sweat from his wife's face with his other hand. While Roy gathered their gear, Johnny tapped the man's left shoulder. Gary turned around to look at the paramedic. Johnny told the couple, {{Dr. Brackett from Rampart Hospital congratulated both of you!}} The couple smiled happily.

Outside, the ambulance had just arrived at the supermarket. The manager knocked on the office door, he entered and was followed by two ambulance attendants. Andrea and her daughter were transferred to the gurney and moved to the waiting ambulance. Johnny and Gary climbed into the ambulance and sat on the bench next to Andrea's left side. Roy drove the squad to Rampart Hospital. While riding in the ambulance, Johnny and Gary began a personal conversation. Andrea still held her baby on her chest and fed her with a small bottle of formula.

*[Your name?]* Gary asked the dark-haired paramedic.

{{J-O-H-N.}} Johnny replied with his fingerspelling and smiled at the man, {{Or, you can call me ‘Johnny’. What's your name?}}

*[G-A-R-Y.]* The man spelled his name.

{{Well, it's very nice to meet you guys.}} Johnny grinned.

*[You, too.]* Gary signed and then asked Johnny, *[Curiously, how you know sign language?]*

{{Well, my partner's sister-in-law is deaf. She and I are very close friends, like brother and sister. I learned sign language from her. I also took sign language class last spring, so I can communicate with her and any other deaf person. I can interpret for any deaf person anywhere when he or she needs to speak with somebody else.}} Johnny replied, speaking of Roy’s second wife Mildred’s younger sister.

*[Oh, I see. Good for you!]* Gary nodded.

{{Gary, have you and Andrea decided what to name your baby girl yet?}} Johnny curiously questioned.

Gary spelled his new daughter's name, *[A-S-H-L-E-Y.]*

{{Oh, that's a pretty name!}} Johnny smiled.

The ambulance arrived at Rampart Hospital with Squad 51 right behind them. Andrea, with Ashley on the gurney, was pulled out of the ambulance and moved into the Emergency Room. The paramedics and Gary followed them to the treatment room. Andrea was transferred to the examination table from the gurney. Ashley was taken to another area in the same room and would be examined to make sure that she was in good health. While Kel gave his orders for his newest patients to Dixie at the ER nurse station, Roy and Johnny stayed with the couple in the treatment room. Roy and Johnny stood by the woman's left side while her husband stood by her right side.

Johnny introduced the couple to his partner, {{This is my partner Roy.}} As Roy already knew the woman's name, Johnny turned around to his partner, pointing at Gary for a second. {{This is Andrea's husband, Gary.}}

Gary and Andrea smiled at Roy through Johnny's voice relay for Roy, *[Nice (to) meet you.]*

Roy replied with his friendly smile through Johnny's sign language interpretation, "Nice to meet you guys, too!"

Andrea finally expressed her gratitude through Johnny's voice relay, *[John and Roy, I want (to) thank you so much for delivering my baby.]*

Gary expressed his gratitude through Johnny's voice relay, *[John, I want (to) thank you so much for interpreting for us.]*

Johnny happily smiled at the couple, {{You're welcome, but it's not necessary to thank us.}} He winked and crookedly grinned a little with all the kind words.

Roy smiled at the couple and spoke and slowly signed at the same time, {{You are welcome!}}

Kel and Dixie returned to the treatment room to check on the deaf female patient as Roy left to get some coffee from the ER nurse station. Johnny stayed with the couple, so he could interpret for them when Kel and Dixie spoke to them. Once the mother and baby were on their way to the OB ward, Johnny left the room and met Roy at the ER nurse station to get more medical supplies from another nurse. Meanwhile, Kel and Dixie went to another treatment room to check on the other patient. Roy and Johnny finally left Rampart Hospital and headed back to the Station 51 firehouse.

~ The End ~

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