Black Flies Post #3

In this part of the book, the EMT's and police's mental issues are brought to light even more. Ollie has a new nickname now, one to replace his old one as "the Coroner". His new nickname is "Cross". While it is nothing special, it is still better than his old one. Anyways, back to the mental issues. A perfect example is when Rut, Ollie, and a policeman, Pastori, are eating lunch in the squadcar. A kid walks by, looks at them, and spits on the ground. Pastori calls the kid over, gets the kids superior, and makes him beat up the kid that spit. The kid's nose was bleeding, he was moaning, and he would surely never do it again. But Pastori made the other guy keep beating him up. Soon, the kid was unconcious on the sidewalk in his own blood. Rut finally jumps out of the car and calls down another ambulence. Pastori says, "Guess Rut's feeling generous today"(60). How disgusting is that? It is also very disturbing knowing that the people our communities trust to keep them safe and to stop violence are the ones creating trouble. Ollie is mad at himself for just sitting there, doing nothing although he knew it was wrong. I would be mad at myself too.
Later, Ollie calls his girlfriend Clara. She pesters him to explain what happened at work that day. When he explains the incident above, he said that a "skel" got beat up really bad. She asked what a skel was and he responded, "A skel is someone who deserves it"(61). She replies, "Only three months and you've already become one of them"(61). I tend to disagree with her on that one. While Ollie is getting more accustomed to the atrocities that occur at work, I do not think is agrees with it happening. He still very much has the "gut check" that lets you know when something thats going on is wrong. I do not believe the other workers, like Pastori, have that anymore. They have learned to take out their frustration and anxiety about their job on others. Ollie doesn't do that. I look forward to seeing if he continues to act this way or if he truly does become "one of them".

Black Flies Post #2

At the beginning of the chapter, Ollie continues to not fit in 100%, but he is doing better. The other EMTs continue to make life a little harder for him. One thing I am noticing about all the EMTs is their sick humor. For example, Ollie has to work with LaFontaine, who is not the nicest guy in the world. LaFontaine, regarding driving the ambulence and pedestrians, says, "Haven't killed anyone yet, but, hey, three's a charm" (35). While LaFontaine thinks it is funny, Ollie, along with myself, don't quite think so. I think it really must take a lot for someone to joke so nonchalantly about death. Death must be so present in their life that all they can do is laugh about it. I think that is the case for LaFontaine. It is his way of coping.
One thing however that I think Ollie could and does learn from LaFontaine and the others is to loosen up a little bit. On a call where a teenager was shot in the head, but still walking and talking (aka not dead), the patient told Ollie he had a headache. Ollie responded, "Normally I think our patients are complainers. But in your case, you say you got a headache....Hey, I don't blame you"(48). His partner Rutkovsky tells the others and they think its pretty funny. They even take down the grim reaper picture from Ollie's locker. He is starting to fit in more. I think that is one valuable thing he has learned so far. I know he will learn much more in the coming chapters and I am excited to read ahead.

Black Flies Post #1

I am reading Black Flies by Shannon Burke. It describes the experiences of a man, Ollie, who just started his job of being an EMT. He describes in detail the people, insects, and deaths he witnesses. He descries the scene of a suicide: "The girl had cracked the pavement, indenting it. One leg was bent backward beneath her body. Her head was at a crazy angle. She was completely still"(6). The reader can really picture the scene. It is bizzare and disturbing. Ollie also describes how his partner, Rutkovsky, acts like nothing happened as he gets back into the ambulence and eats his dinner while the mother of the girl pleads with him through the window to save her daughter. All of the "seasoned" medics act in that way. The new medics have to get used to all the death in their lives. The veterans taunt them by calling Ollie "The Coroner" for almost not being able to save a man having an athsma attack and by putting a transfer form in Phelps'(the other newbie) mailbox. They even put a dead dog, covered in maggots, in the drivers seat of his car so it looked like it was driving. Phelps, "...just stood there with his head on the car....I could see his back shaking. He couldn't stop. It went on for ten minutes"(21). First of all, that is absolutely disgusting. I don't even want to imagine what it would be like to have to deal with seeing hurt or dead people every day and then have to deal with a dead dog in your car after work.
This book is really really good so far. It is graphic and they swear fairly regularly but it is really captivating. I didn't think I was going to like it because I don't like blood and guts but it works with the book. It makes the reader understand what it might be like to have to see that in person everyday and how it might affect someone. I would never ever want to be a medic. I am almost 100% certain that by the end of the book, there is going to be no way I would ever become an EMT. Shannon Burke, the author, includes tidbits of interesting medical information between the different emergency calls Ollie and Rutkovsky go on. It is a nice break from the intense situations going on. I am looking forward to seeing if Ollie survives and actually stays with this profession!