<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" = http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content="MSHTML 5.00.2614.3500" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thank you for the post. It is list = related, with all the harsh words of the  ( hopefully ) past.</FONT></DIV> <DIV>Joe Goss<BR><A href="mailto:imatunr@primenet.com">imatunr@primenet.com</A><BR><A href="http://www.primenet.com/~imatunr/">http://www.primenet.com/~imatu= nr/</A><BR></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: = 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A href="mailto:ramsey@extremezone.com" = title=ramsey@extremezone.com>Kevin E. Ramsey</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" title=pianotech@ptg.org>pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, January 13, = 2001 7:44 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> The Littlest Firefighter:OT</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>I'm probably going to get flamed, but I thought some of you would = like reading this:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The 26-year-old mother stared down at her son who was dying of = terminal leukemia. Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a = strong feeling of determination. Like any parent she wanted her son to grow = up and fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible. The leukemia = would see to that. But she still wanted her son's dreams to come true. She = took her son's hand and asked, "Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted = to be once you grew up. Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with = your life?" <FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=+0>"Mommy, I always = wanted to be a fireman when I grew up."</FONT></FONT> <FONT face="Times New = Roman"><FONT size=+0>Mom smiled back and said, "Let's see if we can make your = wish come true."</FONT></FONT> <P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=+0>Later that day she = went to her local fire department in Phoenix, Arizona, where she met Fireman Bob, = who had a heart as big as Phoenix. She explained her son's final wish and = asked if it might be possible to give her six-year-old son a ride around the block = on a fire engine. Fireman Bob said, "Look, we can do better than that. If = you'll have your son ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make him = an honorary fireman for the whole day. He can come down to the fire = station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards! And if = you'll give us his sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real = hat-not a toy one-with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, a = yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots. They're all manufactured right = here in Phoenix, so we can get them fast." Three days later, Fireman Bob = picked up Billy, dressed him in his fire uniform and escorted him from his = hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck. Billy got to sit on the back of = the truck and help steer it back to the fire station. He was in Heaven. = There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day and Billy got to go out on all = three calls. He rode in the different fire engines, the paramedic's van and = even the fire chief's car. He was also video taped for the local news program. = Having his dream come true, with all the love and attention that was lavished = upon him, so deeply touched Billy that he lived three months longer than = any doctor thought possible. One night all of his vital signs began to drop = dramatically and the head nurse, who believed in the Hospice concept that no one = should die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital. Then she = remembered the day Billy had spent as a fireman, so she called the fire chief and = asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital = to be with Billy as he made his transition. The chief replied, "We can do = better than that We'll be there in five minutes. Will you please do me a = favor? When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will you = announce over the PA system that there is not a fire? It's just the fire = department coming to see one of it's finest members one more time. And will you = open the window to his room?.....Thanks." About five minutes later, a hook an = ladder truck arrived at the hospital, extended its ladder up to Billy's third = floor open window and 16 firefighters climbed up the ladder into Billy's = room. With his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how = much they loved him. With his dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire = chief and said, "Chief, am I really a fireman now?" "Billy, you are." the chief = said. With those words, Billy smiled and closed his eyes one last time. Many = people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave = footprints in your heart. To handle yourself, use your head; To handle others, = use your heart. Anger is only one letter short of danger. Great minds discuss = ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people He who loses = money, loses much; He who loses a friend, loses much more; He who loses = faith, loses all. Friends, you and me.. You brought another friend... and then = there were three... We started our group... Our circle of friends... And like = that circle... There is no beginning or end. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow = is a mystery. Today is a gift. Send this to everyone you consider FRIEND.   = _________________________________________________________________ </= FONT></FONT>    </P></DIV> <DIV>Kevin E. Ramsey, R.P.T.<BR><A href="mailto:ramsey@extremezone.com">ramsey@extremezone.com</A> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>