Day 8 - Kansas City & St Louis, MO

Kansas City was a tough catch because they were out on calls when we showed up.  But once they showed up, the fun didn’t stop.  The guys went above and beyond for a short stop.  We left with our car looking shiny and new.  With more shirts and patches and the Chief insisting we follow him to another station to add his patch as well. 

 

We did have a moment of typical drama when Sharen hid the keys in the car, that bear has an ornery streak in her!  It could have been worse because we were parked in front of the bay door blocking them in.  No worries.  Their spirit and sense of humor could have lifted us out anyways.  We have a standing invitation to come back and you know we’ll see you again.  If we can’t see you next year sadly we will likely have another chance.  Sigh.  And so we waved good-bye and it was off to St. Louis by way of O’Fallon and a tourist trap or two along the way.

 

Sue Shockley was our hostess with the most.  She is the mother of a Stryker soldier from Ft. Lewis who has already deployed once, and will go again to the desert.  Sue and her mother introduced us to some really neat people at “American Hero’s” in O’Fallon, a local watering hole and all around good hang out for local fire fighters and law enforcement.  Really good food, (love the “Toasted Ravioli”), fun atmosphere, and big hearted people. 

 

This is another invitation we will accept on a future visit.  The folks at “American Hero’s” were setting up for a bachelor party of one for one of their own.  Less his fiancé worry, the long red hair belongs to Sharen and that cologne was Eau-De-Bearitall, her signature scent. 

 

We didn’t want to intrude, and needed to get into St. Louis proper to visit the guys at Station 1, and so we were off.

 

We dropped Sue’s mom and picked up her hubby enroute.  But these guys were tough.  They came on as hard cases when we first arrived, sitting with their arms folded, several smoking stogies. 

 

Before long we had them proudly showing off their station.  Most specifically their museum, which (no kidding here) is located in their bathroom!  Now when a firefighter asks if you would like to see their museum … and it is in the loo … you know you’re going to look!  So we did.  It wasn’t what you expected, tough I am not sure just what we expected.  Can’t say I’ve been in a lot of men’s bathrooms, and of those I’ve have visited, I can’t say I would voluntarily return.  But I would put it on my itinerary for St. Louis.

 

These guys wee a lot of fun once they melted and it was good sharing so many laughs.   We would like to thank the Shockley Family for their outstanding support of gas, food, and lodging for the St. Louis stop.  Sue also makes a pretty mean coffee cake!

 

We look forward to seeing Sue and the St. Louis Crew over the next few years.

lj