Post Lawsuit
Evan “Buck” Buckley
Crew of Station 118
Contemplation

And He Played Hallelujah

It had been several days since Buck had come crawling back to try and get back into their good graces after he tried to sue them. They noticed the first day he kept annoying them all with his apologies and trying to be with them, even daring to try to eat with them once. But after that, he grew childish and silent. Only doing the chores assigned him and stayed out of their way. His ever-present clipboard in his hand and sheets of paperwork being handed as signed off to Bobby.

No comment made from Bobby’s inner circle when he was ordered to change the oil on the engine, but laughter at his shaking when he finished and disappeared. No one from the inner circle saw the ladder crew leader follow him to give comfort as he gave his stomach over to the porcelain god in the bathroom he would have to clean again. Calley’s crew helped him finish up the chores that afternoon.

As evening drew on, a soft musical sound was heard up in the loft as joking calls were made to family and friends. The sounds seemed to come echoing from out the open doors and the figure they saw sitting by the bay with a guitar in hand.
Thinking a busker had set up shop, the crew headed down to tell him off, only to see Buckley softly playing the music to Cohen’s Hallelujah while quietly singing in his tenor voice to his tablet screen of children’s faces. All looking attentive, even if they were all wearing scrubs and hospital gowns. Looking closely some showed to have IV’s.

Each held a Lily of the Valley and the nurse in the background had tears in her eyes, as he played Hallelujah.

They kept silent at the sight of little children saying goodbye to a friend and child who had passed away that morning from the disease she had picked up when going to the store. And gently played Hallelujah.
The sun setting in front of them in its red sky of clouds as though mourning the child lost. And he continued to play Hallelujah even if he was no longer singing.
Suddenly their thoughts turned to what they had been doing to this man, who was playing for a child now gone. No longer feeling proud of what they had done. Bobby thought of his family and his loss, as tears flowed down his face. Suddenly he needed to hear Athena and her children’s voices as he walked back into the station. Hen was the same about contacting her wife and child. Chimney was texting Maddie as he cried.

Eddie stood there, his anger that had always been present ever since his wife’s death, now dissipated in the wake of watching his best friend playing Hallelujah. Picturing all the times he could have lost his own son, even recently.
He had his phone out recording for his son to hear the man he looked up too and the same man he had been kept away from through the lies of his father comfort other children. As he played Hallelujah, over and over. Oh, so quiet. Ending only when the last child had been sent to bed in that bunk style hospital room and all of them were asleep. What stars could be seen overhead due to LA’s light pollution shined on and the full moon seemed to smile down and halo his friend he almost lost twice this year. Oh, how could he have forgotten that in his anger.

Buck turned off his tablet, and cleaned up around him, but before he put his guitar away, he heard the sound of someone near him. Seeing Eddie standing there with his phone down to where he could see Chris’ face sleeping. Eddie, not wanting to break the calm spell that had settled over the area, just said that Chris heard him play and fell asleep to it. Then he asked if he wanted to come over in the morning to play again in person to the boy who held both their hearts.

Athena and Karen in the background, on their other’s phones, whispered, Hallelujah.

Fini
3/9/2026