This week I talk with Havok Journal owner Charlie Faint and Andrew, a 18-year old firefighter on the East Coast. I know what you’re thinking – how much wisdom, insight and life experience are you really going to get from an 18-year old? I agree – but Andrew is not your typical 18-year old. The story he wrote for Havok Journal was jarring enough that I made the editorial decision to focus on it instead of any topical stuff this week. Your next question is probably about Andrew’s anonymity – how many firefighters hold top secret clearances and need to protect their identities? True, but not many of us have been raised in the age of social media where opening your mouth to discuss anything important – or unimportant – is essentially handing ammunition to the trolls in your life. That said, Andrew doesn’t say anything particularly controversial, but he is very comfortable discussing the nuances of life and death issues. Which reminds me – consider this your trigger warning. The story Andrew leads off with is a tough one. It gets more philosophical from there. We get into some late-night, dorm-room-style, lava-lamp-in-the-background-type ruminations. We talk about death, insecurity, and maybe why more 16 year-olds should become volunteer firefighters.

Show Alibis

In the episode, Andrew and I discuss our shared firefighting experience and I talk about the firefighter/cop rivalry – cops are “pigs,” everyone loves a firefighter because they save people, everyone hates the police because they have to enforce the law, blah blah blah. That kind of stuff seemed a lot funnier before the whole “defund the police” movement took off. Not a lot else to say, I just feel a little weird that I brought it up.  

14 episodes in and Charlie finally had a brain fart. Unlike me or Alyssa Sudermann when we’ve gone off the rails, Charlie tapped out and requested an edit. I’ve grown so much as a person that I was willing to do edit it out, but I haven’t grown enough to not mention it gleefully to you all.

Andrew consistently acquits himself well throughout the episode. But any immaturity he still has seems to have been channeled into his driving. It was the end of the episode so I didn’t have time to make a big thing about it, but how many accidents did he mention that he’s been in? Next time he comes on the show, I’m going to see if he’s willing to move to the city and start taking the subway.

Show Notes

Firefighters Deal with More Than Just Flames by Andrew

Having PTSD means you’re normal

LTC Dave Grossman

Meekness in the beatitudes “Strength Under Control”

The Hill by Aaron Kirk