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\u2019re thinking \u2013 how much wisdom, insight and life experience are you really going to get from an 18-year old? I agree \u2013 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\u2019s anonymity \u2013 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 \u2013 or unimportant \u2013 is essentially handing ammunition to the trolls in your life. That said, Andrew doesn\u2019t say anything particularly controversial, but he is very comfortable discussing the nuances of life and death issues. Which reminds me \u2013 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.
\n\n\u00a0
\n\n\u00a0
\n\nShow Alibis
\n\n\u00a0
\n\nIn the episode, Andrew and I discuss our shared firefighting experience and I talk about the firefighter/cop rivalry \u2013 cops are \u201cpigs,\u201d 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 \u201cdefund the police\u201d movement took off. Not a lot else to say, I just feel a little weird that I brought it up. \u00a0
\n\n\u00a0
\n\n14 episodes in and Charlie finally had a brain fart. Unlike me or Alyssa Sudermann when we\u2019ve gone off the rails, Charlie tapped out and requested an edit. I\u2019ve grown so much as a person that I was willing to do edit it out, but I haven\u2019t grown enough to not mention it gleefully to you all.
\n\n\u00a0
\n\nAndrew 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\u2019t have time to make a big thing about it, but how many accidents did he mention that he\u2019s been in? Next time he comes on the show, I\u2019m going to see if he\u2019s willing to move to the city and start taking the subway.
\n\n\u00a0
\n\n\u00a0
\n\nShow Notes
\n\n\u00a0
\n\nFirefighters Deal with More Than Just Flames by Andrew
\n\nHaving PTSD means you\u2019re normal
\n\n\n\nMeekness in the beatitudes \u201cStrength Under Control\u201d
\n\nThe Hill by Aaron Kirk
\n","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/1a0ab058-5069-4651-b3e4-8a0997b269ec/kVoq1XQ-SJUhr0Q3Wmrsv-o0.png"}