The "Food Groups"

The other day I had the opportunity to meet and share a meal with someone in the EMS field.  I know exactly what you are thinking.  Generally, I tiptoe cautiously around people in EMS, because I have learned, multiple times, that you can’t spell “problems” without “ems”.  I made the exception for two reasons: She only runs one shift every other week, and she knew exactly what I meant when I voiced my concern about drama in EMS.  This post, however, is not an EMS bashing session. 

We met at a diner that offered a lunch buffet.  “Perfect”, I thought, no need to narrow my choices.  I can sample a little bit of everything, have extras of what I really like, and avoid things I do not care for.  It is a lot like a volunteer fire department.  Thus begins my personification journey for the day…  I think about the membership ranks of the fire departments I have belonged to during my 32- year career.  It has been a virtual smorgasbord of personalities and contributions.  I call them the “food groups”

There are some members that you just can’t get enough of, and are always reliable, like the meatballs, the chicken nuggets, the corn, and the buttered noodles.  You count on them all the time and often go back for seconds.   These are the members of the first food group; the staples, if you will.  They are reliable, consistent and dependable; Always there for you.

Then there are the people that are not always there, but when they are, you know their contributions are going to be good, like potato filling, hot turkey slices, beef tips, or real bacon bits instead of the crunchy artificial ones at the salad bar.  If they are not there, you manage to get by, but miss them anyway.  They are the ingredients that make a good buffet become a great buffet.

The third food group is those that you have never met or tasted.  You may be hesitant to give them a try and become introduced to them.  It depends on just how full your plate is.  These “foods” are a mystery, but like your parents always taught you, “Try it, you may like it”.  Much to your surprise, you actually do like it, and hope it stays on the menu forever and always.  Or maybe not, sometimes the new morsels have a funny taste, and just don’t appeal to your preferences. 

Finally, we have the group of foods that have been on the spread for decades, and you just don’t care for them.  Red beets come to mind, as well as about 90% of the non-protein items on the salad bar.  Like those miniature corns cobs, or the grasses and weeds that you could not identify if the little signs weren’t on the sneeze guard.   You tolerate their existence, because somebody must like them, or they wouldn’t be there! 

I reflect on the people in my station now.  Some I just can’t get enough of even though there are seemingly always there.  Some are always there, and I avoid interacting with them for the self-preservation of my own sanity and calm demeanor.  Some thrill me when they are there, but I sure wish we could see more of them, and others are just too new for me to decide whether they will stay “on the menu” long enough for me to invest a lot of my time in them. 

When you put them all together, you have a full meal.  A little different each time, a little different to each person.  Just don't overstay your welcome ("You here four hour, you go now!")

All this talk is making me hungry, I think I will head to the “hosey” for a snack!