The firehouse building was very old and in great need
of repair. In the summer we would barbecue in the
back of the building where the building wall was ready
to collapse. We had an old refrigerator that someone
had thrown out and we affectionately called "Herby."
We had it for years, never took care of it, and it was
outside throughout the winter rain and snow. It had a
loud hum but like the Timex watch it kept on going.
We use to joke that someday the wall would collapse
burying us All and all that could be heard was Herby
humming. Finally the Powers to be thought it were time
for the building to be renovated. The firehouse occupied
three companies, an Engine and Ladder Company and a
Battalion Chief. They were able to relocate the Ladder
Company and the Chief, however the Engine Company
had to remain in quarters during the renovation.
As the renovation progressed, the living conditions
worsened. One of the brothers who lived on the East
end of Long Island obtained a baby pig to live with us
as our mascot, telling the powers to be that we were
living in a pig's pen. We set up a pig's pen in the back
of the apparatus floor with cinder blocks from the
construction material on the premise. We had to feed
the pig and walk it in the morning.
The feeding was easy, he ate all our leftovers and
seemed to enjoy the food although he insisting on sitting
on his food while eating. One brother in particular loved
to walk the pig on a leash in the morning when people
were walking by the firehouse on their way to take the
subway to work. People were never sure what breed
of dog they were seeing. When the mailman came in the
morning one of the brothers asked him if he knew anything about dogs?
He replied "a little."
"Good said the brother, come in the back and look
at this dog someone gave us to keep."
It was in the winter and the pig was coiled up sleeping
next to a radiator. The pig's eyes were closed and the
mailman's eyes were wide open trying to figure out
what was with this dog. As the pig opened Its large
eyes that took up most of its face the mailman yelled
"That's no dog"! "That's a Pig."
The brother could not stop laughing. It didn't take
long before the Chief found the pig and we had to
transfer him to a farm.
