--All at once the bright new red and yellow flames ghastly illuminated the interior of the room. He saw the bed was ablaze; he bent down and aimed his flashlight underneath the bed. Horrified he saw a women's foot, her red nail polish reflected back in the flashlight's beam. -- This story takes place on New Years Eve 1948 during a blizzard in Brooklyn, New York at Hook and Ladder 112. It is the love of adventure, the intrigue of a fireman's life, the spirit of patriotism and heroism. These things make a timely tale special, but it is the passion of the story told through years of experience. I was only two years old when my father was accepted into the Fire Academy and became one of New York's City's Firemen. I still can remember how I felt waiting for him to come home from the firehouse, especially when he was late. On those days I would go to my bedroom window and watch for his green Chrysler. I checked every car looking for the shadow of the telltale pipe in the drivers mouth, anticipating the smoke smelling hug that awaited me as he walked through the door. It is this and many other beloved memories of my father "The Fireman" that are the heart and sole of this book.