"C'mon Baby, Light My Fire"

A few days ago, I received a message from someone interested in roleplay at the Bay City Firehouse #2. Located in Dennis, conveniently next to the Municipal Swimming Pool, the firehouse is actually on the first parcel of Mainland I ever purchased. It used to be the site of the Stinky Pink, a motel owned by that notorious mischief-maker and firebug, Ever Dreamscape. I told part of Ever's story to Jude, the person who had messaged me, and explained that Bay City locations are more of a background for light RP than for the kind of RP usually expected by first responders across the Grid. Jude then offered, in jest, to do an "exposé" on the shocking state of the non-functional firehouse. In a way, I took him up on that offer, so please enjoy his guest post, below. —Kinn

"BCFD for Ever!" by guest reporter Jude Maxwell Kite

"For those of us SL residents who are persona-donning RPers, the infamous Bay City would seem to be a proverbial playground for such matters. With street after street filled with bustling businesses, and phantom trolley and bus drivers who seem to have no regard for public safety, Bay City has an appeal like no other. I mean, I live in Heterocera and I STILL think i spend most of my time somewhere in that municipality. Which is exactly what brought me to the Bay City Fire Station #2 a few days back.

"Being a family RPer with a 6 year old SL daughter, I found myself wanting to have a profession of sorts, something fun, exciting, and dangerous enough to make my daughter think I'm awesome. Firefighting reeks of such things. After some searching, I arrived at the Bay City fire station and was immediately surprised at the lack of traffic and lack of drivable fire trucks. Something wasn't meshing, but I contacted the owner anyway, and eagerly waited to hear back about my chances of joining what I was sure was an elite group of fine firefighters. What I got instead was a surprise, a respect and a chance. The responder to my IM was none other than Kinn, author of this very publication and the editor of the Bay City Post. She informed a very surprised JMK that this station wasn't really a station; that is, it did not RP. The fire I had seen at the Y-Stay in a previous issue of the Bay City Post was set purposely. I was flabbergasted! I of course asked the rhyme and reason, and the response I got was nothing short of amazing. Dare I say, it was the most heart warming story 'ever'.

"Bay City was once graced by a lady named Ever. From all accounts, she was one of the nicest and loyal pyromaniacs ever to rez! A former Bay City Post editor herself, she was seemingly responsible, or at least had a hand in, some of the most amazing stories to ever unfold in this great city. When Kinn decided to make a fire station for Bay City, Ever said thank you by burning it to the ground!

"Sadly, the fantastic person behind Ever in RL passed away about 2 years ago, a tragedy still felt to this day by the many people who cared about her. There is a memorial for her, pictured above, and the Bay City Municipal pool next to the fire station is named after her, in part. Her brilliantly-lived life started on April Fools Day, so on that day every year here in Bay City you'll see fires and mayhem and all that awesomeness — a tribute to a magnificent life cut too short. And even tho' you can't count on folks at the Bay City Fire Station to rush in and put it out, the station's presence in Bay City is 'For Ever' needed. I may not have found an SL job at a fire station, but I certainly gained a story that makes SL feel more like RL than ever."