FISHBOWL.

March 6, 2007

This one came from a shift where we weren’t running a code or racing through intersections—we were just parked at a 7-Eleven, trying to fade into the background. But when you’re in a box truck covered in lights and stripes, there is no background. There’s no hiding. Fishbowl was written on a day I realized just how exposed we really are out there. You spend your shift watching the world through a windshield, but sometimes the world stares right back—and doesn’t blink. This guy, whoever he was, reminded me that EMS isn't just about blood and guts. It’s about navigating awkward moments, unexpected encounters, and the surreal, sometimes absurd, theater of public life. We’re not just medics. We’re a roadside attraction. A curiosity. A show. And when the lights flicker on, you realize—you’re the fish.