First of all, everything written below is true and is virtually word-for-word a transcript of the conversation. I have changed names for obvious reasons. Apologies in advance for the lack of funneh.Picture the scene: It's a snowy December's night somewhere north of the Watford Gap. Thanks to a small fuckup involving a patient the size of a whale and my back, I am now on light duties in the ambulance control room. It's coming up to 1am, there's a force 8 gale and blizzard battering the control room.*BEEP*UCC: "Ambulance Service"Operator: "Blackburn connecting phone number 01234567890"UCC: "Thank you operator. Go ahead caller. What's the address please?"Caller: "Um..I'm at the junction of Any Street and Thingy Road in Arsetown (insert name of quite scroaty town here.)"UCC: "OK, I've got that address. What's the problem tonight?"Caller (sounds like a young lad) "I'm really sorry to bother you, but I didn't know who else to call."U: That's OK, just tell us what the problem is and we'll get something sorted.Caller: I'm really really cold. I've been out on the street all day and I'm freezing. I've tried the police and they gave me a number for a hostel but I've got no cash on me and I can't feel my feet now.U: (clicking through questions) OK, what's your name?C: It's LukeU: OK Luke, my name's Carrot. I'm just going to ask a few questions. They're not going to delay us getting any help to you.C: (starts crying) I'm really sorry. I'm so sorry.U: Hey, that's OK. Don't worry.C: I'm just wasting your time, I'm just wasting everyone's time...U: (I stop typing). Listen Luke, you're not wasting anyone's time. I'm here until 7 in the morning, so you can take as long as you want.C: Well, I dunno who to talk to or anything.U: Well you can talk to me.C: Well....I told my mum at lunch that I'm gay. I've got this boyfriend and he's great and everything so I thought I should tell her because I love him, and I love her.U: Right...C: So I told her, and she told me to get out of the house, that she didn't want to know me if I was a fucking fag, and she wasn't having me in her house. So she shoved me out the front door. I got my coat but my wallet and my mobile is still at home.U: OK...C: I had a few coins in my pocket so I phoned my boyfriend to hope he'd take me in.U: Does he live with his parents too?C: No, he's 32.U: Right, and how old are you?C: I'm 17. I'll be 18 next month.U: OK, so what happened?C: He just laughed and said I was a stupid cunt, and hung up on me.U: He hung up on you?C: Yeah.U: I see.C: So then I just wandered town. A nice lady bought me a cup of tea in the cafe, but now everything's closed and I've got nowhere to go. It's my fault. It's my fault for being gay. I shouldn't be gay...(breaks down in tears.)U: Right Luke, stop right there. There is NOTHING wrong with being gay. Don't let two silly people make you feel otherwise. I'm gay too, and I know exactly how it feels to be on the receiving end of stupid idiots like that. But it worked out for me and it'll work out for you. Now we need to get you sorted out first of all. Do you have any relatives or friends nearby?C: No, we just moved here from (another town about 20 miles away) so I know nobody apart from my boyfriend.U: Right, this is what I am going to do. I am going to send an ambulance to you, not on blue lights but they will be with you shortly, OK? They will look after you and get you warmed up.C: Oh God, what about college? I'm doing my A-levels....U: Let's not worry about that at the moment. Let's get you sorted first. Can you give me the number of the hostel?C: Yeah, it's 019876543321U: OK, I'll get onto them and get that sorted. I'm going to give you my direct number when you get sorted at hospital, so ring me as soon as possible from the hospital, or if that fails, call 999 and ask to speak to Carrot.C: Thank you. Thank you so much.U: The ambulance crew should be with you now.C: Yeah I can see them.U: OK, I'm going to terminate the call now. Let me know how you get on.C: Thanks so much. Bye.U: Bye.So I went and got the hostel sorted (despite an argument with a stroppy warden about him being under 18). At 6am, I get a phonecall on my direct phone.U: Ambulance control, Carrot speaking.C: Hi Carrot, it's Luke.U: Hi Luke. How are you doing?C: I'm much better thanks. I've got the nurse with me who wants to have a word.Nurse: Hello, is that the calltaker?U: Yes it is.N: I thought you might like to know - Luke was so cold when we got him here that he was clinically hypothermic. 20 minutes more outside and he would be dead. He's fine now he's dried out and warmed up.U: Well, that's great news. I've managed to get a hostel sorted.N: Well, what's the address? We will pay the taxi fare for him.So Luke got into the hostel, where he stayed over Christmas. He then moved back to where he used to live where he moved in with his Dad.Luke is now 21 years old. He finished college with 2 A's and a C at A level and went to university. He has just finished his final year and looks set to get a 1st in his degree. He is one of the nicest, most well rounded young men I have ever had the fortune to meet...and I was lucky enough to meet him. He's had a few relationships, some good, some shite, but now he seems to be with a lovely, and quite frankly barking, bloke who clearly loves him to bits.So I should feel proud and warm inside? Well I should, but I was very close to telling him to fuck off and stop wasting our time within the first 30 seconds of the call because I was tired and busy.Sometimes it really does pay to listen.( , Fri 4 Sep 2009, 19:07, 56 replies