The phrase that heroes come in all shapes and sizes is commonly used to this day. In this new world of fashion we can add the word "style" to that old phrase: Heroes come in all shapes, sizes, and styles. Hey, let's face it, in this world we have our own way of life and our own style (your style and my style), because that's our comfort zone. It's what you believe in, how you want to be viewed, and how you want to be accepted. Style is something that no one should ever feel ashamed of or be forced to cover up. It's a way of expressing your personality, so you shouldn't hide your true persona. Be it your clothes, cars, or skin color, without fashion or style, we simply would not be.
While in a tattoo shop [SA Studios] in downtown Los Angeles, I walk up to a man who is known as "Carlitos." Typically he can be found cleaning the tools of his 10-year trade, washing the shop truck [a '38 Dodge], or just tattooing the next client from K-San's appointment list. He is sleeved on both arms and his neck and might be seen to some as just another tattoo artist, but he shares another occupation alongside the art of tattooing. He's also known as Captain Carlos Caceras of the Los Angeles Fire Department, tatted down but a true-to-life hero. "Most people go through life never loving what they do. I myself love being a fireman and I love being a tattoo artist," he says.
Fire Station 82, above the 101 overpass on Bronson Avenue near Hollywood Boulevard, is in the world-famous real estate that stretches from the star-filled sidewalks to the winding roads that lead up to those giant white "Hollywood" letters sitting atop Mount Wilson. This station's six-man, single-engine crew of the City of Angels is where I met Captain Caceras and the rest of his "B shift" crew members. I followed the captain into the recreation room, which is a big rectangular room with about nine oversized matching La-Z-Boy chairs and a 46-inch plasma TV. "This is where we stay up at night while we wait for the next call. It's also the classroom," Carlitos says as he wipes clean a dry erase board and explains how they review every call once they get back to the station.
The 18-year veteran continues with the firehouse tour while he breaks down the pros and cons of the job. "We have our chores here, just like any other home, but the problems at this house could become life threatening. Everyone here has a job to do and that job has to be done correctly and precisely. There's no time to be worrying about the other guy's appearance. It's all about balls and performance. Picture my crew as a chain; we all work and study together to make that chain stronger. A firefighter's number one tool is experience. I share my knowledge of the job with my crew to make this chain stronger. That's the way a firefighter thinks, and that's why we are such a strong force. Hey, we all love the action. For us, fire fighting is like game day," he says.
In our ever-changing culture, different lifestyles that were not accepted once upon a time are now being assimilated into part of our mainstream culture. It makes me think back to junior high school in 1986 where two of my buddies, Trevor Gonzalez and Juan "Red" Vasquez, had mohawks and stood out in the crowd. I can still remember the looks of frightened people crossing the street as these two guys skated by with their hair styles, having their heads shaved except for a strip of hair from the middle of the forehead to the back of the neck. Now in 2009, I walk my 4-year-old son through his elementary campus and I count over 20 mohawks. And with each mohawk, I see the same pride in those little faces as I do in that of a 45-year old businesswoman who just got her whole shoulder down to her elbow sleeved in ink and is anxious to present herself and her style to the world she works and lives in.