The quiet on the helipad at night.

Nights were scary as a kid and I suspect they were scary for most kids and I really hated collecting on dark streets an night as a paperboy. At times now I really like the night. My duty schedule was 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. It was very dark on the Helipad as the choppers brought in the casualties. The choppers did have the nose spotlight on coming in until landing and then it was shut off. They only had a very dim light on in the chopper that was turned on while taking out he wounded. There never seemed to be any noise as I waited on the helipad for the Huey to land. It was eerily quit standing there wondering what would be on the chopper. Would the wounded be on litters or just laying in the chopper? How bad would their injuries be. Will we be able to get them into the ER quickly, etc. And then I'd hear the distinctive Huey chopper noise in the distance getting louder and louder. I remember those nights and the quiet at times when I'm outside at night. I don't hear anything and am lost in my thoughts waiting for the sounds of the incoming chopper, the chopper pad, the choppers and most importantly the casualties.....always thinking of them wondering, always wondering if they made it, their families and always....always thinking of them not wanting them to be forgotten.