All characters in this story are over twenty one except the baby.
Morton Franks was out for his Sunday walk. He liked the peace and quiet of the neighborhood on Sunday. His route took him around the park and then down Oak Street. He was a mile from his house when he saw the smoke. The smoke was coming from a small house set back off the road. As he approached a woman came screaming out of the front door followed by a blast of smoke and flame.
"My baby! My baby!" she screamed, "I can't find my baby."
Mort grabbed her by the front of her dressing gown.
"Where is the baby!" he shouted at her.
"I couldn't get to her. She's in the back room!"
Mort turned the woman loose and sprinted into the flame filled house. He heard the baby cry through the roar of the fire. Holding his breath and running through the flames, he found the back room door and kicked it in. The child was enveloped in smoke and the flames were almost upon her. He snatched her up, holding her tightly in his arms and crashed through the back window and onto the lawn.
His pants were on fire so he rolled, holding the baby, until the flames went out. It was beastly hot from the fire out on the lawn. He stood up and ran to the sidewalk in front of the house. He held the baby out to the distraught mother.
With tears in her eyes she accepted the child.
"Thank you sir," she smiled through her tears.
"Take the baby to a hospital maam. She's inhaled a lot of smoke," Mort said.
He turned and walked away.
"Wait, wait, who are you?" the woman cried.
"Mort," he answered and disappeared down the block.
The fire trucks arrived and were just in time to see the little house collapse. They doused what remained of the flames.
"He was magnificent!" the woman declared.
"Who was magnificent?" asked the fireman.
"A man was walking by and he ran inside and saved my baby, then he left," she replied.
"Who was he?" the fireman asked.
"All he said was 'Mort'. He is my hero. I'll never forget him."
The media did their usual search for the mysterious Mort but had no luck in finding him. It was about average for New York. After a while, Mort was forgotten.
Three years later, Sylvia Preston was reporting to work the first day at Franks and Company. She had just graduated from secretarial school so she was a fresh face in the huge building. Her boss gave her a desk in the secretarial pool and she got to work.
Six months later, the company was hosting a Christmas party in the main conference room. Sylvia spotted him as soon as he came into the room. She rushed to his side.
"You're the guy who saved my baby and then scooted away before I had a chance to find out who you were. I've searched the city trying to find you. You're my hero!"
"You look familiar. Who are you?" he replied.
"I'm Sylvia Preston from the secretarial pool. Everybody needs to know about you!"
"Please Miss Preston, don't reveal what you know about me," he said.
"Why not? Are you some kind of big wheel in this company?"
"Well, I own it, if that is what you mean," he chuckled.
"Oh my god! I had no idea!"
"I'll make a deal with you Miss Preston. If you keep your mouth shut, I'll give you an interesting interview after the first of the year, okay?"
"But people should know about your heroism and how you saved my baby from certain death. I promise that I won't say anything, but you really should reconsider."
"Fine! Let me get you a drink. What'll you have?"
"Some punch would be good. I don't drink very much."
When he returned with the drinks he asked, "How is your little girl?"
"She's doing great. She just inhaled a little smoke."
"Would you like to dance?" Mort asked.
"Yes, but I must warn you, I'm not very good at it. Won't your wife get jealous?"
