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Starsky was in one of his blackest moods. Hutch gave him a sidelong glance as he drove away from headquarters. He’s going to go on blaming me for this for weeks.
The day had started out badly. They met at headquarters
and tossed to see who would be driving that day. Needless to say Starsky won
– Hutch had the feeling that somehow his partner knew how to fix even
a tossed coin.
They had spent the morning cruising the streets and there was nothing doing
all day; it was hot and sticky and the thunder clouds were gathering over the
Santa Monica Mountains.
Around twelve thirty Hutch had what he thought was
a good idea.
“Hey Starsk, how about we go down to the beach and have a picnic; we could
get some stuff at the deli in Santa Monica and go to the beach by the pier.”
Starsky grinned. “I gotta better idea.” He checked his mirrors and pulled off a Starsky special one hundred eighty degree turn in the middle of the street.” No matter how often it happened (at it happened a helluva lot) Hutch had never lost the habit of closing his eyes and grabbing the dashboard.
Starsky drew up outside a deli that Hutch had never
seen before. They were a few blocks from Uncle Al’s place; so Hutch reckoned
that Starsky was on familiar territory.
Hutch followed his partner into the store. Behind the counter an elderly couple
was having the kind of low-key argument that fifty odd years of marriage can
carry without a break.
“And I’m telling you he said he wanted pastrami…a guy like
that doesn’t eat corned beef – he eats pastrami…”
“Esther, will you listen to me? He ordered corned beef!”
“Well he’s getting the pastrami because it’s fresher and it’s
better.
“You tell him…”
Starsky whistled as if calling an end to the first
quarter of a game.
The old woman turned.
“David! So long since you’ve been to see us! How are you darling?”
Starsky grinned; but didn’t get a chance to say anything.”
"You’re looking wonderful. So slim and so fit. Your hair you should
cut a little maybe.”
She saw Hutch.
“So aren’t you going to introduce us?”
“Hi Esther; this is my partner, Hutch.”
“Hutch? What for a name is Hutch?”
Hutch stepped in. “Well actually ma’am, my name is Ken, Ken Hutchinson;
but Starsky always calls me Hutch.”
“Well if David calls you that so will we. My husband Eli.” She pushed
the old man forward; and he shook hands with Hutch while Esther turned her attention
back to Starsky.
“So, David; what can I get you?”
“We thought we’d take some kinda picnic
down to the beach; so I thought that the best person to put our basket together
would be you.”
Esther pulled Starsky towards him. “Will your friend eat everything I
put in it?”
Starsky giggled. “He has kinda weird taste; but, trust me, he’ll
eat anything you give us.”
“You boys sit down and I’ll get your lunch basket ready. Eli give
them coffee!”
Ten minutes later, Hutch’s mouth was still
stinging from the strength of the coffee when Esther put a carefully prepared
picnic basket on the table.
“I put in everything you need David; you bring it back to me when you
have a moment.”
Starsky lifted the corner of the red and white check cloth that covered he goodies
in the basket; a broad grin spread across his face. “Esther; that’s
not lunch; that’s a banquet!”
He put the basket over his arm and grabbed Hutch by the arm – "come
on Goldilocks let’s split before Red and the Wolf appear!”
Hutch reached for his wallet but Esther stopped
him. “No; when David come to see us, we always give him a good meal. After
what his family did for us; it’s the least we can do.”
Hutch made a mental note to try to find out more; but he didn’t hold out
much hope, his partner would always have a mysterious side to him.
Hutch slid into his seat and Starsky drove away from the deli. He headed for the beach he had found when he was still grieving Terri and parked the car down by the rocks. The two cops took their shoes and socks off and walked barefoot down to the beach. It seemed like a good idea at the time. So did taking the risk if skinny dipping before they sat down to eat.
They were sitting back and digesting their lunch
when they heard an unmistakable sound; the low growl of a powerful engine.
Starsky sat up. “That’s my car!”
“Come off it Starsk. It’s probably some kids come down to make out
behind the rocks.”
“I’m telling you, it’s my car!”
He was already running back up the beach. Hutch chased after him and the two
of them stopped dead; just in time to see the Torino disappear round the turn
to the coast road.
Starsky swore – a curse that Hutch had never heard before!
The two of them jogged up to the road and looked in both directions. The Torino had long since gone.
“Great! Just great!” Starsky started
punching his right hand with his left. He lashed out at a tree and shook his
sore hand regretfully.
Hutch knew better than to say a word.
After a couple of minutes Starsky had calmed down enough to be rational; he looked along the road and beckoned to Hutch. “Come on; we have about a two mile walk to the nearest pay-phone.”
They set off along the road. A couple of cars slowed down, but no-one offered them a lift; Hutch didn’t like to say so, but he thought that Starsky’s bad-tempered face was enough to scare any good Samaritan into thinking he might get mugged for his pains.
They finally came to a pay-phone and (“thank
god for that” Hutch sighed) it accepted Starsky’s coin the first
time.
He listened while Starsky called in an APB on his own car. “Oh and send
a patrol car to fetch us willya please, Mildred?”
A Black and White arrived ten minutes later and took them back to headquarters so that they could pick up Hutch’s car and get out searching for the Torino.
Starsky was in one of his blackest moods. Hutch gave him a sidelong glance as he drove away from headquarters. He’s going to go on blaming me for this for weeks.
Starsky was still mad, but he couldn’t blame
Hutch for ever – after all, he’d chosen the beach.
And, aw shit; it seemed like a good idea at the time.
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