The Christmas Benefits, Part 1 And 2

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Starsky signs Hutch up to perform in the Christmas Benefit, much to his annoyance. The following year, Starsky returns the favour!

 

First published December 2022.

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Part One

Ken Hutchinson was busy concentrating on typing up a report (due yesterday) so, when one of the admin staff dropped a flyer onto his desk, he hardly glanced at it. Some sixth sense, however, made him take a second look and he realised he was looking at his own name on the bill of talents and acts for this year’s Christmas Benefit for Bay City’s Police Widows and Orphans fund.

“What’s this?!” he exclaimed as he grabbed the flyer and inspected it.

Across the desk from him his partner, failed to hide an I’m-in-the-know smirk.

“Starsky? Did you sign me up for this?”

“I might have.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because it’s for a worthy cause and you have a great voice,” Starsky replied, as if the answer was obvious.

“But I hate singing in front of people! You should’ve asked me first.”

Starsky frowned. “But you might have said no.” To him, the logic of this statement was inescapable.

“Of course, I would have said no!” Hutch almost roared. “Who do I see about taking my name off this thing?”

Just then Dobey came into the squad room, flyer in hand.

“Detective Hutchinson, I’m very pleased to see our squad is represented at this event. It’s such a good cause and one close to my heart for personal reasons. Well done. I look forward to hearing your choice of carol.”

Both Detectives knew that the reason the cause was close to their Captain’s heart had to do with his old partner, Elmo, and the widow he had left behind. Hutch was caught between wanting to escape and wanting to please the man who had become a second father to him.

Starsky spoke for him: “He’s really looking forward to doing his bit…Aren’t you, Hutch?”

“Err…Yes, yes, of course. It’s a great cause as you say.”

“Well, you’d better get that report finished, Hutchinson. I’m waiting on it.”

“Yes, sir,” Hutch said quickly.

As Dobey went into his office, Starsky turned to grin at his partner, who looked back at him with narrowed eyes.

“You just wait. You are going to pay for this.”

“Oh come on, Hutch! Where’s your Christmas spirit? This is what it’s all about: giving a little of ourselves for the benefit of others. Thought you’d like doing something so charitable.”

Hutch just sniffed his disgust and returned to tapping away at his typewriter.

“What are you gonna sing?”

“Like I’m going to tell you!” was the retort.

Starsky rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. He knew despite all the protestations, Hutch would love singing at the Christmas Benefit. And more than that, he would be terrific.

*****

Only two weeks later and it was the night of the show. Eagerly, Starsky went round to collect his partner. Hutch came out of his apartment stairwell, opened the door of the Torino and pulled the seat forward in order to place his guitar on the back seat. When Hutch climbed into the car, Starsky noticed his partner looked a little pale.

“Hey! You okay?”

“I feel sick.”

“Just nerves, pal. You’ll do swell.”

“I hope so…I don’t want to make a fool of myself and let the Captain down but…I’m so nervous.”

Hutch sounded so miserable, Starsky felt a twinge of guilt.

“It’ll be great. Once you start, you’ll be fine. I’m sure you’ll forget all about your nerves once you start singing!”

Hutch grunted an unconvinced response and they travelled in silence for the rest of the way to the gymnasium that had been booked out for the event. Starsky went backstage with Hutch and tried to keep his partner calm. As his turn approached, Hutch looked even more nervous, not less.

It got to the act that was before Hutch and Starsky was starting to wonder if his partner was going to do a runner. Suddenly, he had an idea.

“Be right back!”

Starsky scuttled out of the wings and down the steps that led to the door at the front of the auditorium. He quickly scanned the crowd, having a vague idea of where the people were sat that he was looking for. He spied them and rushed forward quickly to whisper in Edith Dobey’s ear. She smiled, nodded and turned to whisper in Rosie’s ear. Rosie smiled and excitedly hopped up and put her small hand in her Uncle Dave’s larger one. He hoisted her up in his arms and quietly told her his plan.

Hutch looked almost green by the time Starsky got back. The previous act had just finished and the audience was clapping. Hutch felt faint. Even so, he smiled when he saw Rosie.

“Hello pumpkin. What are you doing back here?”

“Uncle Dave says you need me here to help you sing.”

Hutch looked at Starsky questioningly.

“You just sing to Rosie, partner. Look at her. Don’t worry about anyone else out there. You focus on her. We’ll stand in the wings here and you can face us.”

Hutch heard his name being announced. He saw the stage-hand going onto stage with the stool he had asked for and he swallowed nervously.

“Just look at Rosie, pal. You’ll do fine.”

Hutch nodded and smiled at Rosie again. Then he walked out onto the stage to a round of polite applause. He adjusted the stool slightly so he could look across the stage and see Rosie. The lights on the stage dimmed a little and a single spotlight highlighted the blond, perched on the wooden stool, with his guitar at the ready. Hutch began to strum and then started to sing in a sweet, clear, tenor voice:

“Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht! Alles schläft; einsam wacht Nur das traute heilige Paar….”

Starsky realised his partner was singing the carol he knew as ‘Silent Night’ in the original German. It was beautiful and he found he had a tear in his eye. Beside him, Rosie stood mesmerised, but, as the first verse came to its conclusion, she crept forward and sat at Hutch’s feet, totally oblivious to the presence of the hall full of people.

As the second verse started, Starsky realised Hutch had switched languages. He was no expert but he figured his friend was singing in Norwegian in honour of his grandfather.

“Jolebod, gledeleg bod. Tonar til oss himmelljod.”

As Hutch started the third and final verse in English, Starsky reckoned there couldn’t be a dry eye left in the house.

“Still the night, Holy the night! Son of God, O how bright love is smiling from Thy face! Strikes for us now the hour of grace! Savior since thou art born, Savior since thou art born.”

As the last chord died away, there was perfect stillness and then the sudden rush of sound of many applauding hands. Hutch helped Rosie up and they both took a bow then he hurried off stage.

“How’d I do?” he asked Starsky, who looked at him open-mouthed for a second.

Then he clapped his partner on the shoulder and said, “T’rriffic, pal. That was great! Didn’t I say you’d be great!”

Hutch handed Starsky his guitar and picked up Rosie. “Only thanks to this wonderful lady here! Thanks for helping me concentrate, Rosie.”

“You’re welcome,” she said with a happy smile. “Happy Christmas, Uncle Ken.”

“Happy Christmas pumpkin!” Hutch and gave her a squeeze.

Starsky kissed her cheek and said, “Happy Christmas darling!” then he tickled her, making her giggle.

“Let’s slip in and watch the end of the show,” Starsky suggested. “There’s space next to the Dobeys.”

“Good idea,” Hutch said. As the three of them walked softly down the steps, Hutch said, “I wasn’t sure whether people would like me singing in different languages…but you think they thought it was okay then?”

“It was more than okay, Hutch. You sounded like an angel and Rosie looked like an angel sat there at your feet. It was magic!”

Hutch flushed with pleasure. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome! Ain’t you glad I made ya do it now?”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Hutch said, “And I still owe you for signing me up!”

Before Starsky could protest, Hutch was opening the door so they had to stop talking and find their way to their seats as quietly as they could. Edith gave Hutch’s arm an appreciative pat as he sat down and Dobey smiled and nodded at him.

From beside him, he heard Starsky whisper, “Merry Christmas, partner.”

Hutch glanced at him and nodded, before whispering back, “Merry Christmas.”

Part Two

David Starsky stopped whistling the tune of ‘Frosty the Snowman’ mid verse and made straight for the sign-up list that had magically appeared since yesterday. His face was covered with a mischievous smirk, which quickly turned to a frown when he saw his partner had beaten him to it.

“What the…?”

There was his name written in Hutch’s semi-neat penmanship. “David Starsky – solo singing act.”

Turning sharply around, Starsky headed towards the squad room, where he spied his partner typing up a report and looking like butter wouldn’t melt.

“Good morning!” Hutch said with relish.

“Don’t ‘good morning’ me!” Starsky responded. “How could you stick my name on that list? As a solo act too! That’s a rotten trick to play!”

“This from the man who did the same thing to me last year!” Hutch pointed out.

“That was different!”

“How exactly?!” Hutch demanded.

“Well, you love performing!” Starsky declared.

“Do not!”

“Do too, once you have a little nudge to get you going. ‘Sides everyone loved you. You were a big hit!”

“That’s beside the point,” Hutch stated. “You didn’t know it would be all right. You put my name up without asking me!”

“Because I knew you’d be t’riffic! Your voice is great. You know it and I know it.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere and it certainly won’t get you out of this! Your turn, pal. It’s for a good cause – that’s what you said to me last year, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, but-”

Just then Dobey walked into the room and cleared his throat. “Starsky, I’m very glad to see you’ve signed up for the benefit show. Well done!”

Starsky started to speak but was cut off by Hutch.

“He’s so looking forward to it, Captain! Can’t wait!”

“Well, I like my men to lead the way on these things. You did a wonderful job last year, Hutchinson. I’m sure you will do very well, Starsky. This event is so important. It’s our main way to raise money for the Bay City Police Widows and Orphans fund. Thank you for your contribution.”

While Dobey was talking, a strange expression came across Starsky’s face – a mixture of giving in to the inevitable and something else Hutch couldn’t quite identify.

“You’re welcome, Cap,” Starsky said. “Always happy to do my bit, you know that.”

Hutch eyed his partner suspiciously.

“Well, good. Now let’s get on with it, shall we? In my office, please, with the latest on the Jones’ Case.”

*****

Five weeks later and Starsky had become completely tight-lipped about his performance at the benefit. Hutch was inclined to think Starsky was going to try to get out of it somehow. Faking an illness was high on the list of possibilities. Hutch determined that he was going to drag his partner there if he had to – just like Starsky had made sure he turned up at last year’s benefit. Of course, his partner has also stayed with him backstage and tried to keep him calm – out of a sense of guilt, no doubt – and his partner had had the excellent idea of getting Rosie to come backstage for him to sing to. That had been a really good idea of Starsky’s, he had to admit. He wondered how nervous Starsky was going to be.

Hutch hoped Starsky had at the very least decided what he was doing and would work hard at it. Earlier in the month, Starsky had assured his partner that he was practicing his act but Hutch hadn’t seen any evidence to back up the claim. In fact, outside of work, he hadn’t seen much of Starsky at all. But then that wasn’t unusual for December. Starsky would usually spend his weekends Christmas shopping for family or seeking ‘perfect’ decorations for himself.

Hutch offered to pick Starsky up for the benefit, just as Starsky had done for him the year before, but his partner said he would make his own way there. That instantly made Hutch suspicious. Hutch told Starsky he’d better turn up or he would find him and drag him there himself. And now, here Hutch was sat in the middle of the auditorium, beside Harold and Edith Dobey, with an empty space beside him.

“I’d better go look for my partner,” he muttered.

Edith patted his arm. “He’s here, I’ve seen him. You don’t need to worry.”

“Oh.” Hutch didn’t know whether to be relieved or worried. If his partner was here why hadn’t he seen him? Guilt started gnawing away at him. Maybe it had been a bit mean to push Starsky into performing. He knew Starsky liked showing off at things he was good at but he didn’t really like being the centre of stage, when it was doing something he had no confidence in.

To distract himself, Hutch chatted to Edith. “Are Cal and Rosie here this evening?”

“Oh yes, they wouldn’t miss David performing for the world. They’re sitting down front with some friends.”

“Bet they’re looking forward to Christmas!”

“They sure are…Oh, it looks as if the show’s about to start.”

The lights dimmed and the curtains opened and the lieutenant compering came out and announced the first act. As Starsky was listed tenth on the bill, Hutch tried to relax and enjoy the show.

When Starsky’s turn came up, the lieutenant came out and announced that there was a change to the programme: “Unfortunately, David Starsky is unable to perform-”

“I knew it-”

“But in his place we have Santa and his elves performing a favourite song of theirs.”

Hutch was half-way out of his seat, but Edith grabbed his arm to prevent him going too far. She pointed to the stage. Accompanied by Cal and Rosie, who were wearing stripy elf hats, there was a figure dressed in a Santa suit. Hutch sat back down.

The pianist began playing and soon Hutch could hear Starsky’s voice singing his favourite Christmas song ‘Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ along with the Dobey children. When they finished, everyone clapped and cheered, including Hutch. Afterwards, Hutch made his way to the back of the stage and found his partner back in his own clothes.

“Nicely done, partner,” Hutch said.

“I had great help,” Starsky replied.

“So the last few weekends were spent…?”

“Spent round at the Dobeys’ house practicing,” Starsky said, with a grin.

“Well, it paid off. You were great.”

“I was more than great, partner! I was amazing. I got a bigger cheer than you did last year!” Starsky declared.

“No way. I definitely got a bigger cheer than you did!”

“Did not!”

“Did too!”

They both shook their heads at each other.

“Hutch?”

“Yeah?”

“How about next year, we do what we do best and do a double act?”

“Sounds good to me!”

Starsky grinned. “Merry Christmas pal!”

“Merry Christmas Starsk!”