Where a Dream and a Promise Meet

One detective’s past had a profound effect on his life now.

Author’s Notes: Thank you to Lapfordlass for being my beta for this story.

Ken Hutchinson was enjoying his morning run. The city was quiet. The noise was still a low murmur as the morning sun was washing over him and warming his already warm body, but the heat was not there, yet. Just give it an hour, two if he was lucky. Then the whole picturesque scene of peace and tranquility would disappear. These times often made him reflect on his summers at his grandad’s farm with some degree of longing, although he loved his life here in Bay City.

****

Where’s the Squash? It’s gone. I’m not that late. Well, maybe it’s out back. I don’t believe it. Where the hell is he? Starsky thought to himself as he pulled the Torino up to the curb and parked.

There was no sign of Hutch waiting outside for him. As Starsky exited the Torino, he glanced out back and didn’t see the squash. He did, however, see that Hutch’s greenhouse door was fully open, confirming he was still home. He was already late. And now he had to go retrieve his partner for some reason. Starsky thought to himself, as he was climbing the steps to Hutch’s, that Dobey was really gonna lay into them good and for once, he could actually blame his partner for their tardiness.

Approaching the landing, Starsky saw that the front door was also open. He heard his partner’s distinctive voice: “That’s not gonna happen.”

Automatically, Starsky drew his weapon as he approached the doorway. He saw his partner standing there, with three men in trench coats, and his hands raised in mock surrender.

Sensing his partner’s presence, Hutch called out: “Everything’s OK, come on in, Starsk.”

Starsky re-holstered his weapon and entered the apartment, still somewhat warily and asked, “What’s going on, Blondie?” The man in the middle turned towards Starsky and that’s when Starsky recognized him—Steve McQueen. “STEVE McQUEEN! What’s he doing here in your apartment, Hutch?” Starsky nearly shouted with uncontainable excitement.

“Starsk, shut the door, will ya?”

As Starsky was shutting the door, he was rattling off facts about the actor’s life and his movie credits and was completely lost in those facts.

McQueen’s laughter brought Starsky out of his reverie.

Hutch said, “You’ll have to excuse my partner. He spends a lot of time reading trivia and facts about all things, most of which are useless.”

Still flabbergasted, Starsky asked, “Hutch, why is Steve McQueen standing in your apartment?”

Before Hutch could answer, McQueen cut in and said, “I’m repaying a debt and filling a promise. See, many years ago, I was in a bad situation, having had my car break down. I decided to trek through the Minnesota wilderness and ended up being bitten by a Timber Rattler. When a young cowboy (Ken) found me on his grandfather’s land shortly thereafter, he rendered first aid and kept me from trying to suck the venom out or use a tourniquet like the myth seen in cowboy movies. So, this 11–12-year-old boy loaded me on his horse and got me back to his grandfather’s farm and the anti-venom.

“He had told me talking was okay, but not to move around too much as it would spread the venom faster. He said we needed to talk so I wouldn’t go unconscious on him. So on the brisk ride back we talked about many things; his knowledge was vast, I realized. One of the things we discussed at length was his love of horses. I remember him saying one day he would love to have a few hundred horses and a couple of Mustangs. Eventually we made it back and I got the needed anti venom. In parting, I told the young boy to keep dreaming and maybe someday somehow his dream would be fulfilled.”

Hutch looked a bit embarrassed as McQueen paused before continuing to say: “A couple of weeks ago, I saw a news clip about an arrest you and Ken had made. Realizing he was in California now, I decided to fulfill a promise. So I brought 480 horses and a mustang to him.”

Before anyone could respond, the phone rang.

Hutch lifted the phone off the hook and before a salutation could be given there came the roar of Dobey’s voice.

“Hutchinson, why are you still home. You AND your partner were supposed to be here 45 minutes ago.”

During the rant, Hutch had been holding the phone away from his ear as Dobey’s frustration rang out. Everyone present could hear his Captain’s tirade.

“So help me if you two aren’t here in 30 minutes, you’ll both be doing traffic detail for a month.”

“Um Cap,” Hutch started, “I had an unexpected visitor.”

Dobey in a gruff voice said: “Translation: You mean to say, you and Starsky were painting the town last night and hooked up with a couple of girls and that’s why, you’re late.”

“Hey Cap—”

“STARSKY!” bellowed Dobey.

It was at this point that Steve walked over to Hutch, requesting the phone, he relinquished it.

“Good morning, Captain uh—”

“Dobey,” came the unanimous reply from the detectives.

“Yes well, Captain Dobey, my name is Steve McQueen, and I have inadvertently detained your officers this morning. I would like to make it up to you and them. If there’s a place we could meet briefly, somewhat remote, I will further explain the circumstances of their detainment.”

“Hutchinson, this better not be a joke, because if it is, YOU will be a crossing guard until December!” Dobey ranted.

Chuckling lightly Hutch said, “It’s no joke. Captain. Meet us at The Pits in 30 minutes, please sir?”

“Alright,” came the hesitant reply.

Hutch quickly added, “Oh and Cap bring Simmons, Babcock, and Kaplan with ya?”

McQueen’s bodyguards then handed Hutch an envelope that contained a notarized title inside and other papers as well as the keys to his green Mustang. Then Steve said, “Well I know it’s not the 400-500 horses and wild Mustang you were talking about the day you saved my life. I can’t believe your Grandad never told you who I was. But it has 489 horses, which makes a very wild Mustang, fulfilling a boy’s dream, in a way.”

Starsky was hanging up from rousing Huggy and persuading him to get an impromptu meal together. So he missed the exchange about the car. He couldn’t wait to talk to his ma Friday and let her know about the famous star that was at Hutch’s and that he gotten the chance to break bread with.

Hutch finished giving directions to The Pits to McQueen’s driver/ bodyguard then said, “Hey Starsk, I’ll drive to Huggy’s.”

Starsky gulped then said, “Awe come on, Hutch, really?”

“Come on, Gordo, let’s go.” Starsky looked pleadingly at his partner but said nothing. As they were exiting the building, Starsky said, “By the way, where’s the squash?”

“Merle’s.”

“Then why aren’t we taking my c—” Starsky’s sentence fell away as he followed his partner’s outstretched finger.

“What? Wait. Is it the one?” asked Starsky. “Are you serious, Blintz?”

“Yep.”

“Are you serious?” Starsky said again astonished.

“Hush, just get in, huh.”

*****

A while later, after enjoying a wonderful lunch and relaying young Hutchinson’s heroic measures to everyone, Steve then explained why it was so important to fulfill this request.

Steve said, “At the time, I was making a name for myself, but this young man, much younger at the time was so grounded and certain of his actions that I was actually awestruck by him. Besides his life saving first aid knowledge and skills, I can remember being more impressed by the many topics we covered. Even then, he was running circles around me intellectually. Yet not once did he make me feel insecure. The gentle way he treated and checked on me, spoke volumes. He really left an impression. I just wanted to say thank you and fulfill a dream, well sort of.”

Everyone chuckled.

Steve posed for individual and group pictures with everyone present. He thanked Huggy for keeping his doors closed for the little gathering and the amazing food, while handing him a sizable tip for his inconvenience. Then said that he would have to find a way back sometime for more of his “fabulous food.”

“Thank you. Any time, brother, you let me know. Just call in and tell the Bear that Timber needs a couple of Starsky specials and send one of your guys over to pick em up.”

“I’ll be sure and do that.” Then Steve asked for a permanent marker that was tucked behind Huggy’s ear. Huggy relinquished the marker. Steve went over to the booth and left an autographed message on the table, while encouraging him that Huggy could disclose that he had eaten here for business gain.

The neatly scrawled message read:

Huggy Bear,
Thanks for the great food
Steve McQueen

“Awe Man, that’s sweet, thanks my man,” said Huggy.

*****

Later, as Starsky and Hutch sat in Hutch’s apartment, he pulled out the documents from the envelope he had been given. Of course, the title was there with a special notarized document, and a Will request. The first document was legal documents, showing that the car’s original vehicle registration number was a certified legal number. Attached was documentation showing the original VIN had been changed based on the car’s popularity and the need to keep it protected. The second was a Will request. It was a final request for the infamous car to be driven by his little cowboy savior (Kenneth Hutchinson) down the infamous Street one last time after his death.

In a note, Steve went on to say that he was having health issues and that his physicians were struggling to identify, much less treat him. So he wanted to fulfill a boy’s dream. The midwestern cowboy, now an urban cowboy must have the right horse… The note ended with the words: “Enjoy your ride, Ken.”

Epilogue

A mid November day a couple of years later found the detectives racing down the famous San Francisco street as part of a farewell tribute to the late Steve McQueen.

Afterwards a reporter came up them and asked Hutch why he was chosen to drive in the tribute. Hutch said it was a personal request but said no more than it was a promise and a dream fulfilled. Just two cowboys sharing their paths. Hutch walked away with Starsky at his side.

They got back in the Mustang and with the engine sufficiently revved, and the tires squealing, they headed home.

“Hey Hutch?”

“Yeah?” said the blond, whose hair was blowing freely from the wind rushing in through the Mustang’s open window.

“I like your car, Blintz.”

A soft snort, “Yeah, me too, Gordo,”

The end