Giving Thanks

There’s much to be thankful for this year. A Thanksgiving and Christmas story set after The Plague and Manchild on the Streets.

First published in the 2021 SHFAFF Advent Calendar.

Saturday 17^th December 1977

Hutch woke up and stretched. It was such a simple thing to do. Yet, how amazing it was to know that he was still here and able to enjoy all of life’s simple pleasures! Nearly losing his life to the virus (brought into the country by Callendar) had made him extra thankful this year; for all the good things he had in his life, no matter how big or small, and especially just for his life itself.

No surprise then that Thanksgiving this year had been a quiet yet deeply affecting occasion. He’d celebrated with Starsky – just the two of them alone. He was only just recovered enough to be out of the hospital, not recovered enough to be up to a large gathering or even a large meal. That hadn’t mattered to either of them; they were both just grateful he was here to celebrate in any way, shape or form.

Starsky, who had insisted on sleeping on Hutch’s couch for the first few days while Hutch was recovering at home, had been up early as usual on Thanksgiving Day to watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade live. California being three hours behind New York meant getting up early or missing it; and missing it was something Starsky just couldn’t do. Hutch had awoken to find his partner enjoying the end of the parade and already started on the treats that were supposed to be for their celebration that evening. Hutch chuckled as he thought about it. Starsky had looked incredibly guilty when Hutch had wobbled out of the bedroom (still feeling weak if he were to be totally honest) and caught him in the act of eating a large slice of pumpkin pie that Minnie had delivered for them to share.

Hutch had rolled his eyes and wandered over to the fridge to get himself a glass of milk. He should have known better; within seconds, Starsky was at his side, telling him to sit at the table while he got his friend breakfast. Feeling equal amounts of irritation and gratitude, Hutch had sat down and let his partner pour him a glass of milk and a large bowl of cereal. He knew he needed to reassure his friend that he wasn’t going to break, that he was better, almost back to full strength and Starsky could stop worrying about him. For the time being however, he was content to indulge Starsky’s need to coddle him, knowing it was born out of a mixture of fear, love and thankfulness.

Later they’d sat on the sofa and argued over what they were going to watch that afternoon. “Even arguing is enjoyable when you think you might never have another argument,” Hutch thought, “especially if it was with the person who liked you enough to have a full blown drag-out verbal fight and still count you as their best friend.”

He recalled the ridiculous fight and couldn’t help smiling at the recollection.

*****

“I’m not spending the whole day in front of the television watching sentimental mush just because it’s Thanksgiving!”

“I thought you might be in the mood for mush, given how glad you are to be alive!” Starsky stated.

“Yes, I’m glad to be alive. Doesn’t mean I’ve taken leave of my senses!”

“All right. No mush. How about ‘Blood Freak’? There’s a giant turkey monster. It sounds great!”

“No way! You want to watch one of your awful, daft horror movies on Thanksgiving, go watch it in your own home!” Hutch asserted with as much energy as he could…which was still precious little.

Starsky shook his head and searched the listings in the paper again. “All right, let’s see. How about the Beverley Hillbillies, they’re showing the episode ‘Turkey day’. That’s a good one. Makes me laugh every time.”

This time Hutch didn’t bellow, he sighed. “I honestly don’t think I can cope with the Clampett family today, Starsky. Sorry. Isn’t there anything else on?”

“You’re a hard one to please, as usual,” Starsky said, but his eyes were smiling at Hutch over the paper – eyes that said, ‘I’m glad you’re here to argue with.’ He looked down at the paper again. “All right, let’s see. How about ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’. I’ve seen it before, but it’s good and worth watching again.”

“Of course you’ve seen it before.”

“Come on, Hutch. It’s sweet but not too mushy. You can’t go wrong with Charlie Brown. Whaddya say, buddy?”

Hutch felt he’d argued long enough. “All right, Charlie Brown it is.”

“T’rrific.”

As the programme started, Starsky handed Hutch a plate of pumpkin pie and whipped cream and settled down next to his friend on the couch.

“I’m not sure I can eat all of this,” Hutch observed.

“Not to worry, if you can’t, I’ll finish it for ya.”

“I’m sure you will,” Hutch muttered under his breath.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Hutch had slowly nibbled his way through the dessert, keeping half an eye on Charlie Brown and his oddball collection of friends as he did so. He felt sorry for Charlie Brown when Peppermint Paddy moaned at him about the food Snoopy had prepared.

“Why does Marcie have to go do the apologising?” he wondered out loud. “Why can’t Paddy go apologise?”

“Ssh.”

A moment later, he heard Marcie say, “We should just be thankful for being together.”

Hutch couldn’t help the lump in his throat or the fact that he couldn’t seem to resist looking at his partner. Starsky glanced at him and Hutch noticed his eyes were suspiciously wet.

“A truer word was never spoken,” Starsky said softly.

Hutch swallowed down the lump and nodded. He placed a hand on Starsky’s shoulder and squeezed it gently.

There was a lot to be thankful for but being alive to share Thanksgiving this year with his best friend was top of the list.

Saturday 17^th December 1977 cont.

Hutch stretched again and contemplated getting up and enjoying the leisure of a Saturday pottering around his home, watering his plants, maybe going for a walk, or even attempting a short run. Not too far though or Starsky would be on his case for pushing himself to hard too soon. He smiled indulgently at the way his friend was still trying to wrap him up in cotton-wool…and then it hit him.

For a moment, he was so absorbed in the feeling of gratitude for being alive and reminiscing about Thanksgiving that he’d forgotten for one brief moment that the world wasn’t all warmth and light. In fact, the world was short of illumination by one bright soul because Jackson Walters wasn’t alive anymore.

It was only a week since Hutch and Starsky had lost their good friend. The incident was still raw and fresh, shocking in its suddenness and brutality. It shouldn’t have happened and Hutch still couldn’t really believe it had. Jackson’s death had wounded both of them deeply but especially Starsky. Hutch’s mood grew sombre as he reflected on his friend’s deep sense of loss.

In one way or another 1977 had been a pretty awful year for both of them. There had been ups–good moments that they had both enjoyed–but they seem to have had more than their fair share of downs. If he’d been superstitious, he might have thought it was going to be a bad year as soon as January hit. The Minnesota Vikings got to the Super Bowl for the fifth time and for the fifth time they were runners up. Some would have said it showed that it wasn’t going to be the year of the underdog.

Then in April, they had both been accused of committing crimes that they hadn’t. Fortunately, they had caught the perpetrator but even that had been a bitter-sweet conclusion as Sharon Freemont, the deputy DA who had set them up, had been someone they’d trusted. The night they concluded the case, poor Starsky had come home to find his record collection stolen including a Fats Domino record that he’d waited six months to get and which had only just arrived that day. A small event to be sure, not huge in the grand scheme of life, but very upsetting to his friend who had painstakingly saved up and tracked down records of his favourite artists over a number of years.

The Summer had been okay but then the Fall had started; a fall in more ways than one. There had been difficult cases and events that had worn them down and upset them both, but for Starsky there had been a number that had wounded him personally. For Hutch’s partner, it seemed one thing had piled on top of another; falling in love with and losing Rosey Malone; losing John Blaine and finding out he had a secret life; coming face to face with a shocking case of child abuse; and then losing their very dear friend, Jackson. Hit upon hit had come until Hutch wondered how Starsky was still standing.

But he was. They both were. Maybe it was the year of the underdog after all? After all, what had he been if not an underdog fighting and holding on against a disease that no-one in their right mind thought he could survive. But he was still here. And as he’d said to Starsky he planned on living for a hundred plus years and really living.

Hutch threw back the covers and slipped into his robe before crossing the bedroom and going to the kitchen to get some breakfast. He looked at the raindrops sliding their way down the panes of glass in his greenhouse. It was dreary weather today, but that was all right. He had no particular plans other than watching a movie tonight with Starsky. It would probably be a Christmas movie knowing his partner. Only a week to go till the big day, after all.

Christmas.

Oh.

With sudden piercing determination, Hutch realised that he had to get Starsky a great present this year to show him how much he appreciated his friendship, caring and loyalty. And for once, he knew exactly what he would like to get. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to manage it at such short notice, but he was going to try. He looked at the time. If he left now, he stood half a chance of finding the right thing. Filled with purpose, Hutch hurried to get washed, dressed and into the city before the stores closed at twelve-thirty. He only had a few hours. He’d better make the most of them.

Christmas Eve (Saturday) 1977

Hutch was feeling frustrated and miserable. He had tried, he really had, to get Starsky the perfect present but his luck had run out. Nobody had what he was looking for. He’d left his name at three of the stores, hoping that the item he wanted might have a chance of coming in during the next few weeks. If he couldn’t get it for Starsky for Christmas maybe he’d be able to get it by his friend’s birthday in March at least.

He’d had to settle for buying Starsky the largest box of Christmas candies he could find and a blow up Rudolf. If he couldn’t get what he really wanted for Starsky, he could at least get him presents that were close to his heart; food and tacky Christmas decorations!

Hutch’s wrapping of his friend’s presents were interrupted by the ringing of the phone.

“Hello?”

“Is that Ken Hutchinson?”

“Yes.”

“Oh good, Mr Hutchinson, I’m glad I caught you. It’s Mike from ‘Second Sounds’. I managed to track down a copy of that record you wanted. Our sister store in Santa Barbara has it. If you can get there before they close at midday, it’s yours to collect today. Otherwise, I can get shipped over here after the holidays.”

Hutch looked at the clock. He could just about make it in time.

“Thank you, yes. Please can you tell them I’m leaving now? What’s the address?”

Mike told him and gave him the number of the store.

“Thank you so much for your help.”

“My pleasure.”

Hutch placed the phone back on the table, grabbed his jacket and keys and hurried out of his apartment. As he did so, he said a little thank you for whatever friendly being had managed to make this tiny miracle happen.

Christmas Day 1977

Starsky picked Hutch up from his apartment and drove them across town to the Dobey household, where they’d been invited to spend Christmas Day this year. The back seat of the car was stuffed with Christmas presents of various sizes. Hutch added his own presents for Starsky, Harold and Edith to the pile and very carefully laid one flat parcel on his lap. Starsky cast a glance over the parcels, naturally trying to work out what was inside the shiny wrapping paper.

Hutch could see that Starsky was very excited, as only he could be, happy at the thought of the lovely meal Edith would have prepared and elated to be able to play board games to his heart’s content with Cal and Rosie. It was his idea of Christmas heaven. Hutch smiled as he listened to Starsky happily humming all of his favourite Christmas songs one after the other.

After a truly sumptuous meal, everyone gathered around the tree and Cal and Rosie gave out the Christmas presents before opening their own. Cal and Rosie were very excited to see the large, long presents labelled from Uncle Dave and Uncle Ken, one for each of them. When they ripped the paper there were squeals of delight as they revealed the must-have present from the year before – pogo sticks! Neither of them minded it being last year’s present of choice: they had both wanted them after seeing their friends bouncing around last holiday and were thrilled to finally have their own. When Rosie finished opening her presents, she crawled onto Hutch’s lap and helped him open his presents.

Starsky opened his presents with enthusiasm, predictably opening what he thought looked the most interesting first. He was delighted with everything. Finally, he came to the flat, square present that was from Hutch. Before he could rip into it, Hutch warned him it was fragile. Carefully, he opened one end of the package and slid out a record album with a picture of Fats Domino on the back. With awestruck hands, Starsky slowly turned the album over to see the front cover stating: “Rock and Rollin’ with Fats Domino”. It was the album that he had saved up for and that had been stolen: the debut album for the great man, which included his favourite song ‘Blueberry Hill’, and the one that had been released by Imperial Records in 1956. Starsky turned shining eyes to his partner.

“How? Where? I’ve been ringing record stores on a monthly basis and nobody has ever had it in!”

“I must have timed it just right then!” Hutch said. “It came into the Second Sounds store in Santa Barbara on Friday. They rang me yesterday morning to tell me so I rushed up there and got it for you. I’m glad you’re pleased with it.”

“You kidding me? Pleased? It’s the best present you could have got me. Thanks, buddy.”

“You’re welcome.”

Starsky stood up with a slightly weird look on his face. “I guess I’d better go get your main present from the trunk of my car.”

Hutch looked surprised. “Another present?”

“Yep.”

Starsky sauntered out of the house and came back a few moments later carrying a gift that, despite his attempts to wrap creatively, still showed exactly what it was. Hutch’s face broke into a grin.

“You got me a tennis racket!”

“Great minds think alike, buddy,” Starsky said, as he handed Hutch and Rosie the present. “I wanted to get you something you needed and then I remembered how yours had got stolen from my place.”

As Rosie helped Hutch rip off the wrapping paper, he and Starsky shared slightly sombre looks as they were reminded of the day they robbery had happened. But then they nodded and smiled, reassured by the fact that there appeared to be no limit to their ability to think alike and watch out for each other.

“Uncle Ken, will you teach me how to play tennis?” Rosie asked.

“I certainly will,” Hutch said with a big smile. “We’ll go as soon as the weather improves as long as your Mom and Dad say it’s okay.”

Edith and Harold looked at each other and nodded.

“That would be really kind of you, Ken,” Edith said.

“It would be my pleasure. Always happy to spend time with my honorary niece and nephew. Happy to teach you too, Cal, if you like.”

Cal nodded as Rosie threw her arms around Hutch’s neck and squeezed him tight.

“Careful, Rosie,” Edith warned. “Don’t forget to let your Uncle Ken breathe.”

“I can breathe just fine,” Hutch’s voice distantly appeared from under a pile of Rosie.

“Well, in that case…” Starsky motioned to Cal. “Come on, group hug!”

The last thing Hutch heard as he disappeared under a pile of bodies was Rosie squealing and his captain yelling, “Starsky! If you break my couch, you’re paying for it!”