Passages Three: Camping Out

“Starsky, we need one more father or the whole troop can’t go.”

“But camping, Hutch? I don’t camp. I’m from New York City. Camping out to me is staying at the Holiday Inn near the airport.”

Hutch sighed. “I wouldn’t ask, Starsk, if it wasn’t important. Danny was going to go, but he’s got that interview scheduled and has to fly to Colorado Springs.”

Starsky rolled over in bed and looked at his partner. “The Air Force Academy?”

Hutch nodded. “Can you believe it? He’s down to a final interview, the best of the best.”

“Oh, that’s just terrific, Blondie,” Starsky replied. “He must be over the moon.”

“He is, but he feels really bad about the camping trip,” Hutch explained. “All this past year he’s been helping out with Adam’s troop and the weekend we have the big trip planned, he has to leave town.” He sighed. “And now we may have to cancel it.”

“I have to stay with Hannah…” Starsky was grasping at straws.

“She can stay with Sandy and the girls.”

“I don’t have a sleeping bag.”

“I have an extra.”

“I hate bugs.”

“I have spray.”

“You’re the troop leader and I’m going to look like an idiot,” Starsky sighed, flopping back on the bed, knowing defeat when he saw it. Then he had an idea, “Cooper could go…”

“No, she couldn’t. I already asked her. She and Doug are going to San Francisco that weekend.”

“Shit. OK, I’ll go.” He was thoroughly kissed by his grateful partner. “Hey, we could zip our bags together…?”

“No, we can’t.”

“Damn.”