Running Late

Starsky’s driving gets to Hutch.

Hutch was sure he was going to leave fingerprint impressions on the dashboard. “Damn it, Starsky, slow down!” His stomach felt queasy as Starsky swerved the Torino in and out of the freeway traffic.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a pickup truck shot across the lane of traffic in front of them. Starsky swerved hard.

“Sonofabitch!”

Hutch gripped the dashboard even tighter, his eyes squeezed shut, and braced for impact as the Torino veered sharply to the right. There was a chorus of car horns and shouts combined with a series of gut churning maneuvers, which Hutch was sure was going to leave him with whiplash. Then the car swerved abruptly to a halt.

Hutch let out a deep breath and tried to unclench his hands from the dash. Cracking one eye open then the other, he realized they were parked on the side of the freeway, the MARS light blinking garishly in the early evening light. Sitting back, he ran a shaking hand down his face.

“You okay?” Starsky asked, breaking the awkward silence in the car.

Hutch turned to his partner. “I lost about ten years off my life and I think I left my stomach back at the last off-ramp. Other than that I’m just peachy.”

Starsky glared at him and went to start the engine.

Hutch reached out and gripped Starsky’s arm. “Starsky, I know you want to get there on time but don’t you think this is overkill?”

Hutch winced at the glare Starsky shot his way.

“Well if your heap of junk had started, we wouldn’t have had to detour to go get my car, and we wouldn’t be runnin’ late.”

Hutch sat back trying to calm his racing heart. “Yeah, well, I don’t think using the MARS light and almost causing an accident because you were late for a movie will wash with Dobey.”

Starsky gasped. “Hutch, Return of the Jedi is not JUST a movie. It’s the final chapter in the Star Wars saga, and I am not missing the opening night.”

Starsky pulled the car back out into traffic. “And it wasn’t my fault the truck swerved.”

Hutch rolled his eyes, took a deep breath, and braced himself as Starsky started weaving in and out of the traffic again.

Closing his eyes, Hutch muttered under his breath. “May the force be with us.”