Turin

Originally published in the 2025 SHareCon Countdown Calendar.

Hutch slowly got out of the chair on the front porch, then bent down and kissed the top of Molly’s head. “Thanks for dinner, kiddo. Same time next week?”

It wasn’t often Molly saw the years pass by, but tonight she did. And she’d seen the stiff leg limp from the long-ago injury as he headed to his car. She hid her concern and replied in a more expected tone. “You know it, but your memory is slipping, old man. We’ll see you Wednesday night for Emmy’s graduation.”

Hutch stopped halfway down the steps and turned to stare at her. “What? Graduation? She’s in kindergarten for fu–”

“Language, Hutch!” Molly interrupted him before he could finish.

Mikey, Molly’s eight-year-old, grabbed a wet tennis ball from the slobbering mouth of a panting golden retriever. “Yeah, Grandad! Language,” Mikey snickered, mimicking his mom.

Hutch rolled his eyes before running his hand through Mikey’s hair. “Whatever. I guess I’ll see ya Wednesday, sport.” Hutch slowly made his way to his car in the driveway. As he opened the door, he whistled, then hollered, “Turin! Here, boy!” The dog watched the tennis ball as it was thrown in the opposite direction, but ultimately chose the man. He bounded to the car, jumped in the driver’s side, then scrambled to his normal spot on the passenger seat.

Hutch started the car, which sputtered, backfired, then choked. Both Molly and Mikey laughed. Before he could try again, Molly shouted, “Get a real car!”

The car started the second time, and as he was backing out of the driveway, Hutch gave Molly a double bird salute. Molly and Mikey laughed even harder.

Big Mike, nicknamed for his stature long before his and Molly’s son was born, came out the front door just in time to see the interchange. “It’s a miracle Mikey’s not in the principal’s office every day with that as his influence.”

Molly reached for Mike’s hand as he sat in the chair vacated by Hutch. “You’re probably right. You don’t want to know how many times he and Dave had to come meet with the principal when I was in school.”

At his questioning eyebrow, she replied, “You really do not want to know. Emmy asleep?”

“Yeah, we got through Mr. Frumble’s New Cars but she fell asleep halfway through Dorrie and the Weather-Box.”

Mikey was now sitting on the bottom step, bouncing the tennis ball. “Hey, Mom, why did Grandad name Turin Turin?”

Big Mike answered first. “Well, he couldn’t very well name him Starsky.”

Molly chortled. “Can you imagine? Dave would be turning over in his grave!”

Mikey looked over his shoulder at his parents. “Huh? Turin’s named after Grandpa?” How come?”

She took a deep breath and gazed down the street, as if she could still see Hutch’s car, before she answered. “I don’t know, Mikey. I guess it reminds him of happier times.”

“Mikey’s right, though. Why Turin?” Big Mike asked.

She looked at both her guys. “Come on, you know Hutch. He can be so cloak and dagger. He couldn’t make it that obvious that he was naming the dog after a car.”

It was Big Mike’s turn to mimic his son. “Huh? Turin is named after the Torino?”

“Grandad named his dog after Grandpa’s old car?” Mikey followed his dad’s question.

Molly was looking at both of them aghast, but was laughing so hard she could barely answer. “I can’t believe you two don’t know this. That’s absolutely where Turin comes from! But if you ask Hutch, he’ll just tell you the dog is named after his favorite town in Italy.”

Now it was Mike’s turn to chortle. “Has he ever been to Turin, Italy?”

She wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes. “Nope.”