Didn't mean to hurt you
"Okay, show me, Blondie, show me that you can walk
around my place, blindfolded, and know where
everything is." Starsky took a cloth , tied it around
Hutch's head , then pretended to knock his partner out
to see if there was any kind of defensive reaction –
nothing. Hutch couldn't see anything.
"Are you ready?" and with these words Starsky pulled
his partner out of the chair , spun him twice,
steadied him with his arms and then let him loose.
"Here we go," Starsky said encouragingly and watched
his partner walking around. It was amazing how well
Hutch knew how to move in Starsky's place without
seeing anything. "You wanna have a drink?" Hutch had
found the couch , sat down and opened a beer.
Incredible! Starsky thought. Hutch got up again and
found his way to the kitchen window. "Nice weather,
isn't it, Starsk?" Slowly but surely Starsky was
losing his high spirits. "Well, partner, not so bad,"
he had to admit.
"Oh, I just forgot, have to use the bathroom," and
Hutch felt his way over to the couch again and turned
left in the direction of the bathroom. On his way
there had to be the big armchair – he groped, but
didn't find it. He hesitated. Should he turn more to
the right? He stepped forward and finally touched the
chair. He knew exactly where he was again. He smiled.
There was the door to the bathroom. " See you," he
called. Confident of victory, he stepped out and
closed the door behind him. Shortly after Starsky
could hear a rattling noise and somebody swearing
explicitly. Starsky chuckled. If Hutch knew that he
had just changed the position of the chair…
The door flew open and a furious Hutch entered the
room. When he saw Starsky looking like the cat who
swallowed the canary, Hutch's rage increased.
"Are you nuts?" he yelled and he was about to push
Starsky against the wall, but then he changed his
mind. His right side was hurting because he had fallen
down the stairs. He only wanted to leave, and with a
"You are a real friend," he slammed the door behind
him.
"Spoilsport! It was only a joke," he heard Starsky
shout after him.
The next days were uneventful. The two detectives
worked on their cases, but even Dobey noticed that
there was no laughter in the squadroom , no bantering.
Hell, they had even stopped teasing him about his
unsuccessful diets, and though he should be glad , he
felt quite uncomfortable. Maybe it was about a woman
again. Dobey sighed and tried to concentrate on his
work.
Hutch was still hurting. Not only was his side blue
and green, but the friend he trusted with his life had
played such a bad joke on him. Instead of apologizing
Starsky had laughed and had taken it lightly.
Hutch had to find a way to pay Starsky back.
His chance for revenge appeared some days later. On his way to work
he saw a damaged red Torino with white stripes abandoned in the
streets and about to be loaded onto a tow-truck. It
couldn't be Starsky's because his partner usually came
to work later.
What about bringing that car to the station and
pretending it was Starsky's?
That would be a blast if Starsky saw his car almost
totally damaged! Hutch knew that the Torino was
Starsky's beloved "lady" . He always went nuts when
Hutch dropped some paper on the floor or teased him
about his odd taste. The longer Hutch thought about
his little revenge, the more contented he felt.
First he had to make some phone calls to locate the
car and to speak to some officers to let them in on
his little joke. How lucky he was that Starsk not had
arrived yet.
"Morning," Starsky trudged into the squadroom and felt
a little irritated when he looked at the smiling face
of his partner's. Was the "war" between them
eventually over? Starsky felt the tension of the last
days fade. He would have his old partner back. The
next remark gave proof of Hutch's changed behaviour.
"Hey, buddy, want me to take your car to Merle's to
get the oil checked? I've already finished some
reports, so you'll have more time to complete yours."
Give his precious car to Hutch? Why not, Starsky
decided, He tossed his car keys in Hutch's direction .
" 'kay,if you bring some lunch from the burrito snack
bar," Starsky relished Hutch's disgusted expression.
Then he was gone and Starsky began to work humming a
little tune.
Two hours later the door to the squadroom burst open
and an officer called for a "Detective Starsky". "It's
me," Starsky answered not looking up from his folders.
"Would you please follow me?" the man's voice sounded
strained, and finally Starsky paid attention. He rose
from his chair and followed the man down to the
station garage…
Hutch was hiding behind a corner where he could watch
closely what would happen.
Starsky's real car was parked safely a few parking
spaces over.
Now Hutch heard approaching steps and voices. One of
them belonged to his partner. "What are you going to
show me, officer?" Starsky seemed restless. "Look,"
said the man, barely concealing a smile.
Starsky came around the corner and saw the car. A red
Torino with white stripes. Practically destroyed.
Hutch watched in anticipation.That serves him right,
he thought.
"Oh my God!" Starsky was rooted to the spot, his eyes
fixed on the car. Finally he moved slowly nearer and
touched a crumpled part of the metal, carefully as if
he feared to do more damage. He shook his head not
willing to believe what he saw in front of him.
"That can't be true."
Hutch behind the corner had a jolt at the next,
quietly spoken words.
"Hutch…", Starsky's voice had lowered to a whisper,"
Hutch, where are you…?" Starsky felt as if something
tore him apart.
He choked and almost cried out: "No! That can't be! –
Officer!" The other man approached, looking nervously
at the agitated detective. "Sir?" he asked wishing he
was miles away.
"My partner, where is my partner? He drove my car.
What has happened to him, tell me!"
"I - I - don't know," stuttered the man. This was
supposed to be a joke. Why was this man acting so
weird?
"Oh Hutch, buddy, don't do this to me," and Starsky
turned to the officer again, this time a little more
desperate.
"Blond guy driving? Gotta know what happened to him,
man. Is he in the hospital?"
Hutch behind the corner couldn't stand it any longer.
Tears were in his eyes. What he just witnessed had made
him feel deeply ashamed.
It was not his car that Starsky cared for, it was
always the well being of his partner that Starsky had
in mind.
Hutch had to do something at once to avoid further
damage …
He stepped out of his hiding place and took steps
toward his partner.
"Starsky? I'm here, nothing happened to me. Look,"
Hutch tried to smile but he couldn't.
Deep blue eyes, full of sorrow , looked at him in
disbelief.
"Hutch? Is it you?" And then two arms were thrown
around him and Starsky was holding him tight. Hutch
was about to lose his composure, so he stiffened and
tried to break the embrace.
"I have to tell you something," he said and didn't
dare look into his best friend's eyes.
"Don't worry about the car. That I have you back, not
hurt, is the most important thing." Starsky beamed at
him.
"Hey! Speaking of being hurt… You hurt me, Starsk,
when you let me go through your front door,
blindfolded, and I fell down your stairs. I decided to
take a little revenge on you and brought this damaged
car here. It isn't yours, Starsk, yours is safe over
there.
But Ok, it was a bad joke and I feel so sorry. I
forgot that you always…"
"…cared about you? " Starsky finished the sentence.
"You should know that, dummy. And what are you telling
me about falling down my stairs and hurting? Where did
you get hurt? Let me see ."
"But not here!" they said in unison, and suddenly all
seemed to be easier again . A smile appeared on their
faces and Hutch looked down at his hands.
"Here are your burritos," he said, but the bag in his
hands was scrunched because of all the commotion.
Starsky put his hands over Hutch's as he said
seriously:" Didn't mean to hurt you, you know that?"
Hutch nodded:" Me neither."
They looked into each other's eyes and all was right
with the world.
THE END