A SON FORGIVENESS
My name is Dr. Richard Hutchinson I been a Dr. for 35 years I wanted my only son to become a dr. But he had diffenty plans for his life. He anger me when he turned his back on the life I gave him and became a police officer in Bay City Calif. Doing so I thought he turned his back on me I know now I was Wong he just wanted to be his own man for a long time I could not accept that
He been a police officer for 11 years and 10 of them years he been partnered with one man Dave Starsky. At a young age both became detectives and worked the roughest part of the city. My son tried to tell me how muched being a cop meant to him and how muched his partner meant to him. I am ashamed to say I never listearn not even to my wife as she told me nour son was lucky to have Dave in his life . I refuse to see it I thought it was strange that two men loved each other.
Than May 15 a news cast from Bay city came over about a police officer gun down in the police garage. One of the people I work with asked me if that was where my son was at . When I got a glimpse at the TV I saw Dave car and my son full blood he was beside the still body on the ground as medical personal work I could see the grief on his face and I knew at once it was his friend that laid on the ground. I got angry at the reporters that did not care all they wanted is their dam story. I thought about Dave mother in New York
Finally later that evening my wife Mary talk to Kenneth and Dave Captain. Dave made through surgery but the drs gave them little hope he would survive. He said Kenneth would not talk to anyone. As the day went by my guilt ate me up. Why didn't I go to my son when he needed me most? The only answer was because I was a fool. Mary had talk to him everyday. David hung on because my son would not let go. Finally seven days later a miracle the man they thought was going to die woke up my son at his side.
It been 4 weeks since the shooting Dave is still in the hospital . I knew it was time to make amends and asked my son and him for forgiveness . First I would go to Capt. Harold Dobey I wanted to get to know the kind of man of man my boy had become and about the man who gave him uncondinal love and friendship. Of course Dobey was not happy to see me and he told me so. I realized how much he love my son and Dave. I told I knew he had been more a farther to my son then I ever was.
He than took me home to meet his wife and over the next several hours they told about theirs things I never knew. Again I felt ashamed I even told them I thought Ken and Dave was gay. Dobey laugh in his face . Telling me the bond between them. They love and die for each other they not in love with each other I learned so much about how they had been kidnap and shot how they both lost women they loved. About the people they have help. How they made it threw it all because they had each other. That's is when I told Harold and Edith I loved my son and was very proud of him. Edith asked me If I ever told him that I realize I never have. But I was going to. I asked them if Ken and Dave would forgave me. They told me yes
So now I stand outside David hospital room watching as my son help his friend into bed. I could see the pain on David face but I could see his small smile as my son gently help him lay down and get comfortable. I hear Dave tell maybe he should had become a Dr. I step into the room they both look at me surprise. As I walk to I notice how my son stood and took protective stance in front of David "What do you want Dad mom said you be in town." He said I could hear the pain in his voice "I wanted to talk to you two and asked for something." I said "We don't need this Starks needs his rest." My son said "Hutch hear him out he is your da." David said weakly I had to smiled at the young man knowing what Dobey had told me was true. "I should have came as soon as I heard what happen." "I didn't need you neither did he my boy tells me he wasn't going make this easy I did not deserve easy. "What needed was my love and support." I tell him. He just shrugged God he look tire Capt. Dobey how besides spending every waking hour at the hospital he had brought to justice the man who oreaded the hit on them. The reason David now laid here." I never had it before ,Why would I want it now?" he asked. I watched as David weakly covered his and as the two of them look into each other eyes. I knew I was seeing the unspoken commutation Dobey told me about. I knew David was telling him to listearn to me. Finally my son look up at me. "OK dad what do you have to say?" he asked I look down at David "I heard what you said about him being a dr ." I said Kenneth starts to say something but I stop him." Let me finished" looking back down at David again . "Your wrong David he was never meant to be a Dr. I know that now. He was meant to be what he is a cop and a dam good one. He where he susupse to at your side. I want to thank you for being in his life and for loving him." I said looking up at my son. "I love you and I am very proud of you I know I have not said in a long time but I do. I know the two make a defiance you made a life you were meant to do. What I am asking you both is can you forgive this old man and his foolish thoughts. I understand the bond you have and it ok for two men to love each other." My son looks at David neither speaks. I than took a small box out and handed it to my son, "I want you two to have them." I say as he opens it looking up at me tears in his eyes. In the box held two sliver stars One belonging to my farther the grandfather who loved my son the other to my uncle who died in combat. Taking the one who was my farther I pin it on my boy. Than took the other and pin it on Dave. "I know you two have receive medals before. But these are from my heart a fathers heart. They belonged to two brave brothers now they belong to two more. That what you are maybe not in flesh but in everything else even closer. I go to leave taking one last look at these two brave men and smile. As I step out the door I hear footsteps behide me and felt a hand on my shoulder I turned to face my son and for the first time in years I pulled him into a embrace as I do I see Capt. Dobey watching us. "I love you son." I say. "I love you to dad." He says letting me go going back to David . "Thank you watch over them knowing he would. "I said always they are my boys." He tells me. I turned and walk away my heart is lighter for I know I was forgiving.
