Chapter 4
'Hey Nicky!' Starsky turned and welcomed his brother
For Nick's part, he had an astonished look on his face, never for one moment expecting his brother and Hutch to be in his motel room and now he looked from one to the other before focussing on the brunet cop.
'What're ya doing here Bro?' he asked carefully. 'Is Mom ok, is that why you've come? How did ya find me? What the fuck is going on?'
The elder brother held up a placatory hand. 'Mom's fine, although she's worried about you. She telephoned me and told me you'd gotten yourself involved in sumthin she wasn't sure about. It was Mom who told me where to find you. What's goin' on Nick? What's this group you've gotten yourself involved in?'
A smile spread over the younger man's face. 'Jeez David, I thought somethin' was really wrong for a minute! Don't go giving me heart attacks like that! C'mon sit down an' I'll fix us a drink'.
'S'ok. Its too early for me. I'll just have…..oh!'
Starsky looked on in surprise as his usually hard drinking brother handed him a soda. Hutch looked expectant and it wasn't until prompted that Nicky got one from the fridge for the blond too. He handed it to Hutch without a second glance and Hutch took it quickly with a murmured thanks.
Nicky sat down on the edge of his bed and motioned for Starsky to do the same.
'Where are ya stayin'? he asked.
'Here. Same place as you. But we're not stayin'. You're coming home with me'.
'What d'ya mean comin' home with you? No! I'm happy here. Found some good friends and I've got some meaning in my life. I thought Mom would be proud of the fact that I'm embracing the family faith'.
'There's embracing and embracing' Hutch said mildly. 'Your Mom was upset'.
Nick glared at Hutch with a look that could have dropped him where he stood if looks could have killed. He opened his mouth to say something and then seemed to think better of it. Turning back to his big brother, he asked.
'Why don't ya come to the service tonight? Then you can see what it's all about an' maybe it'll put your mind at rest huh?'
'Me? I haven't been to the synagogue in ages. It'd probably rain fire and brimstone if I went in. And what about Hutch?'
'He ain't Jewish and he ain't welcome' Nick ground out with such venom that Starsky was taken aback.
'Hey, just watch your manners there. That's my partner you're talkin' about. The same guy who helped save your ass a while back' he snapped.
Nicky looked sullen, but neither apologised or looked at the flaxen haired cop. Hutch got quietly up and put his soda down on the drawers. 'I think I'll just go and…erm…count the tyres on the car huh? Give you two a little space'. He smiled in what he hoped was a conciliatory manner and quietly stepped outside closing the door behind him. He had no idea what was going on in the smaller man's mind, but this was certainly not the same cocky, fun loving Nick that he'd met the previous year. Quickly he made his way back to his own motel room and lay down on the bed in the cool interior. He didn't like the way the meeting with Nick was going and knew his partner was going to have one hell of a job to get his younger brother to give up the group and follow him home. Especially knowing the famous Starsky temper. His partner tried to keep his under tight control, but Nick's was apparently legendary and Hutch had visions of fists flying across in room number 9.
The two brothers sat apart, staring at each other.
'What's gotten into you?' Starsky asked, balling his hands into fists to keep himself from hitting the wall, the bed or the younger man.
'There ain't nothin' got into me. I told ya. I found this group an' I feel like it's somewhere I belong. They're like a family to me. Rabbi Levi looks after us all real good and I got lots of friends. I thought you'd be happy for me'.
'I am. Its just…..hell Nick. You were the one who used to pretend you had the stomach ache or a toothache or galloping dandruff to save having to go to praychildreners and now here you are telling me you've voluntarily hooked up with a Jewish group. And what's with the name huh? of God? What's that supposed to mean? What're they doin' with the posters?'
Nicky stood and paced the small room. 'Its not like ya think Bro. It ain't anythin' wrong. Ya heard of freedom of speech? Well, that's just what we're doin'. Rabbi Levi says that the Jewish nation should be free to do what they want, say what they think. We've been oppressed for so long that….'
Starsky put his hand up, stopping the tiread. '"We've been oppressed"? What do you mean "we've been oppressed"? the only oppression you suffered was when Mrs Kominsky in third grade made ya stay behind for tying Louisa Manner's braids together round the chair. Nicky, listen to yourself. I've never heard ya like this. You've never been oppressed in your life'.
'But the Jewish Nation has. That's what this is all about'.
'The Jewish Nation? You're talking about the holocaust. That was forty years ago! Get real Nick! Just stop this now an' come home huh?'
But Nicky was adamant. 'How can ya condemn what ya haven't seen? Just come to prayers tonight an' see for yourself. Maybe it'll change your mind. And if it doesn't, just give me enough credit to make my own decisions huh? Huh?'
Starsky looked down at his hands. 'What'm I gonna do with ya? I ain't got the stuff to go to prayers. I just….'he was silenced as Nicky produced a small pack.
'Everything you need's in there. Get yourself ready before we go. I'll be round for you at 6:00. Just give it a try David. An' if ya still don't like it, just go, but let me stay' he said simply.
The brunet took the small package gently and stood. 'I hope you're right Nick. I hope you know what you're doin'. He opened the door and went out to find Hutch, his heart heavy.
As the door closed, Nicky picked up the phone and dialled a number he seemed to have memorised.
'Rabbi? Its Nick Starsky. There's been a slight change of plan. I'll be bringing someone else tonight. My brother David. But it's cool. If we can convince him, we'll be fine. He's a cop and we could use insider information'.
oOo
Starsky walked back to the room with the package under his arm. He had mixed feelings about going to a prayer ceremony that evening. Although he'd been brought up in the Jewish faith, he classed himself as non-practising. It had been way over twelve months since he'd attended a synagogue and although he'd had a brief celebration of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, it was nothing compared to what he'd experienced as a young boy.
He pushed the door open and went in, rousing Hutch from his doze.
'Did you get things settled?' the blond asked, rubbing his hand over his eyes.
'Hmm, but not like I'd intended' Starsky muttered as he put the package down on the bed next to him. He flung himself down on the bed and sighed deeply.
'What's the present?' Hutch asked, looking at the carefully tied bundle.
'My fancy dress for the party tonight'.
'Are you gonna go?'
Starsky turned stormy eyes on his partner. 'Do I have a choice? If I bulldoze Nick into coming home now, he's gonna me madder 'n hell an' fight me all the way. If I go with him tonight, at least he can't say I didn't know what I was talking about'. He looked at his watch.
'Oh shit. I got 15 minutes to get ready'.
Hutch watched intently as the brunet untied the parcel and took out the items one at a time. He laid them out on the bed and stared sullenly at them.
'Wow, you know what to do with all that lot?'
Starsky grinned. 'Its been a while, but I'll cope. Ya gonna watch?'
'Wouldn't miss it' Hutch said as Starsky went to wash. When he came back into the room he sat down again and studied the objects. First he took a small round velvet cap and placed it on the crown of his head, clipping it in pace. It nestled amongst his chocolate curls seemingly almost invisible.
'Its called a yarmulke. God is above and we're supposed to separate ourselves from him, so we're supposed to wear a head covering' the brunet said by way of explanation.
Next he stood and reached for the square shawl. Holding it up he draped it around his shoulders.
'This is a Tallit, or prayer shawl. There's a prayer that goes with putting it on. Starsky looked embarrassed, but folded his hands in front of him and mumbled "Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us regarding the commandment of fringes".
Hutch watched quietly. He'd never really seen this side of his partner before. Sure they'd been to the odd ceremony at the synagogue together, but that was mostly to celebrate a Bar Mitzva or similar and neither man had dressed formally. Now, before his eyes, his tough talking, streetwise partner was dropping away to reveal the Jewish boy he'd been taught to be years ago. In a way, it brought a lump to Hutch's throat, an insight, seeing what David Starsky could have been if his Dad had never been killed and he still lived in New York. Starsky saw the way the blond watched him.
'Will ya cut it out. Ya make me feel self conscious enough as it is!'
Hutch grinned. 'I just never saw you like this. It's like having a whole different guy in the room. Interesting'.
'Ya mean they don't have the whole fancy dress thing in the Baptist church?' Starsky chuckled. 'Now for the fancy bit, an' I don't know if I can remember the Hebrew'.
He took hold of the first of the small boxes and held the leather straps tight. Looking up, he explained
'These are Tefillin. There are two boxes containing Biblical verses We're supposed to wear 'em for morning prayer services in Orthodox and Conservative Judaism, and sometimes for other branches of Judaism as well. They are lain on a daily basis by adults above the age of 13 years. When we put 'em on its called laying them and it's customary to lay and to remove the tefillin while standing'. Starsky sighed. 'I sound like a Rabbi instructing Saturday morning class'
'Ok, so. The hand-tefillin is laid first'.
Starsky took the small box with its long leather straps and placed it on his right arm, above the elbow, on the lower biceps, level to his heart.
'If I were right handed it's go on my left arm, but we lefties like to do it different' he explained, concentrating on the procedure. He took hold of the strap and wound it around his forearm seven times and then closed his eyes in concentration.The words from his youth came unbidden into his head and he muttered
'Barukh atta Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh haolam, asher kiddeshanu bemitsvotav vetsivvanu lehanniakh tefillin'.
Smiling at his memory he translated for Hutch. "Blessed are you, Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to put on tefillin."
'Next comes the head tefillin'.
Starsky placed the second square box on his brow so that it overhung the middle of the forehead, just above his hairline. He tied the straps so that the knot of the strap was at the back of his head and overhanging the middle of his neck, while the two ends of the strap, with the blackened side outward, hang over his shoulders in front. As he tightened the strap he muttered 'Barukh shem kevod malkhuto leolam vaed'.
Again he looked over at his partner.
"Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever." He explained, then gave a twirl.
'So, how do I look? Coz I feel like an idiot. I haven't worn this lot since my Bar Mitzva'
'Like a pious little Jewish boy. Now go and play nice with your brother' Hutch grinned as Starsky headed for the door.