Catastrophe
Starsky inhaled the crisp morning air with a grin and a loving sigh. It had been awhile since he had taken one of these "Hutch Walks" as he affectionately called them. Though, right now, there was no Hutch. Starsky was hoping he'd be able to catch up to him, knowing that it being a Sunday, Hutch loved walking slow, taking his time. Starsky did not forget to add the factors of the weather and it being their day off.
And as much as Hutch loved running, he loved taking in the sights of a glorious day even more. Starsky eventually figured that he would never catch up to Hutch, if he was doing the same thing. It was a beautiful day.
"Help! Somebody heeellp!" A shrill voice rang through the morning wind. The voice was young, about 6 or 7. Knowing that fact, Starsky sprinted as fast as he could. He felt the wind push against his ears, causing the wind's howl to become an even drumbeat.
He slowed down as he caught site of a little girl on her knees looking up at a giant tree, tears flowing down her cheeks. She then opened her mouth and cried "Heelp! Somebody!"
"Kid, kid? What's wrong?" She then turned around startled, as if not expecting anyone to show up. She stood up and wiped her tears with her hand and then quickly used the same one to point up.
"It's my kitty! He ran out of our house and ran all the way up the tree. He's stuck." She sniffled and turned to one more continue her gaze upon the tree.
Starsky followed her gaze and looked up, gulping. It was a huge tree. A huge scary tree. That went up, and up…and…
"He won't come down!" The little girl continued, she bit her lip and shifted her feet around for support. "I couldn't climb it, I kept falling down, and even—"the girl broke off as Starsky interrupted her.
"Don't worry kid, I'll go up there." Starsky took off his jacket, and felt the morning air attack him quickly. He shivered and made his way to climb up the tree.
"Oh thank you! But…"
"Ah, ah kid." Starsky muttered, already halfway up the trunk of the tree. "No buts, I'm going to get that kitty for you, no doubt about it." Starsky was feeling pretty good; he was climbing up this tree pretty quickly.
He puffed as he reached out to the first branch, grasping it tightly. He gave a small prayer to whoever was up there, and shifted his weight. Starsky sighed with relief as he noticed that the branch was strong enough to support him.
"Here kitty, kitty, kitty" Starsky clicked his tongue, squinting hard through the leaves. Finding nothing except vibrant greens, Starsky carefully shifted his weight once more and went up the next branch, and the next, and the next.
Just how big was this tree? The inexperienced tree climber briefly allowed himself to wonder how he was going to get down, briefly. The thought was quickly forgotten as he noticed a small patch of yellow golden fur, slightly below him. Ah ha! The kitty! Finally! Starsky gulped silently and stretched out his leg onto the branch closest to the gold fur below. He pressed his foot against it, testing out if it was strong enough to hold him. It was.
Gently the curly-haired cop eased his feet onto the branch and slid his arms to others near it. Suddenly, Starsky's heart flew to his throat as he found himself stumbling. He quickly grasped onto the leaves above him with his right arm, and the branch next to him with his left. Starsky panted in fear gulping in air. That was a close one. Starsky noticed the golden fur moving, and he cried out.
"Oh no you don't, I did not just almost fall for you to leave." With that Starsky reached his hand out quickly in hopes of scooping up the cat. He felt the fur, which was oddly familiar, and pulled.
"Ow!" Ow? Since when do cats say ow?
"Hutch?" Starsky questioned in disbelief. The yellow fur had disappeared replaced by one sole blue eye gazing angrily up at him. The eye lost its anger as it widened in disbelief as well.
"Starsky? What are you doing here?"
"I just decided to come up and enjoy the view. What are you doing here?"
"Came to get this little girl's kitty." There was a faint rustling as Hutch shifted positions followed by a yelp.
"Hutch? You ok?" Starsky tried to see through the leaves, but it was just too thick.
"Fine, damn cat just scratched me again, that's all."
"You have the cat?"
"Yea, yea, I have the cat. Every time I move he feels the need to plunge his claws into me." There was a soft sigh and Starsky perked his head up at a new noise that followed it.
"Hey Hutch, what's that?"
"Hmm?"
"That, that noise…sounds like a growl…"
"Oh that, yea, he's purring." Hutch tried to sound annoyed, but knowing Hutch all these years he could tell his buddy was a little amused by the whole situation. Starsky smirked glad to hear that his partner wasn't completely frustrated.
"So, Starsk, why are you really up here?" Starsky felt a warm tinge creep up his neck.
"I was after the kitty too." Starsky saw Hutch looking up at him again and heard his laughter, followed by another painful cry. Starsky winced in sympathy but couldn't help but grin.
"That cat doesn't give you a break does he?"
"Nah, he's happy right where he is."
"Where is he?"
"Clinging to my shirt. Cats are very sticky; I wish I'd remembered that earlier." Starsky sighed and looked down, glad for the bunches of leaves, that way he didn't have to look down.
"Hey Hutch…how are we going to get down?"
"I dunno, jump?"
"Hah, ha very funny. I mean it…the wind is picking up."
"Good, then if we do jump, we won't land as hard."
"What kind of logic is that?" Starsky asked in horror.
"Well Starsk, I just don't know. I have a hairball clinging to my shirt and an oddball complaining to me. I have been here a while buddy, and if you think you're impatient—"
"Ok, ok, I was only asking, calm down Hutch, only asking." Starsky knelt down, trying to squeeze himself between two branches. Settling in between them he sighed once more.
"Well," he noticed Hutch craning his head up again, trying to listen. "At least the weather is nice." He heard his partner snort in response, with no follow up yelp, that cat had forgiven him for that one.
"Why don't you try going down Starsk? About to my level, I'll hand over the cat and then I'll go below you and you hand it back to me and so on."
"Why don't you just carry it down yourself?" Starsky did not want to touch the cat, not if he could help it.
"Because I believe in the theory of even distribution of pain."
"Aw, Hutch, what about friendship? And the idea of sacrificing yourself for your partner in the line of duty?"
"Buddy, you know I would take a bullet for you, but the rule does not apply when talking about cats…or dogs" Hutch added as an afterthought, in case of future scenarios.
"You mean, if a giant dog with glowing green eyes came towards me and was about to eat me, you'd let it?"
"No, I'd be sure to warn him how unhealthy you are, with all those burritos in you."
"But dogs eat anything!"
"Well then, I guess I can't help you, your own fault. Haven't I been warning you about those burritos?" Starsky cocked his head.
"Some partner."
"What about you? You don't even want to get scratched for me, hmm?"
Their arguing could have gone on, except Starsky's rebuttal was interrupted by a great burst of wind that shook the whole tree.
Starsky felt the two branches press against him and he twisted his way out of them, still valiantly holding on. He heard Hutch give a small hiss and made out Hutch's fingers through the leaves as his partner held onto the branches for support.
"Ok, ok how about this. Just throw the cat down the tree. After all, cats land on their feet, right?"
"Starsky, I am not about to fling a cat from this height. It could kill him!"
"So? Cats have nine lives too. See? Works out just fine." Starsky smirked but sensing the change in his friend's humor he quickly added "Just kidding, I was just kidding." Starsky muttered under his breath, and made his way down to Hutch's level. As he did so, Starsky finally caught sight of the elusive tiger.
The cat looked innocent enough, a silver tabby with stripes all around. He was sleeping peacefully on Hutch's stomach, his ear twitching every couple of seconds. Hutch raised his eyebrow at Starsky's sudden appearance.
"Grab him by the scruff of the neck." Starsky's gaze snapped up and locked into Hutch's.
"What?"
"Pick him up by the scruff of the neck," Hutch made his way to shift his arm to demonstrate, but with the movement, Starsky noticed the "sleeping" cat dig his claws deeper into Hutch's shirt. Starsky made his way to do what Hutch told him as he saw the cat was hurting his friend, but Hutch shook his head frantically.
"Wait till he lets up on his hold, else he'll be pulling out chunks." Starsky nodded, watching the cat's paw carefully. As soon as Starsky noticed the claws go in he placed his hand on the cat's neck, looking to Hutch for reassurance. Hutch shook his head slowly.
"Not his whole neck Starsk, pinch it at the back of his head, you should be able to pick him up from there."
"Oh right," Starsky felt silly at what he was about to do, but finally got his hand in the right position, pinched and pulled. The cat went completely limp, the cat was heavy and as Starsky turned the cat towards him, he noticed the cat looking at him blankly.
"Uh…Hutch? Is it supposed to that?" Hutch sighed in happiness as he finally stretched out and nodded towards Starsky.
"Yea, cats don't like it, but it is easier. Especially with this little guy." Hutch quickly made his way down, and motioned for Starsky to bring the cat down.
Starsky frowned and whispered a sorry in the cat's ear before handing him down to Hutch, and then Starsky went down. Hutch placed the cat on the branch, so as not to leave him hanging, still holding onto the cat's scruff, and the cat tried his best to bite Hutch in attempts to free himself.
"Hurry Starsky, kitty is getting frustrated." Starsky reached up and then Hutch handed him down, and so on and so forth until they got to the trunk of the tree.
"Ok Starsk, this will be a little harder."
"Why don't we just drop him now? The fall isn't so great anymore."
"I want to, but he might run off again."
"Oh yea." Starsky shook his head at the cat in Hutch's hold. The little girl then popped into view, her face smiling. The little girl cupped her hands against her mouth and called out.
"Thank you!" Starsky turned to Hutch and then to the little girl.
"Hey! Can we throw him down to you kid?" They saw the little girl nod.
"Yes! He always sits still after he jumps off from something; he is a little old, but very strong!" The girl cried out proudly. Starsky and Hutch exchanged glances, a little worried about the "little old" part. Starsky shrugged and shimmied his way halfway down the trunk. His face tightly pressed against it and holding on firmly with his legs and one arm, he reached his left arm upward.
"Hand me the cat, Hutch." Hutch nodded and quickly, but carefully, handed the cat over to Starsky. Starsky then lowered him down as close he could to the grass, and let go.
In which case the cat landed with a soft whump. The girl ran up to him and picked the cat up, Hutch watching from above, envious on how the cat seemed not to scratch the child. Starsky jumped down as well, grinning, with Hutch following shortly afterwards.
"Oh thank you!" The girl squealed as she clutched the tabby against her chest. "Aw! I love you Starsky!"
Hutch blanched, and Starsky blushed.
"Aww, kiddo, it was nothing…hey how'd you know my name?" The little girl took a moment from her hugs to look at him in puzzlement.
"I don't know your name sir."
"But…but you just called me Starsky?" The girl giggled.
"It's my kitty's name!"
"Wha…?"
"Hey! Hey Starsk, she's right! Look! It's Larry's and R.C.'s! Remember? I can't believe I forgot the little rascal's face! Wow! He's sure grown up!"
"Oh yea…" Starsky's face broke out into an amused grin. "It is!" The girl nodded.
"Yea! Larry gave Starsky to me for my birthday; my mom helps him out a lot with his business." Hutch couldn't help but picture Starsky (his partner) wrapped up in a little bow and being given away as a birthday present.
Starsky shot Hutch a look, knowing probably what was going through that blond head of his.
The little girl kissed Starsky on the forehead, and held him tighter. "Thank you again! Both of you! I tried to tell you someone was already up there, but glad you both helped!" The little girl then walked off, whispering into her kitty's ear.
Starsky ignored the bubbling chuckles next to him, and turned to walk back onto the path of the park.
"If we were at work today…and…"
"Well, then I'm glad we aren't, and stop it. It's not that funny."
"But…"
"Ah! Come one, let's go get something to eat, I'm hungry."
"Ok." Hutch said, easily letting the subject drop, plans already twinkling in his eyes.
ooOOoo
Dobey grumbled as he made his way into the office, Mondays, how he hated them. Dobey glanced at his watch, he slept in too, Edith told him he deserved the extra rest and so he couldn't get mad at her for not waking him up. Of course not.
What's this? The Captain mused as he found a report sitting on his desk. Ah, Starsky and Hutch….a report for yesterday? But yesterday was their day off? Curious Dobey opened the file and read through the report.
7:58 A.M
April 23, 1981
Bay City Park
Witnesses: Susan Tomberg, Age 9
Incident: Starsky caught in tree.
Dobey groaned but kept on reading.
Subject Starsky had gotten himself stuck up in a tree, I doing my duty for the community, scaled the tree to rescue him. As I reached him, he was very frightened and trembled, I went over to hoist him down, but the subject decided to jump on me. He then settled on me and wouldn't budge. Every time I tried to comfort him and convince Starsky to move, he dug into my skin.
Starsky then fell asleep on my stomach and so I couldn't move for time until after back up arrived at 8:53 A.M. Starsky had to be moved gently and bit me several times during the voyage down. Finally as we reached down, backup flung him down onto the grass. Starsky sat stunned before a little girl, Susan Tomberg, picked him up and kissed him. Starsky did not resist. After said incident, Detective Starsky and I went to eat at another burrito place.
Detective Kenneth Hutchinson.
Dobey sat staring at the paper in confusion, and decided to have a talk with Hutch. The Captain opened the door to the next room and found Starsky eating a donut and Hutch with a bandaged hand sitting, absently typing another of his "reports."
"Hutch? What's wrong with your hand?" Starsky answered for the blond detective.
"Aw, Cap, he's exaggerating again, he wasn't even bitten that hard." Hutch raised his eyebrow toward his Captain, glancing at Starsky through the corner of his eye. Dobey stared open-mouthed at Starsky. Starsky still chewing on his donut mumbled a "What?"
"Starsky! In my office. Now!" Dobey bellowed before slamming the door shut to his office. Starsky gave Hutch a bewildered look and Hutch shrugged innocently. It was then Starsky smelled a rat, but he would deal with Hutch later. As Starsky left through the Captain's door, Hutch finally allowed himself to sink to the floor in laughter.
Laughing even after he heard Starsky's angry cry.
It was worth it.