"Hello?" The older woman's voice brought a smile to Ken Hutchinson's face.
"Hi Mrs. Starsky. It's Ken." The blond detective knew if he didn't say something quickly, the small piece of dynamite on the New York end of the line would immediately worry about her equally excitable offspring.
"Nothing's wrong, Mrs. Starsky. I just thought I'd call and have a chat." Hutch didn't know why he said that, since he knew that David Starsky's mother would see right through that little white lie.
"Now Ken, don't do that. Something's bothering you; it obviously has something to do with Davey. And what did I tell you about calling me that?"
"Okay, I'm sorry about that, although I do want to have a nice talk with you Mrs., um, Mom." Hutch was beginning to feel that Starsky's mother had him as wrapped around her little finger as she had Starsky; as much as Starsky had Hutch wrapped around his, for that matter.
"So, what's Davey done now?" She asked. She knew her son well, Hutch thought, but she was way off base this time.
"Actually, Davey didn't do anything. Have you talked with him in the last day or so?" Hutch hoped he would not be the one to have to tell her about Helen's death.
"Yes. Oh dear, that poor girl. You know Ken, I do think that my son is heartbroken over this. He said he was over her, but I don't know." She sounded worried, and it seemed she was looking for assurance from Hutch that her son was okay.
"Mom, I think he was over her. It's just this case brought back some painful memories, and Helen's death has really hit him hard." Hutch was looking to Starsky's mother to help ease his partner through this difficult time. He hoped he could count on her to give him some insight in to something that might cheer Starsky up.
"Oh no. I knew he was hiding the hurt when he called the other night. Maybe I should call him and talk to him."
"No." Hutch answered quickly. He knew that would be one of the last things that his friend needed. Starsky's mom would never be able to hide the deep sympathy in her voice, and Starsky's emotions were on edge; a conversation with his mom about this would only send him over, making things harder to deal with rather than better. Starsky had already endured a minor meltdown over this case. What he needed was movement toward recovery, maybe mixed with some remembrance. And renewal.
"Um, I was thinking that I might surprise him with dinner, cook him his favorite home-cooked meal. I know what he likes to eat out, and I know he likes his junk food." A bad habit that Hutch would persist in trying to break, even if only for the rise it got out of his gourmand of a partner.
"I think that was more his Aunt Rosie's influence. You know, she never did master cooking." Hutch smiled, knowing that his partner spent much of his formative years with his aunt rather than with his mother.
"So, I thought I'd check to see what you would make him for dinner to cheer him up." Hutch continued.
"Aw, Ken, you're such a good friend to my son. I hope he knows how very lucky he is."
"Mom, it's me who's lucky to have your son as my best friend." Hutch thought it was good Starsky wasn't part of this conversation; it was definitely off Starsky's soapy-scene meter.
"Well, I think you're both lucky. Well, Davey wouldn't like the direction this conversation has taken." She laughed. "I would say his favorite meal is certainly pot roast. Davey would have eaten it seven days a week if I had cooked it for him. And believe me, he tried to get me to make it all the time!" Hutch laughed at his second mom's enjoyable reminiscences of Starsky's youth.
"Pot roast. Well, I think I can do that. Would you mind going over your recipe for me? I really want this dinner to make him feel better. The case is over, but he's still pretty down. I think this could really lift his spirits."
"Of course, honey. It's so sweet that you would do this. You can use a chuck roast. Lots of potatoes and carrots, and some onions and spices." Mrs. Starsky proceeded to give Hutch all the ingredients and cooking instructions for the roast.
"So, I can put the spices in with the meat, but the onions, carrots and potatoes should wait until about an hour or so before the meat's done cooking?" Hutch asked.
"That's right dear. You know, my son doesn't like mushy vegetables."
"I didn't think he liked any vegetables." Hutch and Starsky's mom laughed together at this well-known deficit in her son's diet.
"Yes, I'm sure he avoids vegetables whenever possible," she continued through her laughter. "It's nice that you'll be making him a meal where he'll have to eat his vegetables."
"It's part of my job to keep my partner healthy." Hutch replied, although he knew he was fighting a losing battle, with Starsky's penchant for pizza, burritos and candy.
"Then you must have one of the hardest jobs in the world." Mrs. Starsky laughed again. The easy banter with Starsky's mother reminded Hutch of the amazing relationship he had built over the years with her son. Hutch knew that his friendship with Starsky would last forever. He wondered how he could ever thank Starsky's mom for the man that was David Starsky.
"No, nothing about being friends with David is hard at all, Mom. Have I ever thanked you for that?" It was quiet on the other end of the phone. Hutch thought he might have lost the connection.
"Mom? Are you still there?" He asked, a little concerned.
"Yes, Ken dear. I'm still here. Honey, you being there for my son is all the thanks I need. A mother worries, you know. I take great comfort in knowing that you boys have each other." Hutch smiled, knowing that Starsky was the reason this friendship was what it was. And this woman, through all the pain and difficulty of her life, nurtured the man who nurtured the friendship.
"You can always count on that, Mom. Now, I've got some shopping to do" Hutch had work to do if he was going to pull off this special surprise.
"Okay, you go. Call me if you get stuck. Tell Davey I love him."
"I will, Mom. And thank you." Hutch felt lucky to know this lovely lady.
"Ken, thank you. And remember, I love you, too."
"And I love you." It was amazing how much warmth and love Hutch received from these two Starskys. He considered himself especially blessed to be an honorary member of the family.
"Bye, bye Ken." Starsky's mom left Hutch to his work.
"Bye, Mom."
The End
And here's a recipe for the meal that I imagine Hutch may have made:
SAGE POT ROAST
Ingredients:
Lean boneless beef chuck (5 lb.) roast
1tablespoonCooking oil
1 ½ teaspoonsRubbed dried sage
½teaspoonSalt or salt substitute
¼teaspoonPepper
1cupBeef broth (low sodium is okay)
6mediumPotatoes, quartered
Carrots, cut in to 2" pieces
Onions, quartered
5teaspoonsCornstarch
¼cupWater
Preparation:
In a Dutch oven, brown roast on both sides in oil. Season with sage, salt and pepper. Add beef broth. Cover and bake at 325 degrees f for 2 1/2 hours. Add potatoes, carrots and onions. Cover and bake 1 hour longer or until meat is tender and vegetables are cooked. Remove roast and vegetables to a serving platter and keep warm. For gravy: combine cornstarch and water; stir into pan juices. Cook until thickened and bubbly.