EPILOGUE
That Sunday morning Starsky and Hutch were at Collins's house. He had invited his fellow detectives to a backyard barbeque.
The weather was warm and sunny. Collins and his wife were in the kitchen, getting the steaks, burgers and other stuff ready to grill on the barbeque. Starsky and Hutch were sitting at the outdoor table, with a beer for Hutch and a coke for Starsky. Buddy was at Starsky's side. Now that his fur was clean and shining the dog looked younger that he'd seemed when he was a stray. According the veterinary team, he was still in his prime; around two to three years old.
"Know what, Starsk?" Hutch said, looking at the dog that lay calmly by the brunet's side. "Not sure if you've noticed, but Buddy is a lot like Onyx, that Newfoundland dog Terry had back when she was still living with her parents. He even has white spots on two of his front toes, same as Onyx had."
Starsky looked down at the dog, as Hutch was talking.
"You have a picture of Terry and that dog in your photo album, remember, partner?" The picture Hutch was talking about was one of Terry taken in her home town, long before she'd met Starsky. He had loved that pic, so she gave it to him shortly before her passing. When the picture was taken, Terry had been just an eighteen years old girl, smiling at the camera with her arms wrapped around a huge, black Newfoundland dog.
"Oh, yes. Yes, Blondie, I remember it," Starsky answered, as the memory of the picture came to his mind, "If my memory is correct, that dog passed away of old age, right?" he asked.
"Yep, partner, Terry said it died a few months before she finished college."
"Starsky! Hutch!" Collins interrupted them, "Come on guys, we could use some help with this barbeque!"
"Coming!" Hutch said, helping Starsky to his feet. The blond detective headed towards the barbeque. Instead of following, Starsky looked again down at the dog. Buddy was still by his side, watching Collins' kids as they played noisily at the pool. Then the brunet did it. Not sure why, but he did it anyway.
"Onyx?" In a low voice, Starsky called the dog. He quickly raised his head, staring up at Starsky's eyes with a look that could only be described as one of recognition; a look that seemed almost human.
The eerie moment lasted only a few seconds. Then, the dog stood, trotted towards the swimming pool and jumped in unceremoniously, splashing everybody around.
'Death ends a life, not a relationship.' Morrie Schwartz
END