"Llama Three, Llama Three, come in please."

Starsky looked at Hutch with surprise and said, "It sounds like someone's let a child into Dispatch!"

"Oh," Hutch replied, with dawning comprehension, "Isn't it the day the kid who won the Mayor's Civic Competition gets to visit the department? He must be having the grand tour."

"Oh yeah."

"Llama Three, Llama Three, come in please."

Starsky raised an eyebrow. "Do ya think he means us? Should I answer it?"

Hutch shrugged. "I guess."

Starsky picked up the radio mic and said, "Zebra Three here, Dispatch."

There was silence. Starsky rolled his eyes at Hutch and depressed the mic again.

"Llama Three here, Dispatch. What have you got for us?"

A very excited boy's voice spoke from the radio: "Llama Three, please proceed to Earl Street to investigate a 2-11."

"On our way, Dispatch," Starsky said, as Hutch started the engine and pulled out into traffic. Starsky slapped the light on the roof and flipped the switch for the sirens. Then he pressed the mic button again, "Dispatch. What did the mama llama say when her son told her he'd got a field trip that day?"

"I don't know."

"Don't worry, alpaca lunch."

Hutch groaned. "That's awful, Starsky."

"What does a llama say when you thank him?" the voice on the radio asked.

Starsky grinned. "I don't know, Dispatch. What does he say?"

"No probllama."

Hutch groaned even louder.

"Great joke, Dispatch! My partner here loved it," Starsky chuckled into the mic. "We're nearly at Earl Street so we'll have to continue this later. Over and out."

As they pulled up outside the jewellery store, Hutch said, "I think we may finally have found someone who has as bad a sense of humour as you!"

/\/\/\/\/\

Back at the precinct, Starsky and Hutch had just finished filling in their initial report on the robbery at the jewellery store when Captain Dobey came into the squad room, followed by a lady and a boy aged about ten.

"Ah, I'm glad you're here," Dobey said. "Jimmy, these are the Detectives that you spoke to earlier - Starsky and Hutchinson. This is Jimmy Taylor and his mother."

Hutch shook hands with Jimmy's mother while Starsky grinned at Jimmy and asked, "Why llamas? Don't you like zebras?"

"Zebras are all right," Jimmy said, "But llamas are amazing. Did you know that they can carry up to 75 pounds over twenty miles?"

"Is that right? What else do you know about them?"

"They can spit more than fifteen feet."

"Really? That's cool!" Starsky said.

"Can I see your Detective badge?" Jimmy asked.

While Starsky showed it to him, Mrs Taylor looked apologetically at the group and said quietly, "I'm sorry, I'm afraid that Jimmy gets rather obsessed with things and he'll learn everything he can about them until he runs out of facts and then he moves onto the next subject. That's partly how he won the competition. He did so much research into the Police and all the different departments and divisions."

"Well, he certainly wrote an impressive letter," Dobey said. "It's been a pleasure showing him around today."

Starsky pulled out his drawer and found a book of trivia. "Hey Jimmy, what say we go down to the canteen and get a soda?"

Jimmy looked his mother. "Can we Mom?"

"Yes, that sounds lovely. If you really have the time to spare?"

"Terrific," said Starsky and led the way out of the squad room.

Dobey said his goodbyes to Mrs Taylor and went off to get on with some work. Hutch held the door for Jimmy's mother and they followed Starsky and Jimmy along the corridor and then down the steps.

"How's about you and me see if there are any facts about llamas in my book, Jimmy? What other animals do you like?"

"I like tigers."

"Me too," Starsky said. "Let me see…What flies around your room at night, likes your lamp and can bite your head off?"

"I don't know," Jimmy said.

"A tiger moth."

Hutch turned to Mrs Taylor. "I'm sorry," he said, "There is no excuse for my partner. That's just the way he is."

As Jimmy started to tell a joke to Starsky, Mrs Taylor said, "Sounds like he and my Jimmy are going to get on perfectly. Jimmy will be pleased to have a new audience. I've heard all his jokes before."

"Likewise," Hutch laughed. As they walked into the canteen, Hutch suggested, "How about we go sit at another table and have a peaceful drink together? Leave those two to their jokes."

Mrs Taylor smiled. "That sounds like a great idea but won't they notice?"

Hutch slowed his pace then stopped. Starsky and Jimmy carried on walking, chatting nineteen-to-the-dozen.

"See. They won't notice for a while. Why don't we sit where we can see them, and Jimmy can see you if he wants to know where you are, but we'll make sure we're well out of earshot."

Mrs Taylor nodded. "That sounds like an excellent idea. Thank you."

Hutch grinned. "No, thank you for bringing in Jimmy today. It's great for someone else to have to listen to Starsky's jokes! And Jimmy actually seems to like them!"