Just An Ordinary Day

Starsky had picked Hutch up for work. They were on time, maybe even a little early. Starsky decided he wanted to stop for breakfast.

He glanced at his partner. "Hey Hutch, there's a donut shop just up the street. How about we stop? They have good bagels too."

Hutch rolled his eyes, "Do you ever think about anything but your stomach?"

Starsky looked hurt, but only for a minute. "Yes, I think about something other than my stomach. Right now, I am hungry, so it is proper for me to think about my stomach. I was thinking of yours too. Bagels?

Hutch laughed, "Right Gordo, I guess since we are a little early we can stop."

They walked into the squad room with breakfast in hand. Hutch had to agree, it was a good bagel. The coffee was too.

They had just settled at their desks when there was an awful commotion out in the hallway. They jumped up and headed for the door, with Simmons, Babcock, and several others right behind them.

Out in the hallway, they saw a young uniformed cop wrestling with a very large man in handcuffs. Even with the handcuffs, the man was overpowering the young cop.

Starsky grabbed the handcuffed man by his wrists and raised his arms up. That move would take the wind out of anyone's sails. Hutch reached out to steady the cop.

Dobey came out of his office just then and bellowed, "What is going on out here?"

Hutch looked at his boss, "Just an ordinary day Captain. We have it handled."

Dobey harrumphed, but went back to his office. Simmons had called the front desk and had them send up a few more uniforms to get the guy to booking. He was looking at a few more charges now. By the look of the hold Starsky had on him, he was probably looking at sore shoulders too.

Once the big man was on his way, with a couple of equally big cops as escorts, the detectives returned to the squadroom. There they spent a few hours working on paperwork. Around one o'clock Starsky's stomach rumbled loudly. Hutch glanced up and rolled his eyes.

Starsky looked at him just a little sheepishly. "I guess it's time for lunch. Whataya say we head over to Huggy's? I could use a Starsky Special. Then we could go out and see what's shakin' on the streets.

Hutch just shook his head, "I suppose I won't get any peace until we quiet that rumble. I will let Dobey know and catch up."

Starsky headed for the door with a huge grin for his partner. Hutch rapped on the Captain's door and poked his head in. He stepped back long enough to yell for his partner, then ran into the room. Captain Dobey was sprawled on the floor, unconscious. Hutch quickly checked for a pulse and breathing. Starsky ran in, saw Dobeyon the floor, and reached for the phone on the desk. He then went back to the squadroom.

"Captain's down. I called for an ambulance. Make sure they get through, but don't let anyone else in."

He went back into Dobey's office without giving anyone a chance to ask a question.

"Hutch, what happened?"

"I don't know Starsk. He is breathing, labored, but breathing. I don't know if he is sick, or somebody did something to him. Just in case, get the lab boys up here and have them bag everything."

Starsky went back to the phone, "Good idea, who would want to hurt the Cap'n?"

Hutch looked worried, "I don't know, but after so many years on the force, I bet there are a few. Better get R and I working on it too."

Starsky made the necessary phone calls. He was still on the phone with R and I when the guys showed up with a stretcher. As they were getting Dobey on the stretcher, Starsky hung up and looked at his partner.

"You go with him. I am going to get the guys working on this, then get Edith. I'll take Minnie with me so she can stay with the kids."

Starsky arrived at the hospital with Edith. She was worried and looked to Hutch for information.

Hutch reached for her hands, "Edith, the doctors are still running tests. He is stable right now. This is hard, but I am not going to lie to you. He has been poisoned."

Edith put her hand to her mouth with a gasp. Hutch tried to guide her to a chair.

She would have none of it. "Ken, do the doctors know how bad the poison is yet? Will he live?"

Starsky had gotten her some water. He and Hutch exchanged a look. They had both been through being poisoned or drugged. This was going to be hard all around.

Hutch looked back at Edith. "All I know right now is that he is stable. That is good. Dr. Franklin is with him. He is the best. All we can do now is wait for word. Why don't you sit down? Would you like some coffee, or more water? We will stay right here with you Edith, for as long as you need."

Edith laid her head on Hutch's shoulder for just a moment. She then turned to the row of seats and sat down. Hutch sat on one side of her, and Starsky on the other. They each held one of her hands and settled in to wait. They had been waiting for about an hour when Starsky saw Dr. Franklin headed their way. He stood and gently assisted Edith to her feet.

Dr. Franklin was cleaning his glasses as he approached. "Mrs. Dobey?"

"Yes doctor, is my husband going to be alright?"

Dr. Franklin actually smiled, "Mrs. Dobey, can you tell me what your husband ate for breakfast this morning?"

Edith looked puzzled, "Breakfast? Doctor, what does that have to do with him being poisoned?"

The doctor looked slightly startled, "Poisoned? He wasn't poisoned. He had a severe reaction to something he ate."

Edith again put her hand to her mouth, "Something he ate? Oh no, Rosie was so excited to fix breakfast for him this morning. I left the kitchen for a minute. I will call the house and see if Minnie can find out what Rosie might have done."

After a few minutes Edith came back puzzled. "I don't understand. The only thing Rosie put in his breakfast when I wasn't looking was nuts. Harold doesn't like nuts, but he ate it because it was Rosie."

Dr. Franklin sighed, "Is your husband allergic to nuts?"

Edith shrugged, "I honestly don't know. He doesn't eat them, he never has. If I am using nuts, I always make sure he doesn't get any."

The doctor nodded, "It would seem the good captain has a severe nut allergy. It was a good thing you men found him when you did. A reaction like this can be fatal if left untreated for long. He will be able to leave in about an hour. I want to make sure he is completely recovered. Mrs. Dobey, it is important he does not come in contact with nuts. To have such a critical reaction the first time only means his allergy is severe. Call me any time if you have questions. Good to see you both standing gentlemen." The doctor turned to leave.

Starsky and Hutch shared an incredulous look, then looked at their boss's wife. She looked just as perplexed.

"You would think a man of his age would know about a food allergy."

The partners couldn't help it. They burst out laughing.

Several weeks later the partners were once again sitting at their desks doing paperwork. A crash followed by a startled scream came from the hallway outside the squadroom. The two men ran to the door, followed by the other detectives. They discovered a maintenance clerk had dropped a case of light bulbs startling a passing secretary. They were just about to return to the squadroom when Dobey came out of the office.

"What's going on out here?"

Hutch turned to his boss, "Just an ord …"

Six voices stopped him, "Don't say it!!"