Mrs Wilson and Those Kind Young Men

"Oh, what a wonderful job you've done! You are such kind, young men!"

Hutch exchanged a small grin with Starsky over being called young men. At thirty-three years of age and with all the wearying things they saw in their job, they didn't feel so 'young' anymore. Sometimes it was nice to be reminded that they were. And probably had long futures ahead of them.

"You're welcome," they both chorused as Mrs Wilson handed them each a glass of her homemade lemonade.

The three of them stood together, admiring the now neatly weeded bed and the carefully pruned prize roses.

"That rose there is called Tahitian Sunset," Mrs Wilson informed them, pointing to a beautiful hybrid tea rose coloured yellow on the inside and a rich orange on the outside of each petal.

The look on her face caused Starsky to say, "I'm guessing there's a story behind that rose."

Mrs Wilson smiled and nodded. "Yes, my husband bought that for me to remind us of our trip to Tahiti. A long time ago now but I remember it like it was yesterday."

"Was the trip for an anniversary?" Hutch asked.

"In a way. We got married in 1928. We didn't have much money so a honeymoon like you youngsters have these days was out of the question but, when we reached our twenty-fifth anniversary, Herbert surprised me by booking the trip to Tahiti."

"Good old Herbert," Starsky said, then added, "Mrs W? About payment for our services? I think one of your chocolate cakes would be more than enough payment!"

"Really?"

"Definitely."

"Oh well then, I will make one tomorrow and drop it round to Ken."

"I'll come and collect it," Starsky said, "I don't trust him not to eat the lot!"

"As if!" Hutch protested. "I have willpower unlike some people!"

Mrs Wilson giggled as she headed back indoors. She could still hear them bantering as they tidied the tools away.

"They really are very nice, young men," she thought to herself.