Before They Were Stars Cops
                                                                                            By
                                                                                                Tooki


~Starsky~

“Oh come on ma, its California, not tin buck two.” Twenty-two year old David Starsky said as he packed the last of his things in a duffle bag.
“But Davy who will take care of you,” Helen Starsky bustled around his room making sure he didn’t forget anything. She opened his closet and pulled out several sweaters. “You forgot these.”
“Ma, it’s California, I don’t think I’m going to need a bunch of sweaters.” Starsky protested.
Helen stood looking at her eldest son. “Okay one; take one just in case uh? Make your mother happy.”
“Fine,” David said absently grabbing one of the sweaters and stuffing it in his bag.
“No, no not that one, you look better in blue matches your eyes.” Helen said grabbing the sweater he had chosen from his bag. She neatly folded the blue one and handed it to him.
“I’m going to miss my bus,” he said checking his bus ticket for the millionth time. He had taken nearly all his saving to buy the ticket.
David had finally been accepted to the police academy only the week before. He had applied nearly a year ago but had been put on a waiting list. He ripped into the envelope when it had come in the mail. He hadn’t told his mother or brother about applying to a police academy especially one so far away.
A moody fifteen year old Nicolas came to lean in the doorway to watch the packing. He looked like a miniature of his brother with his dark curling hair and blue eyes. “Man!” Nick complained, “I can’t believe you are going. I’m going to be stuck here with Ma.”
“Nick!” David admonished.
Helen just rolled her eyes she was use to unruly comments from her youngest son. Just growing pains, she would say dismissing his rude behavior.
“You behave Nick or I will come back and kick your ass.” David warned as he grabbed his little brother and scrubbed Nick’s head with his knuckles.
“Get off,” Nick yelled trying to pull away, but David held on tightly.
“Say you will be good to ma and stay out of trouble.” He tightened his grip on his brother. “Say it.”
“Okay, okay, now let me GO!” Nick yelled. The moment David let him go Nick retreated to the other side of the room. He didn’t want to admit it but he was going to miss his brother like crazy.
“Here,” David called to his brother and tossed him a leather jacket.
Nick caught it, “What’s this for.”
“To remember me by.” David smiled at him.
“You mean I can keep it.” Nick asked delighted he had coveted his older brother’s jacket for as long as he could remember.
“Yeah I won’t need it in L.A. too hot there.”
“All those chicks in swim suits running around.” Nick muttered as he delightedly slipped on the jacket.
“You keep that job at the Sal’s meat market and maybe you can come visit me.” David winked at him. “You can see those girls for yourself.”
“Really?” Nick asked his eyes twinkling.
“Yep as long as ma says its okay and you stay out of trouble.” David said.
Helen looked at her watch, “It’s about that time, Davy,” She said affectionately as she took his hand and pressed some money in it.
“Ma!” David said looking at the cash. “I have plenty of money.” He tried to hand it back to her. “You keep this for you and Nick.”
She shook her head, “You might need some extras. It’s just some money that I have been putting back for something special.”
David folded his mother in his arms. “Thanks ma, I love you.”
There was a knock on the door. Nick slipped out of the bed room to answer it. “Somebody for you Davy.” Nick called.
David zipped is bag closed and took a final look around his room then he went to the front door.
Sal DeFonzo owner of the meat market where Nick worked as standing at the door, “Are you ready young man?”
“Ready?” David asked confused.
“Nicky talked me into giving you a ride to the bus station.” Sal winked at Nick.
“You don’t have to do that Sal.” David protested.
“Nonsense.” Sal answered. “I’m happy to do it.”
“If you are sure,” David smiled at him he hadn’t relished the idea of having to drag all of his stuff on the city bus to get to the bus terminal.
“I’m sure.” Sal said taking one of David’s bag. “You two come on.” He motioned to Helen and Nick.”
“Oh I’m a mess,” Helen said patting her hair.
“Come on ma,” Nick said taking her hand. “We got to go see Davy off.”
“Oh alright,” Helen grabbed her purse and a sack of food she had packed for her son.

~Hutch~


Blond haired, blue eyed Kenneth Hutchinson was also packing. At twenty-two he had finished college and much to the chagrin of his parents had applied to the police academy in Los Angeles and had been accepted.
“I just don’t understand it,” Marion Hutchinson fussed as she followed her son down the hall to his bed room where he was finishing his packing. “You are wasting your college degree.”
“That is your opinion mother,” Ken said as he neatly folded the last of his shirts and put them in his suit case.
“It is any sane person’s opinion.” Marion hurled at him. “You could have a promising career if you stayed here. What are you going to do in Los Angeles? You have never been there before. You have no family there.”
“Maybe that is the point,” Ken tossed over his shoulder as he zipped his suit case closed.
“Calvin get in there and talk some sense into this son of yours,” Marion screeched down the hall.
Calvin Hutchinson sighed and got up from his easy chair leaving his newspaper behind. “He knows how I feel Marion.”
“Then forbid him to go!” Her voice kept getting higher.
“He is an adult; I can’t stop him from going if that is what he wants.” Calvin said the anger on his face was clear. Besides he had already tried to forbid his son from going, it hadn’t worked.
The family had been in a fight for the last week ever since the letter of acceptance had arrived in the mail. “I’ll come back to visit,” Ken told them both with out looking at them. Truth be known he couldn’t wait to get away from them and he wasn’t sure he would ever be back.
Ken lugged his luggage to the living room without any help from his parents. He knew his cab would be there anytime. Calvin Hutchinson and told him in no uncertain terms that he would not be giving him a ride to the airport. That was just fine with young Ken; at least he wouldn’t have to listen to them for the forty minute ride.
“There is that nice girl Julie down the street, you are just going to leave her?” Marion said desperately trying to pull out all the stops to make her son stay.
“Mother Julie and I are just friends.” Ken sighed.
“But if you stayed…”
“Mother!” Ken raised his voice at his mother.
Calvin jumped to his feet he had gone back to reading his paper trying to ignore the goings on and his son. “Don’t you talk to your mother in that tone of voice.”
“Sorry,” he mumbled under his breath.
“I can understand you wanting to live your own life but why do you have to go all the way out there and throw your education away.” Marion stormed at him.
“It’s something I want to do. Why is that so hard for you two to understand?” Ken asked he felt like crying. His parents were only supportive of him when he was doing what they wanted him to do. He looked at his watch wondering where the cab was.
“There is no coming back,” Calvin said from behind the newspaper.
“Fine,” Ken said
“If you fall on your face out there don’t come crawling back here.”
“I won’t dad you can be assured of that.”
For a moment Marion’s features soften, she didn’t like her husband telling their son he couldn’t come back. She looked at Ken for a few minutes then turned and went into the kitchen.
Ken could hear the clanking of pots and pans something his mother did when she was upset about something. A honk came from out side. “Cab’s here,” he called.”
Calvin snapped the newspaper but didn’t answer. Marion appeared in the kitchen door way. “Take care of yourself, Kenneth.” There was no hug, no I love you’s, nothing.
With out further comment Ken opened the front door and pick up his luggage. He looked back when he was half way down the side walk to see his mother closing the front door. Ken stowed his things in the trunk of the cab and crawled in the back.
“Where too young man?” the cabbie asked.
“The airport.” Ken said.


~Starsky~

The bus ride had been a long grueling several days. David had been thankful for the food his mother had packed for him since he needed every bit of his money once he reached Los Angeles.
After disembarking the bus and getting his duffle bag he looked around. He was amazed by the tall palm trees he had never seen any real ones before. The sun beat down warm on his back and he was glad he had left most of his warm clothing back home.
David would be spending the next seven months of his life at the L.A. Police Academy, he knew it wasn’t going to be easy, and there would be all kinds of training from driving to fire arms. Classes in tactics, law, human relations, he had read the material they had sent him cover to cover several times. David just hoped he could cut it.
Deciding he would spring for a cab instead of having to figure out the city bus schedule David hailed a cab when asked where too he proudly announced “The Police Academy.”
“Going to be a cop uh?” the cabbie asked as he turned the meter on.
“Yes sir,” David smiled.
“Good for you son.”

When they arrived at the gate to the academy the cabbie stopped and helped David with his bags. “Good luck,” he called after his fare.
“Thanks,” David said as he looked up at he gates to the academy, he felt proud just walking through them.
He checked in where the paper he had instructed him too. Then he was lead to a building where he was outfitted with everything he would need for the next six weeks of basic training not unlike boot camp for the service. David was then led to a barracks and told where he was to stash his things and what to put on. After the training officer left David changed his clothes he walked down in between the beds there were dozens of them. He suddenly felt a twinge of loneness for his mother and brother. It hit him that he was far away from home and knew nobody. He might as well as be on Mars for the first time he wondered if he had made a mistake.
David went back to his bed and flopped down, waiting for what would happen next.

~Hutch~


Ken Hutchinson disembarked the airplane, picked up his luggage and hailed a taxi. For the first time in years he felt free, no nagging parents around to make him feel like he was constantly making bad choices.
He could feel the excitement build as the taxi pulled up and dropped him off at the place that would be his home from the next seven months. As he walked in a man in police sweats said, “Kenneth Hutchinson?”
“Yes sir,” Ken answered unsure if he were to salute he felt like he had just joined the army.
“Very good,” the training officer said. “I’m Dan Wilson I will be your training officer for the next six weeks. I hope you are ready to work young man.”
“Yes sir!” Ken answered again.
“Good! Let’s get you set up with your gear and then I will show you where you will be sleeping.” The officer said. “We will meet up the other cadet that just checked in and I’ll tell you both where you need to be. The rest of the group has already started.”
Ken followed the man as he took him though the same scenario as he had just taken the young man before him. Wilson opened the door to the barracks; he led Ken down the row of beds to where a man with curly dark hair was sitting. “You will be bunking here.” The training officer said pointing to the bed next to David. “Starsky here will tell you what you need to wear and where to put you gear. I expect both of you out in front in ten minutes. Any questions?”
Both men shook their heads no.
After the training officer left David stood and stuck out his hand. “David Starsky.”


~Starsky & Hutch~


“Kenneth Hutchinson,” he said taking the hand of the stranger.
Starsky grinned, “How ya doing Hutch.”
Ken’s forehead creased for a moment as he stared at dark headed man that had blue eyes much like his. Hutch? He had never been called that before but he instantly decided that he liked it and that he liked the young man in front of him.
“I’m okay, you ever been to L.A. before?” Hutch asked curious about his new friend.
“Nope first time. You?”
“First time for me too.”
The both smiled at each other. Starsky showed Hutch where to put his stuff and what to put on. After Hutch was changed both men headed out of the barracks and to their new lives…

…and the rest is history!