IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE TINY TIM
BY
TOOKI
STROKE OF MIDNIGHT
Hutch rose up on his elbows and looked at the clock it was almost twelve midnight, he sighed and rolled up in the covers, it had been a long day and all he wanted to do was sleep. He had had one of those days when he wondered if it was worth being a cop. And then he had Susan and Starsky in their “deck the halls” mood. It had been bad enough when he had to just contend with Starsky’s Christmas spirit. But Susan was just as bad or worse. They had managed to put up so many lights on the house he was sure that the aliens could see it from Mars. Susan had pine roping all over the house and he was tired of stepping on the pine needles that were endless falling on the floor and sticking in his socks. The tree was over flowing with gifts and she had been making cookies and pies for days until he was sick of the smell. Hutch just had never been much of a Christmas person in fact he wasn’t much into any of the holidays.
He wasn’t even surprised that at this late hour Susan wasn’t in bed, she was probably putting in that last batch of shortbread she had been working on when he had finally trudged up stairs, his haven the only place he could escape the Christmas spirit. He had put his foot down when she had tried to put a small tree in the bedroom. He rarely told her no but this was one time that he had.
Hutch had just drifted off when he heard a noise, it sounded like it had come from the corner of the room. He figured it was just his shirt that perhaps slid from the chair where he had tossed it. The sound of the voice made him set up straight in bed and peer into the darkness.
“Kenneth Hutchinson?”
“Who’s there?” Hutch asked fumbling for the light next to the bed.
“You don’t need that light,” the voice said.
“Who are you?” Hutch asked again. “Starsky is that you? You and your jokes.”
But there was no answer, Hutch looked harder in the dark and he saw a tall figure standing in the corner of the room. The person was dressed in long robes and was tall but the voice was deep and full. “I am the ghost of Christmas past.”
Hutch laughed, “Yeah right, ok Starsk you can give it up. Your antics aren’t going to make me like Christmas any better. You have totally been watching too many Christmas shows.”
“What do you think Christmas would be like if you had never become a cop? What would have been come of your friends and family?”
“That’s enough I’m tired and I want to go to sleep,” Hutch reached over to turn on the light but when he flipped the switch nothing happened. “Man!”
The figure moved to the side of the bed and held out a sleeve-covered hand. “Come with me Kenneth Hutchinson and see what life would be like.”
“What are you going to do Starsky transport me down stairs?” Hutch asked still thinking it was his partner. “Ok ok I’ll play your stupid game then will you leave me alone?”
Hutch reached out and touched the sleeve, suddenly it was pitch dark and he felt as if he were floating. A little twinge of fear pulled at the pit of his stomach. “Remember when you first came to California? Remember how your friend pulled you through the academy? Look to see what happened because you dropped out.
Starsky sipped a soft drink and he sat at a stoplight in his bright red Ford Torino. The radio went off a hand reached from the passenger side of the car, “This is Zebra Three go ahead.” After getting the message the hand hung up the microphone. “Guess we better step on it Dave.” Said a man with dark hair and mustache.
“Hey that’s not me!” Hutch exclaimed.
“Very observant,” the ghost of Christmas past said. “Remember you couldn’t handle it you quit the academy. Your partner finished with flying colors and went on to become the officer he is now.”
Starsky handed his cup to his partner, “On our way John.”
The scene went dark for a few moments and when it became light again Hutch saw Susan standing on a street corner dressed like a hooker. She walked up and down the street trying to look fetching. A few men would stop and talk to her but then move on.
“You aren’t going to tell me my wife became a hooker?”
The ghost shook his head no, “She is an undercover cop. Remember when you met her she was just a street cop playing hooker?” The ghost asked. “Well she was never called on by your Captain to work undercover with you and your partner because you weren’t there. You see with you being gone things changed you effect things that happen all around you.
Again the scene went dark this time when it lit back up they were in a smoky bar. Huggy Bear was behind the bar serving drinks. Hutch saw Starsky and his “partner” John walked in but there wasn’t the friendly exchange between Huggy and Starsky. Starsky and John sat down at the bar. “What will you gentlemen have this fine evening?”
“Couple of beers,” John answered. “And how about a bowl of peanuts?”
“Sure thing coming right up.”
Hutch was in shock, he, Starsky and Huggy had been buddies forever. “Ahhh, things are very different aren’t they Kenneth? I guess you are wondering about Huggy and Starsky? If you remember you were the one the struck up a conversation with Huggy way back when. You didn’t become an officer hince no conversation so no relationship with you and your partner.
“I have seen enough,” Hutch said, “Take me back.”
The ghost nodded, “I’ll take you back but you haven’t seen enough. You have had your heart closed to Christmas a very long time and you have many times doubted your choice of being a police officer. I am only one of three ghosts that will visit you tonight.
Hutch sat up tossing the covers off him and jumped out of bed. He ran to the corner and pulled back the curtain. There was nobody there. Hutch emitted a nervous laugh. What a dream he had just had. It was entirely Susan and Starsky’s fault watching those endless Christmas shows. He didn’t really hate Christmas, but it had just never been a happy time in his child hood. There was always so much tension and his parents seemed to fight more around Christmas. As he grew there was always the argument where the kids would spend the holidays once they had grown and gone. Then the hurt feelings set in. Once Hutch moved to California he never looked back.
Assuring himself that it was all a dream Hutch was finally able to drift back to sleep. But it was anything but sugarplums that danced in his head as Hutch began to toss and turn. It was nearing one a.m. and as the minute hand edged ever-closer Hutch became more and more restless.
ONE A.M.
Hutch felt a slight breeze in the room and the curtain by the window billowed out. He sat up again clutching the blankets to his chest. “Who’s there? He asked.
“The Ghost of Christmas Present,” said an almost jolly voice. The ghost stepped into view from the darken corner. He was round and jolly looking a lot like Saint Nick himself. He had on a long cloak that was red, with out another word he held out his hand to Hutch.
“Are you going to show me what Christmas in the present would be like with out me?”
“Yes,” the ghost simply said. Hutch was not sure if the wanted to know. But he grabbed a hold of the ghost’s robes.
They were standing in front of a modest home that was decortated with Christmas lights. A tall pine stood in the front yard adorned with ornaments and more lights. And Hutch could see movement from inside the house where a Christmas tree blinked on and off. Suddenly a car pulled up out from, it was Starsky’s Torino. Starsky jumped out and bounced up the side walk before he could reach the door it opened and Susan was standing there two small boys on either side of her.
“Daddy,” They both screamed in unison as they dashed out the door. They hit Starsky like a ton of bricks and he scooped them up in his arms.
Susan stood in the doorway watching them. Hutch thought he could almost smell the freshly baked cookies he knew were cooling in the kitchen.
Hutch looked at the ghost, “I knew it.”
“What is that?”
“If I weren’t in the picture that they would have gotten married.” Hutch said unable not to feel a bit hurt. “They are so close.”
“Ahhh but watch,” the ghost of Christmas present said.
“I’ll have the boys back early afternoon tomorrow,” Starsky said as he took the suitcase Susan handed him.
“Have a good time boys,” Susan called after them as they raced to the car to see who would be first and awarded the front seat. She stood there and watched until the car was out of sight. Hutch could see the sadness in her face as she closed the front door.
Hutch couldn’t pull his eyes from the closed door, “What is going on here?”
“Yes they are attracted to each other but they are so much alike that they found being married to each other miserable so after two years their marriage ended in divorce. They are still friends but not like they use to be.” The ghost explained.
“Do they work together?” Hutch asked.
The ghost shook his head, “Susan quit the force when she got pregnant with their first child and never went back. She works part time as a security guard in a department store.
This all came as a terrible shock to Hutch. He couldn’t image being without his friends and he could image Susan and Starsky not being close, them not being there for each other.
He looked at the ghost again. “Is there more?” Hutch asked he was scared to know. The ghost nodded.
Darkness surrounded them and when it was light again they were in front of the Pit’s Huggy’s very much loved bar. Huggy was out side hanging a sign on the front door, then he walked away with his hands shoved down in his pockets. The Ghost of Christmas Present thrust Hutch close enough for him to see what the sign read. In big back letters was written OUT OF BUSINESS.
Again Hutch was stunned. “How could the Pit’s be out of business, it’s one of the most popular places around.”
“Things change,” the ghost said. “Remember when Huggy’s waitress was murdered? Huggy didn’t have his friends to help him get over that. He just didn’t have the heart to keep his business open so he closed it down and is moving on.
“But, but,” Hutch stammered. “How can everything be so different without me in the picture?”
“Everybody has a place in time.” The ghost said simply.
Hutch was thankful for the darkness that enveloped them but the next scene was even worse for him to take. The Ghost had taken him to the Dobey’s home. Edith, Cal and Rosie sat in the living room looking at their brightly colored Christmas tree. The looks on their faces were sad ones. Edith forced a smile on her face and said, “Come on you guys now your daddy wouldn’t have wanted Christmas to be like this for us.”
Rosie looked at her mother as her eyes filled with tears. “It’s just not the same without Daddy.”
“I know honey but he would want us to go on.” Edith said pulling her daughter into her lap. Cal knelt at her feet hugging her legs as they all sat and thought of the man they had lost.
“What is this,” Hutch asked angrily. “What happened to Cap?”
“There was a prison escapee? Remember him? He was after Dobey and his family? You and Starsky stopped him from hurting Dobey’s family and killing Dobey but you weren’t there. Starsky didn’t get it figured out in time to save him and Dobey was shot and kill at church.” Hutch couldn’t even speak as he watched the sorrow of this family, a family that had been like his own.
He closed his eyes wishing it would all end, when he opened them again he was back in his own bed. He felt as if his heart would break, how could he possible think that his not being there didn’t matter. It did matter things were different with out him in the world and things were not better. Hutch pulled the covers over his head hoping that he could avoid the last visitor for he could take no more.
TWO A.M.
At the strike of two the breeze was not a gentle one, it was a gust and it was freezing cold. Unconsciously Hutch reach down for more covers to guard againt the chill. Then he felt a presents in the room and he peered out from under the blanket. Standing there was a form dressed in black robes, no jolly face looking at him this time only a black hood that shielded the face from view. The robe moved toward him and Hutch although he was frightened grabbed hold of the flowing robe.
This time instead of the scene lightening up when they got to their destination it was still dark with stark trees surrounding them. The Ghost of Things Yet to Be pointed out in front of him. Hutch strained in the darkness to see what the Ghost was pointing at. Then suddenly the clouds parted lighting the area slightly. Hutch sucked in a breath of air and held it as he walked on toward what the Ghost was pointing out.
He stopped at the head stone he was in a cemetery. Hutch was afraid to look at the name on it for he knew it was his own after all wasn’t that the way the movie was? He would see his name on the headstone repent for his evil doing and change his ways. Hutch knelt down to get a better look at his name but what he saw there shocked him to the core of his being for it wasn’t his name on the headstone but that of David Starsky.
He looked up at the ghost, “No No, this can’t be,” Hutch cried tears coursing down his cheeks. “We were always there protecting each other how could this be?” Then he stopped and thought he had quit the force as had Susan, Starsky had been alone. “How?”
The ghost only shook his head.
The scene changed they were back at Susan’s home, there was a moving van out in front of her tiny house. There was a look of devastation on her face that could only mean she knew that their beloved Starsky was dead. Susan was hustling the boy’s to the car, and then she got in and with out even looking back drove off.
“Where is she going? I guess there is nothing left for here is there?” Hutch said sadly.
The ghost shook his head.
Once again the scene changed it was Huggy Bear waiting on a table. Hutch smiled, he had opened his bar back again. But the smile side from his face when he realized that Huggy was just a waiter in some two bit greasy spoon.
Quickly the scene change again like a child flipping through a book. It was Susan, the boys now older. “Come on Mom let’s make some cookies.” One of the boys looking so much like Starsky pleaded.
Susan shook her head. “I don’t feel like it honey maybe tomorrow.”
“But mommy tomorrow is Christmas,” the other boy waled.
There was a small Christmas tree standing in the corner but it looked unloved with just the basic lights and ornaments. Nothing special and there were no other decorations in the rest of the house.
Hutch was almost sobbing as he watched the scene before him. How could Susan lose her Christmas spirit? She had always been so full of it and she laughed him off when he complained about her over doing it. “How could me not being in their lives change them that much?” The Ghost did not answer. Hutch looked up into the dark face. “W-What happened to me?” he asked hesitantly.
The Ghost merely nodded and the scene changed. “Ken? Ken?”
Hutch knew that voice it was that of this mothers.
“Coming mother,” said Ken Hutchinson. It gave Hutch chills up his spine to hear his own voice like that and when he appeared in the hallway carrying a tray with a bowl of soup on it he was shocked to see himself. A bit older but still pretty much the same. He opened the door; his mother was in bed propped up ready for her dinner.
“You are such a good boy,” She said taking the tray. “What’s your father doing?”
“Watching TV,” Ken said. Then he clarified, “Sleeping while the TV is on.”
His mother smiled. “Did he have his dinner first?”
Ken nodded, “Chicken noodle just like you.”
As the conversation droned on Hutch turned to the Ghost. Is this my life? Did I never marry or have a family? I live at home and care for my parents? The Ghost didn’t move only watched the scene unfold before them. “I can’t watch this any more…please take me back.” Hutch pleaded.
Hutch sprung from the bed and looked around him. He noticed that Susan had finally come to be and was sleeping soundly. He looked at the clock it was only three a.m. but there was no way he was going back to sleep now. Hutch pulled on his robe and went down stairs, something stuck the bottom of his foot, he pulled off his sock several pine needles clung to them. Hutch grinned as he plucked them off and then dropped them back on to the floor. Then he headed toward the kitchen humming Jingle Bells to himself.
SIX A.M.
Susan rolled over to look at the clock, it was six a.m. then she felt to see if Hutch was still in bed and she was surprised to find him already gone. He was notorious for sleeping in on Christmas morning. The first thing she noticed as she slipped on her robe and opened the bedroom door was the smell of bacon frying.
She padded quietly down stairs and to the kitchen door where she could hear the sounds of breakfast being cooked. Gently she pushed the kitchen door open a crack and peered in. What greeted her eyes shocked her for Hutch her very own Scrooge had a Santa hat perched atop his head and was singing White Christmas as he flipped pancakes in the air.
Susan backed away from the door not sure what to think, she went into the living room to the telephone and dialed Starsky’s number. “Yeah?” said a sleepy voice.
“You better get over here,” Susan whispered into the phone. “Something is wrong with Hutch.”
“Is he sick?” Starsky asked worriedly as he sat up in bed.
“No, no,” Susan whispered. “He’s cooking breakfast, singing carols and wearing a Santa hat.”
“Hutch? Our Hutch?” Starsky asked swinging his legs over the bed. He had to see this one. “I’ll be right over.”
As Susan crept back toward the kitchen Hutch came out the door carrying a platter of pancakes, which he sat in the middle of the dinning room table. He caught sight of Susan standing there watching him. “Merry Christmas Honey!” he grinned at her and gave her a quick kiss. “Could you set the table for me real quick?” With that he disappeared back into the kitchen.
Susan followed him into the kitchen. “What is going on?”
“I’m making breakfast!” he pronounced as he pulled a plate full of scrambled eggs from the oven where he had them warming.
She stood with her mouth hanging open as she watched Hutch head for the dinning room again. Susan grabbed plates, napkins and silver wear and followed him. She was just finished setting the table when the doorbell rang. Hutch rushed past her yelling that he would get it.
Hutch yanked open the door, “Merry Christmas buddy,” Hutch said hugging Starsky. “I was hoping that was you, come in come in we were just getting ready to eat breakfast.”
Starsky hiked his eyebrows at Susan who just shrugged her shoulders. Neither of them had any idea what was going on.
By the end of the day Susan and Starsky had relaxed deciding to just enjoy Hutch’s newfound love for Christmas. They didn’t want to jinx it by asking any questions. They all sat sipping hot chocolate while watching A Christmas Carol. Hutch smiled as Tiny Tim said his famous line from the movie and then he swore that Tiny Tim winked at him. He had seen the movie before but had never noticed the small boy winking. Hutch looked at Susan and Starsky to see if they had noticed it also but they both just continued drinking their hot chocolate. Hutch looked back at the TV but the credits were rolling. He smiled to himself; Christmas wasn’t so bad after all.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT