It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
By
Tooki
Hutch sighed as he opened the front door of his apartment; he knew that Starsky was waiting for him in the car. He also knew this being the day after Thanksgiving, that it was officially the kickoff for the Christmas season. His partner would be wearing his dopey Santa hat, blasting Christmas carols on the radio and constantly bugging him about his lack of Christmas spirit.
Hutch slowly descended the stairs not anxious to listen to his partner. As he walked to the car the first thing he noticed was the absence of blaring Christmas music, he bent over and peered into the car through the closed window. Starsky sat there staring straight ahead; he didn’t have his annual red Santa hat perched on top his curly locks. Hutch thumped on the window, Starsky turned to look at him and motioned Hutch into the car.
Climbing in Hutch checked out the back seat expecting to see the hat; thinking that perhaps his friend was trying to ease him into the holiday spirit but the back seat was empty except for the ever present coffee cups and burrito wrappers. “Is everything alright?”
“Sure,” Starsky said as he checked the rearview mirror and pulled out into traffic.
Hutch decided to leave it alone, at least for now. He was still sure that at some point that Starsky was going to spring his holiday cheer upon him. They drove in silence to the station, parked in silence and road the elevator in silence. Hutch was now officially worried; Starsky didn’t so much as glance at the garland strung around the front desk or comment that the tree topper in the lobby was crooked. He always straightened it every year while he complained that nobody took the time to decorate properly and what a travesty it was.
As the elevator doors opened they could hear the first cords of ‘It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas’ coming softly from the squad room. Hutch looked sideways at Starsky but his partner didn’t break out into his usual goofy grin at the sound of a Christmas carol or even hum along. As they reached the squad room door, the music grew louder, Hutch could see through the glass window in the door, the four foot tree set up in the corner, it was still barren of lights and tinsel. He knew they were waiting for Starsky, for it had been Starsky who had started the tradition of putting up the tree in the squad room the day after Thanksgiving.
Hutch pushed open the door, the music swelled, and several officers called ‘Merry Christmas’ to the detectives as they entered. “We have been waiting for you, Starsky,” Don Groen called out; he was holding a box of Christmas balls ready for the tree.
Starsky looked at the box, then at the bare tree, “You go ahead.”
Don stood staring at Starsky’s back as he made his way to his desk, then Don looked a Hutch who could only shrug.
“Okay, Starsk,” Hutch said standing over his partner, who was now sitting at the desk. “I got it, pretend that Christmas means nothing, give me a dose of my own medicine.”
“You got nothing, Hutch,” Starsky said looking up. “I just decided that you were right. It’s stupid to go to all this trouble and what does it mean? People are still getting murdered, robbed, beaten, Christmas means nothing anymore. It’s for kids, and it’s about time for me to grow up.”
“I never said that Christmas was just for kids.”
“You didn’t have to.” Starsky said sullenly. “You give me hard time every year over loving Christmas, like I was an idiot for enjoying the season. It’s just not worth it anymore.” Starsky got up from his chair to get a cup of coffee.
Hutch stared at him flabbergasted, it wasn’t that he hated Christmas; in fact, he really did enjoy it. And part of that enjoyment was giving his partner a hard time over it. Granted, Starsky did go a little over board with it, like the time he hung silver garland in the men’s room, but it wouldn’t be Christmas without their banter over the holiday.
As Starsky was returning to his desk Hutch stepped in front of his friend. “Hey, I didn’t mean to ruin it for you. You know it’s not Christmas without you decorating the tree and all.”
“Looks like things are moving right along without me,” Starsky said nodding his head to the group of officers putting lights on the tree.
“But it’s not the same,” Hutch persisted.
“Get use to it.” Starsky grumbled.
Hutch stood watching Starsky as he sat back down and flipped open a file, he had a sick feeling in the pit to his stomach. What had he done to his best friend? “Oh, come on, Starsky, stop being melodramatic.”
“Christmas isn’t Christmas in California, there is no snow, no frosted windows, no sledding and my family are on the other coast, what is there to celebrate?”
Hutch felt hurt that Starsky didn’t consider him family, at least not family that he could celebrate with. And whose fault was that? His and his alone, he had ridden Starsky for years over Christmas. He knew he had to do something and quickly.
The two detectives sat in Starsky’s car watching a store front of a suspected drug dealer. As they watched a man held the door open of a nearby store, a woman loaded down with gifts stepped out. She smiled at the man, and although they couldn’t hear the words from inside the car both men knew that the strangers were exchanging Christmas greetings.
“SEE!” Starsky exclaimed pointing toward the man and the woman. “Any other time of year he would have let that door slam in her face. But because it’s Christmas, he helped her.”
“You don’t know that, Starsk, he might always hold open doors.” Hutch said as the sick feeling grew in his stomach.
“Yeah, right, why is it that people are only nice to each other at Christmas?” Starsky wanted to know.
Hutch wanted to cry, his partner was sounding like he always did this time of year. “People are nice all year long.” But he didn’t sound too convincing.
“Let’s can the chit chat and do our jobs, uh?” Starsky said as his dark mood settled around him even more.
As the days and weeks moved slowly along, mostly spent in silence, Hutch started forming a plan, a plan that he hoped would bring back his partner’s Christmas spirit. He knew that he had to make up for all the Christmas’ that he had ruined for Starsky, even though his partner never let on that he had, Hutch knew now that his lack of interest in the holiday had taken it’s toll.
Christmas Eve had finally arrived, Hutch hoped that all his sneaking around, planning and phone calls would pay off. He had brought in Huggy to help him; he needed somebody to keep Starsky busy so that he could put his plan into motion.
“Hey, Starsky,” Hutch said trying not to sound cheery, “Why don’t we stop at Huggy’s tonight and grab some burgers?”
Starsky shrugged, “I gotta eat, sounds as good as anything else.” But it didn’t, he wanted turkey with all the trimmings, his mother’s famous oyster dressing, fruit cake, cranberries and eggnog spiked with just enough rum to warm the insides. But he forgot you didn’t need to warm your insides in L.A. You could go to the beach and sit in the sun if you wanted.
“You mind if we meet there?” Hutch asked. He had managed to come up with an excuse so that they drove separately that morning. At lunch Hutch had ducked out with the excuse of picking up a prescription to run to Starsky’s apartment and decorate. He put up the tree making sure that everything was hung right and that the star on top was straight. He filled a large bowl with cinnamon scented pinecones to give the whole apartment the smell of the holiday. Hutch put lights and garland everywhere he could find a place to hang it. And he had even stopped at the store to pick all the fixings they would need for a proper Christmas dinner. He had one final thing to do before heading back to the squad room.
“You ready?” Starsky asked as Hutch pulled a report he had been typing from the typewriter.
“Yeah, I just need to turn this in to Dobey, why don’t you go ahead and get us a table. It might be crowded tonight.” Hutch suggested.
“Sure,” Starsky said, he knew that Huggy’s would not be crowded; most people were at home with their families.
Hutch stood and watched his partner leave the squad room, usually on Christmas Eve Starsky was in full holiday swing, singing carols at the top of his voice, wearing the Santa hat and filling his stomach with eggnog and cookies at the Christmas party that was had without him this year.
Rapping on Dobey’s office door, Hutch stepped in. “Hey, Cap, I’m heading out.”
Dobey winked at Hutch. “Don’t you worry, we will be there.”
Starsky found their customary booth in the back and slid in, he was a little surprised to find that the bar was crowded. Not so much family time as he thought, it only put him in a darker mood.
Huggy was striding toward him, he had a Santa hat perch precariously on top of his head and he had a red and green apron tied around his waist. “Where’s your blonde half?” Huggy asked.
“On his way,” Starsky said.
Huggy smiled, he knew that his customer would have a long wait. “What can I get you? Got some eggnog in the back for my special friends.” Huggy winked at Starsky.
“No thanks, just a beer if you don’t mind and maybe some peanuts if you got them.”
“Coming right up.” Huggy went to draw the beer.
Nearly an hour has passed with Starsky checking his watch every fifteen minutes. Noticing how antsy Starsky was getting Huggy slid into the booth across from him, “Did you get stood up?” the bar keeper wanted to know.
“Looks that way,” Starsky said, “I think I’m going to give Hutch a call at the station, he must have gotten hung up.”
“I’m sure he will be here any second, traffic tonight is heavy.” Huggy said hoping that Hutch was about finished with what he was doing.
The phone rang behind the bar and Marissa waved toward the table where Huggy and Starsky were sitting. “Phone.” Huggy got up but she shook her head, “It’s for Starsky.”
“Great, he’s not coming, Ho-Ho-Ho and Merry Christmas,” Starsky said with no enthusiasm. “Starsky,” he said into the phone.
“Hey, buddy, I’m not going to make it.” Hutch said.
“No problem, I’m just going to head home then.”
It killed Hutch to hear the hurt in Starsky’s voice but he knew it would be all worth it soon. “We can do something tomorrow.”
Starsky said a few more words to his partner then tossed some bills on the counter. “See you later, Huggy.”
“Merry Christmas!” Huggy called after him but Starsky was already out the door.
Starsky got behind the wheel; put the key in the ignition and turned, nothing happened. Starsky closed his eyes, the day was going from bad to worse. He tried several more times with the same result, getting out of the car, Starsky slammed he door and went back into Huggy’s. “Hey man can I use the phone?”
“Back so soon?”
“Car won’t start; I need to call a tow truck.” Starsky said.
“It’s Christmas Eve; you won’t get a tow truck tonight.” Huggy informed him.
“Great what am I suppose to do walk home? I’ll call a cab then.”
“Why don’t I just run you home? I could use a little break and it’s getting slow.” Huggy offered.
“Are you sure?” Starsky asked as he looked around the bar, most of the crowd had seemed to have left.
“No problem, cars out back,” Huggy said.
Huggy pulled up in front of Starsky’s apartment, “Here we are.” Huggy said hoping that Hutch was ready.
“You want to come in?” Starsky asked, he didn’t really want to be alone on Christmas Eve no matter what he had been saying the last few weeks, he did miss the celebrating.
Huggy looked at his watch and acted as if he had to go but then grinned at Starsky, “Sure, I guess they can hold the fort for awhile.”
As the pair got close to Starsky’s door they could hear music, “I must have left the radio on when I left.” Then they got a whiff of roasting turkey, cinnamon and baking pies. “Wish that smell was coming from my place,” said Starsky looking at Huggy who was trying this best to suppress a smile.
Starsky started to insert his key into the lock but before he could the door was jerked open, Hutch stood there with a Santa hat balanced on his head, he had on a bright red sweatshirt with white reindeer prancing across his chest. The room was dark except for the flashing lights on the Christmas tree standing in the corner.
“Merry Christmas, partner,” Hutch said handing him a cup of eggnog heavily laced with rum.
“I—I don’t understand.” Starsky stared first at Hutch in the hat and then at the twinkling tree.
Hutch grabbed Starsky and pulled him in the room. Suddenly all the lights came on and there was a chorus of ‘Merry Christmas’, Starsky squinted in the sudden light as he looked around the room full of people. Harold Dobey was there with Edith and their kids. Several officers, who didn’t have any other place to go, were there along with his current girlfriend who had told him she would be out of town. There were nearly twenty people in his apartment. But the face that really bowled him over was that of his mother’s, who stood in the middle of the group holding a plate of her homemade fudge. That was when he realized that the smells were coming from his apartment, all cooked by this mother.
“Merry Christmas, Davy,” she said as she stepped forward handing him the plate.
“I don’t know what to say,” Starsky said, his eyes filling with tears, he tried to hug his mother but his hands were full, somebody took the glass of eggnog while somebody else took the fudge. Starsky wrapped his arms around his mother, “Ma, what are you doing here?”
“Ken convinced me that you needed some Christmas cheer,” she said.
Starsky looked at Hutch who was standing there with a silly grin on his face. “I got you something,” Hutch said.
Starsky’s face fell, “I didn’t get you anything, I didn’t get anybody anything this year.”
“Seeing you happy is all I need,” Hutch said as he handed his partner a large awkwardly wrapped item.
Starsky still stunned took the present and began stripping the paper from it. He was puzzled once the wrapping paper was off for it was a bright red wooden sled, the kind he had when he was kid. He could still remember the family outings to Central Park where he and Nick would take turns on the sled.
Hutch chuckled at the expression on Starsky’s face and took his arm, “I got one more gift for you.” He led Starsky from the apartment with all the guests in tow. “Merry Christmas, buddy, I promise I won’t ruin Christmas for you ever again.
Starsky opened his mouth then closed it again as he stared at the yard. It was snowing, there was already an inch on the ground and more was falling. “But how?”
Hutch winked at him and pointed to a man that Starsky hadn’t noticed, he was operating a snow making machine. “You can have all the snow you want.”
They heard shouts up and down the block as kids began to notice the snow falling and before they knew it the yard was full of children playing in the white stuff falling through the air.
“This is the best Christmas ever, Hutch,” Starsky said as he watched the flakes fall.
“Aren’t you going to join in?” Hutch wanted to know as he watched a couple of boys start a snowball fight.
“I just want to watch a minute if that’s okay,” Starsky said.
“You can do anything you want, it’s your night.” Hutch said as he looked at Starsky who had a smile from ear to ear.
Merry Christmas!!!!!!!