Written in response to the Starsky&Hutch Fans&FanFiction FaceBook page’s Friday Fiction challenge on 11/29/19. The prompt was the title of the story.
Ken Hutchinson watched as his partner made a bigger and bigger mess on the dining room table of his Venice Place apartment while humming and singing snatches of Christmas songs. He was pretty sure Starsky had made up at least one of them, since he’d never heard of “Santa Got Stuck in the Chimney Again.”
Hutch hadn’t been a fan of commercial holidays before he met Starsky because the strict, regimented celebrations his family insisted on had done nothing but depress him. However, having known Dave Starsky since their academy days, and being partnered with him for four years, now, he was beginning to see what he’d missed. Starsky loved any and all holidays and, this Christmas, after the horrors of the previous year, Starsky’s enjoyment was proving infectious.
“Whatcha lookin’ at, Hutch?” Starsky didn’t take his attention away from the piece of Scotch tape he was applying to the carefully and colorfully clad package in front of him.
Caught, but not wanting Starsky to know what a kick he was getting out of his partner’s performance, Hutch bent studiously over the box he was wrapping. “Just thinking about how different this holiday season has been, compared to last year.”
Starsky sobered. “No kidding. We lost Christmas completely, thanks to that wacko hitman, Joey.”
Hutch winced; he hadn’t intended to cause those bad memories. “You’re making up for it now, partner! You’ve got enough there to inundate the Dobeys and the Ramoses!”
“You bet! They’re our families, Hutch, and families deserve gifts!” Starsky grinned as he spun a long strand of crinkle-ribbon off its bobbin. Suddenly, he dropped both items, his expressive face screwed up in pain. “Shit! That’s the second time!” He stuck the first two fingers of his left hand into his mouth.
“Another paper cut?” Hutch made sure his tone didn’t have a trace of humor.
Starsky shook his head. “That was the first time. These are worse.” He held the hand out toward Hutch and whined, “Ribbon cuts. They’re bleeding!”
Hutch grimaced at the slices in both fingers. “Sure are.” When he noticed a drop of blood fall, he cupped his hand underneath. “Watch it, buddy! You’re dripping on the card for Rosie’s present.”
Starsky grabbed a sheet of stickers, tore off a reindeer, and licked the back before returning the bleeding digits to his mouth. He was about to slap the stamp over the drop when Hutch pulled the card out of harm’s way.
“We need to blot first.” Hutch drew a napkin out from under rolls of bright paper, bags of ribbons and bows, tags, stickers, and ballpoint pens, plus already wrapped presents. Hutch soaked up the drop, then motioned for Starsky to cover it with Rudolph.
All Starsky’s cheer seemed to have disappeared with the new wounds and that snuffed out Hutch’s own happiness. Taking the bleeding hand in his, he led Starsky to the sink where he washed and dried the cuts. Grabbing a paper towel, he wrapped both fingers together. “There. As soon as they’ve stopped bleeding, we’ll put some First Aid Cream on them and big Band-Aids. I don’t think they need stitches.”
Starsky jerked his hand away and slumped back to the table. “‘Course they don’t need stitches, dummy. They’re only paper cuts.”
“Ribbon cuts, Starsk.”
Hutch was pleased to see that, by the time they finished the wrapping, had packed everything into two shopping bags for the Dobeys’ gifts — he’d take care of straightening up later — and driven to their captain’s house, Starsky’s ebullience had returned. As soon as their little girl opened the door, his “Ho, Ho, Ho’s,” rang as gustily as any self-respecting Santa’s.
Rosie Dobey backed up, her hands to her mouth, trying to hide her sheer happiness and act grown up but failing completely. “Presents, Uncle Dave? For me?”
Starsky set his bag down and knelt in front of her. She ran into his arms. “Some of ‘em, Rosie, that’s for sure.” He glanced up at Hutch who had followed him inside and closed the door. “Uncle Ken has some, too.” When the captain, Edith Dobey, and Rosie’s older brother, Cal, walked into the hallway, Starsky let Rosie go and stood up. “We wanted to make up for not coming by last year.”
Rosie’s happy expression turned sad. “You got shot.”
Starsky nodded. “Yes, I did.”
She tried a small smile. “But you’re all better now. Aren’t you?”
He cocked his head and gave her his patented lop-sided grin. “I sure am, schweetheart.”
Rosie giggled.
Edith stepped forward. “That’s very sweet of you, Dave.” She nodded at Hutch. “Ken.” Gesturing toward the living room, she added, “Won’t you come in and have some eggnog and cookies?”
“We don’t want to intrude, Mrs. Dobey,” Hutch said.
Captain Dobey waved a big hand. “Nonsense. Come on in. There’s plenty!”
As Starsky bent to pick up the handles of his shopping bag, Rosie noticed the bandaged fingers and her face turned solemn. “Ouch. That must’ve hurt.”
Starsky almost blushed. “A little.”
Everyone assembled in the living room, the brightly decorated tree taking up the front window. Under it were a dozen or so gaily wrapped packages. With some ceremony, Dobey added the ones Starsky and Hutch had brought to the pile. “You boys didn’t have to do this, but we’re grateful.”
Edith beamed. “I’ll wrap a can of cookies up for each of you to take home.” When Hutch started to protest, she shook her head. “It’s the least we can do. And they’re homemade. Rosie helped me.” She looked at her daughter. “Didn’t you, honey?”
Rosie, plainly enjoying the spotlight, nodded.
“I love homemade cookies, Mrs. Dobey!” Starsky chortled. “I’ll take as many as you want to give me!”
Hutch nudged his partner none too gently, but everyone laughed.
Once they were all settled and sipping eggnog and eating gingerbread Santas and colorful wreaths, plus other kinds he’d never had before, Rosie scooted closer to Starsky’s left side and stared at the bandages on his hand. “What happened this year, Uncle Dave?”
Hutch could see his partner’s mind racing, trying to come up with an explanation that would be a little scary but that wouldn’t give the girl nightmares.
“Well, it was like this, Rosie,” Starsky began. “Hutch and I… Uncle Ken and I were chasing down some bad guys who’d just robbed a convenience store and… well… they had knives.”
She gasped and her hands were instantly back at her mouth.
Dobey and Edith appeared worried but Cal’s face lit up. “Whoa! That’s almost as rad as guns. Tell us about it!”
Starsky cast Hutch a despairing glance and he took up the gauntlet. “They were both pretty young, not much older than you, Cal, and we didn’t want to hurt them.”
“Yeah,” Starsky added, clearly inspired now. “So Hutch used a few wrestling moves on his perp, and I pretended I was back in Brooklyn, defending myself against some of the tough kids I grew up with.”
Hutch checked silently with the elder Dobeys to make sure they understood that this was a made-up situation. Both parents smiled.
“So, where are they now?” Rosie asked.
“I’d bet they’re in jail, silly,” Cal guessed. “Where do you think they’d end up, with Uncle Dave and Uncle Ken on the job?”
“You’re exactly right, son,” Dobey said. “Starsky and Hutch always get their man. Uh, young thieves, in this case.”
A flush began to creep up Starsky’s neck but before the situation could get worse, Rosie leaned forward and took Starsky’s bandaged hand. “Did you have to go to the hospital this time?”
Starsky tried to draw his hand back. “Ah… no, Rosie. I didn’t think –”
She held on tight. “You should have! You don’t know what kind of germs were on that knife!” She jumped to her feet. “I’ll take care of you.”
Rosie raced out of the room while everyone looked at each other, not quite sure of what was happening.
Within a minute, the child was back. She ran to Starsky, knelt at his knees and put a First Aid kit on the floor. Gently, she took his hand and began unpeeling the Band-Aids. Starsky tried not to flinch.
Rosie tsk’d professionally and opened her kit. Unwrapping a sterile gauze pad, she applied antiseptic to it and gently wiped each of the three cuts. No one in the room said a word while she worked.
When each cut had been covered with salve and re-bandaged, using yards of gauze and tape, she smiled at Starsky. “There! Doesn’t that feel better, Uncle Dave?”
He pulled her into his arms and hugged her fiercely. “Sure does, Rosie. I couldn’t have hoped for better, even if I’d gone to the emergency room.” He held her at arm’s length. “You should think about becoming a doctor.”
That thought seemed to appeal to her and she grinned. “Maybe I will.”
Hutch and Starsky both declined more eggnog so Edith went to prepare their tins of cookies while Rosie packed up her medical supplies and Dobey walked them to the front door.
Out of earshot of Rosie, Edith, and Cal, Dobey halted their progress with a quiet, “Uh…” When they turned to face him, he went on, softly, “Not to demean your injuries, Starsky, but those looked like paper cuts to me.”
“Ribbon, Captain,” Hutch corrected. “Ribbon cuts.”
Dobey winced. “I’ve had those myself. And they sure did hurt.” He shook Starsky’s hand. “Thanks for making my daughter happy.”
Starsky’s face split into his room-lighting smile. “My pleasure, Cap’n!”
Hutch slung his arm around Starsky’s shoulders on the way to the Torino. “That was well done, buddy.”
“Thanks.” He raised his left hand and studied the large, white coverings. “Do you think I could ditch these before we go see Kiko and Pete tomorrow?”
“Molly. Remember, Starsk? We’re going to call her Molly from now on.”
“Oh, yeah, right! Molly! But, Hutch, they know what we’ve been doing lately and it ain’t been chasing knife-wielding kids!”
Hutch thought about it as they walked down the block. “Tell you what. I have some flesh-colored Band-Aids and, when you come over in the morning, we’ll change Rosie’s rather… extravagant treatment for those, and nobody will even notice them.”
Starsky bounced out from under Hutch’s arm. “That’s a great idea!” He turned and, still on his tiptoes, hopped backward, both hands up in a ‘wait’ gesture. “You are gonna love what I got for you, Hutch!” He danced around the hood of the car, unlocked the door, jumped inside, leaned across and opened Hutch’s. “Get in, get in, get in!”
Cautiously, now, Hutch climbed in on his side as Starsky fired up the engine and pulled out on the no-traffic street. “It’s scientific, and natural, and… well, it’s just plain cool.”
Hutch was suddenly having second thoughts about the present he’d gotten for his sometimes childlike partner. Would Starsky understand what Hutch was trying to say? A planted tree was a gift to the future, to their future! To the hope that he and Starsky would be around, together, for a long time. Maybe they’d even go visit it while it grew.
Well, he’d find out tomorrow. In the meantime, he smiled at his best friend. “You didn’t only make Rosie happy today, Starsk, you made me happy, too. Thank you.”
Starsky’s grin widened even further. “Hey, you’re welcome! Kiko and Pe… Molly tomorrow, where we’ll get to unwrap our own presents. Whad’ya get me, Hutch? Huh? Huh?”
Hutch sighed and mentally crossed his fingers. “Something I hope you’ll like, Starsk.”
“Whatever it is, partner, I know I’ll love it!”
“Remember you said that, okay?”
Aww, so sweet. This year’s AC has been a wonderful mixture of stories. DPP, I may start calling you Scheherazde!
Bravo, Elves for the adorable picture!
It has been a great calendar, so far, hasn’t it? Thanks for reading this one, MatSir, and then taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it. I’m grateful for both. And thank you for the kind reference to the legendary tale-spinner (one more coming, I think). Happy Holidays!
Oh, Elves, this image is absolutely brilliant! LOVE the over-done bandage on Starsky’s hand. KUDOS and THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!
You are very welcome
I love your stories, Pat!
This one is so sweet.
Buying gifts for friends
Starsky and Hutch show their love
And bring smiles to all.
What a sweet thing to say, Nancy. Thank you. I don’t know why I thought of Rosie when I read the prompt but I did, and the story just wrote itself. Thanks for reading and then for leaving your kind words and Haiku!
Rosie at Christmas
who could resist her sweet smile
and medical help
That was a nice story. I did giggle over the reference to the tree at the end. I wonder what Starsky will say? *bg* Thank you!
Thank, Kat, I’m glad you enjoyed it. We all know what Starsky said but hopefully Hutch was able to remind him that he’d said ‘no matter what, I’ll love it.’ I appreciate your reading my story and then taking the time to let me know you liked it. Sending much gratitude your way!
I always forget that Shootout is the Christmas episode as it aired on 12/17/75 and the next ep didn’t air until January.
What a cute story, Pat! I love when the guys spend Christmas with the Dobeys and the Ramos’. I wish Dobey’s family had been in more eps. I’ve always loved how his kids call the guys Uncle.
This is my favorite part of the story:
Starsky bounced out from under Hutch’s arm. “That’s a great idea!” He turned and, still on his tiptoes, hopped backward, both hands up in a ‘wait’ gesture. “You are gonna love what I got for you, Hutch!” He danced around the hood of the car, unlocked the door, jumped inside, leaned across and opened Hutch’s. “Get in, get in, get in!”
It’s so descriptive and energetic and makes me feel like I’m watching Starsky on the screen.
Your very kind words make me really happy, DM; thank you so much. This story just sort of popped into my head after reading the prompt – Starsky getting ribbon cuts while wrapping Rosie’s present, then having the wounds treated by her. Going to the Ramos’ the next day was an after thought, but I’m glad it worked for you. Energetic Starsky was the very last part I wrote and I think it’s my favorite, too.
Many, many thanks for reading and then for taking the time, in this very busy season, to leave your detailed comment. I’m grateful.
Such a sweet Christmas tale and I love that you included the Dobey family on Starsky and Hutch’s gift list. I wish they could have had more eps including Edith and the children. I always thought the little girl who played Rosie was such a good actress for someone so young. I can easily see her taking care of her Uncle Starsky with the first aid kit. It’s fun to think that maybe when she grew up she became a doctor like Starsky suggested. Just hope Starsky doesn’t get too mad when he finds out the next day that Hutch gave him a tree. I think giving a tree as a present is a great gift–I live next door to a thousand acres of National Forest. You can never have too many presents or trees.
I agree with you completely about the Dobeys, EdieCee, I wish they’d been in more episodes. As I said, above, I immediately thought of Rosie when I read the prompt; it sounded like something she’d say. The story grew from that.
I love the last sentence of your comment: never too many presents or trees!
Thanks for reading and for your lovely comment. Happy Holidays!
What a beautiful and sweet Christmas story.
I love Hutch’s tree present and his reasons for doing that after the big scare; a future, many many years, together. I am sure that Starsky will understand and they will happily visit his tree grew.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, onna karot. As I mentioned in a reply, above, that part of the story came last, after I thought I had ‘finished’ it. Something made me write the extra scene where Hutch worries that Starsky won’t understand, and therefore won’t appreciate, the gift of a planted tree. I’m happy that YOU got it: “a future, many many years, together”
Thank you for reading and then, even more, for your kind comment.
This was so sweet and endearing! Love Starsky’s excitement and Hutch’s reason for planting a tree and Rosie’s concern over Starsky’s ribbon cuts (I keep grinning at that). well done!
The illo? Dynamite!
Didn’t the Elves do a fabulous job with the image? I just love it!!
Thanks, Maria, for the kind words. I’m so glad you got a kick out of Starsky’s enjoyment and Hutch’s thinking-to-himself explanation for his choice in gifts, plus Rosie’s dedicated medical treatment. It was fun to write. I really appreciate your taking the time to leave your lovely comment. Thank you, my friend.
What a beautiful story <3 !!!
Thank you, Nancy (Kit), I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I appreciate your reading and then taking the time to leave a comment. Both are much appreciated.
Nice job with the prompt. They’re so much fun to write., aren’t they? And of course, what’s a Christmas story without Kiko and Molly?
Thanks, Spencer! Reading the prompt, her image, saying the words, came to me and it mostly wrote itself. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading, and for writing! Merry Christmas!!!
Ouch, paper cuts do hurt like hell – I have no experience of a ribbon cut but I imagine it’s worse… This is a lovely, fun Xmas story that fits beautifully into the canon framework – thank you, Pat!
Rosie Dobey has such an important, charming role in our fictional world that I had to check if she really was seen in only one episode. Hard to believe! She surely made an impression there! Now, of course I had to go and look up what became of the child actress (who only has three credits in the IMDb from 1975-76), and I found her on FB (where else, wink wink). As you can see from this kiddie pic, it’s really her: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153933522670841&set=picfp.575245840&type=3&theater
And on this page: http://events.pinoytownhall.com/event/multiracial-family-identity-parenting-in-challenging-times/
there’s a description what she’s been doing with her life, and the list is impressive: professional ballet dancer, elementary arts (dance) teacher, PhD in “Educational Leadership for Social Justice”, university lecturer with interest in multiracialism and cultural diversity. Ha, I can see Rosie Dobey going for a dance career, too, and S&H (especially H) cheering her on! Any plot bunnies there, eh? Hell yeah: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151335734145841&set=pb.575245840.-2207520000..&type=3&theater
Ouch, paper cuts do hurt like hell – I have no experience of a ribbon cut but I imagine it’s worse… This is a lovely, fun Xmas story that fits beautifully into the canon framework – thank you, Pat!
(I was trying to post a longer comment with some links regarding the Rosie actress – it’s not showing up – not sure why. Too long? Links? I’ll try posting the rest separately.)
You’re more than welcome, Mortmere, I’m very glad you enjoyed it and took the time to let me know. That means a lot!
I actually have had a few ribbon cuts and they’re definitely worse than paper. But Hutch, then Rosie, took good care of him.
(You did manage to post one link, so I’ll reply to those messages, below.) Thanks, again!
Rosie Dobey has such an important, charming role in our fictional world that I had to check if she really was seen in only one episode. Hard to believe! She surely made an impression there! Now, of course I had to go and look up what became of the child actress (who only has three credits in the IMDb from 1975-76), and I found her on FB (where else, wink wink). As you can see from this kiddie pic, it’s really her: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153933522670841&set=picfp.575245840&type=3&theater
Oh well, I think the links I included sent another comment to the spam folder or something (sorry, Elves, if I just posted duplicate comments that show up somewhere or pop up here, later!). I was going to mention what the actress has been doing with her life, and the list is impressive: professional ballet dancer, elementary arts (dance) teacher, PhD in “Educational Leadership for Social Justice”, university lecturer with interest in multiracialism and cultural diversity. Ha, I can see Rosie Dobey going for a dance career, too, and S&H (especially H) cheering her on! Any plot bunnies there, eh?
What a talented, inspirational lady! And she kicked it all off as ‘Rosie Dobey.’ Wonderful information, Moremere, THANK YOU.
You and your FaceBook delving, Moremere; you are the Ace of Aces there, for sure!
What a wonderful photograph, and it is definitely her! Thanks so much!!!!
And on this page: http://events.pinoytownhall.com/event/multiracial-family-identity-parenting-in-challenging-times/
there’s a description what she’s been doing with her life, and the list is impressive: professional ballet dancer, elementary arts (dance) teacher, PhD in “Educational Leadership for Social Justice”, university lecturer with interest in multiracialism and cultural diversity. Ha, I can see Rosie Dobey going for a dance career, too, and S&H (especially H) cheering her on! Any plot bunnies there, eh? Hell yeah: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151335734145841&set=pb.575245840.-2207520000..&type=3&theater
Dr. Rosie Dobey is a great idea! I’d like to think she would have done that, and made her family, both close and extended to Uncle Ken and Dave, very proud.
No matter what Rosie did, I’m sure her family, plus Uncle Dave and Uncle Ken would be proud of her but, you’re right, Dr. Rosie Dobey would have been great. According to the link Mortmere found, and posted, above, the actress did very well with her own life!
Thanks for reading, Jenn C., and then for letting me know you enjoyed it. Happy Holidays!
Thank you, Pat. I really, really like this story. Rosie is such a sweet character and you have portrayed her relationship with the guys so well – like other commenters have said, I wish we could have seen more of both the Dobey children in the show; and Edith too.
I love all your responses to the Friday prompts – thank you so much for taking part. 🙂
You’re most welcome, P4UL4, I’m really, really glad you liked the story, and the way Rosie interacted with Starsky and Hutch. Yes, I think we all feel the same way: wish we could have seen more of the Dobey family in the series.
I love your Friday prompts and will respond to as many as my muses ask me to.
Thanks for reading and for taking time on your Christmas day, to leave your kind words. I’m really, really grateful!