44 Candles
“Huggy’s?”
“Think I’ll go home.”
“You OK?”
“Yeah. Just…. Fine. See you tomorrow.”
Hutch looked after him uncertainly, then settled down to paperwork.
In five minutes, he was out the door, and in two hours, he was at Starsky’s, laden with parcels.
“What’s all this?”
“No idea — Avram took me shopping. You looked kinda blue, and when I checked the calendar…. Careful, that’s the… menorah? Is that right? Why do we need 44 candles? Starsk, I know I’m not family….”
Starsky hugged him. “You’re a great substitute! Wow — sufganiyot!”
“Avram insisted. Trust you to have a faith that involves donuts”
A Hanukkah Miracle
“Hutch, you don’t look Jewish, but there must be an ancestor somewhere…”
“You know I love applesauce — and those pancakes…”
“Latkes”
“…are delicious! Anyway. Why 44 candles?”
“If you light one the first day, Einstein, and two the second for eight days…”
“Oh, yeah. And eight days?”
“When the Maccabees purified the Temple, one day’s worth of oil burned for eight. A miracle. That’s why Hanukkah food’s fried in oil.”
“You made that up. To get more donuts.”
“Sufganiyot. Hutch….”
“Yeah?”
“You’re looking kinda like a miracle to me.”
With a wide eyed inevitability, they drew together in the candlelight.
Very sweet! So, in my family we eat donuts for Christmas. I know somewhere down the line …
I like that idea-I see a new tradition coming on….
Thank you for the sweet and cozy story, Curlew. The last line creates a lovely picture in my head of our Starsky and Hutch, there for each other (and the sufganiyot) in the intimacy of home and loved ones.
Thank you!
Thank you. I loved the idea of Hutch realising what day it was and rushing around so S wouldn’t be alone on the holiday…… So much for Mr Grinch!
It’s funny that so much of our holiday traditions center around food, ha ha. Guess that’s why Starsky likes Christmas so much. Those latkes look yummy! Thanks for the Hanukkah lesson about the 44 candles.
You’re welcome! As I said on the group, I’m not Jewish, but I’ve heard our friends telling their children the stories for 20 years now! I’m glad you liked my little stories
What charming and fun drabbles! Thanks for explaining where Starsky’s donut fetish comes from and how Hutch would accept an invite to a Jewish table any day of the week.
There’s a lot of fried food at Hannukah because the story of how it came about is centred on oil. Lucky for Starsky!
I love these drabbles a latke too!
Thank you!
Adorable!
Thank you!
Thanks for your gift! And Happy Hanukkah to All!
Thank you!
Adorable!
Thank you!
Latkes and candles, donuts and love. It’s all a circle of light and life. Thank you!
More wonderful Holiday traditions! Thanks for these, Curlew.
Now I’m craving latkes!
I enjoyed Hutch’s thoughtfulness in this story.
This was a nice way to begin the holiday.
Happy Hanukkah
I love the warm, cozy atmosphere of these drabbles! And great banter, too.
“You’re looking kinda like a miracle to me.”
And trust Starsky to come up with a seasonally-appropriate pick-up line for Hutch!
Sweet! (pun intended 😉) And perfect last lines on both pieces. Thank you, Curlew!