Work Text:
2nd January 2023
S: Morning! How's your new year going so far?
H: Great! Yours?
S: T'riffic. Haven't failed at my resolution yet!
H: Which was?
S: To only eat chocolate after midday.
H: Not trying to be discouraging but the day is young and it's only day two!
S: I didn't think I'd make it this far!
H: (laughing face)
S: There's so much chocolate hanging around the house.
H: Maybe I shouldn't have told you to put that load in your car: that can't be helping!
S: No problem, that's all gone now.
H: Did you eat it all on the way back from our walk yesterday? 'Cos I hate to tell you, pal, that was before midday.
S: Nah, I was good, I swear! I gave nearly all of it to Max when I popped to see him in the afternoon and only ate one myself.
H: Well done Gordo! Proud of you!
S: Thanks. I've got a mountain of cookies that Ali says need eating. She wants them out of the house so she won't be tempted by 'em. Care to come round later and help us out?
H: Can't you just stick 'em in a cupboard and forget about them?
S: Nah, doesn't work for us. We both hear the cookies calling our names.
H: In that case, I will do my best to help...Tell you what, I'll take them away with me and stick them in my den. That way they can be a treat for when you visit.
S: Won't you be tempted to eat them?
H: Of course not. I have willpower unlike some people!
S: I only have one thing to say in answer to that.
H: What's that?
S: Coffee cake!
H: Every man has his Achilles' heel!
13th January 2023
H: Morning pal, where are we going for our walk today?
S: Hey! Not sure I want to go out for a walk today.
H: How come?
S: Well, it's asking for trouble, isn't it?
H: What is?
S: It's the thirteenth, Hutch, and it's a Friday.
H: Oh come on, you can't still be superstitious about that at your age!
S: What's my age got to do with it? I'm telling ya, nothing ever goes right for me on Friday thirteenth! And that's a fact!
H: Now, I'm not saying there's anything to your claim, but do you still have your lucky rabbit's foot? Why don't you carry that with you? After all, that's what's it's for, isn't it? Warding off evil spirits?
S: I've tried that before. It doesn't help.
H: How about your lucky baseball cap?
S: Nah, won't work.
H: Tell you what - let's go to Delicious and I'll buy you a Peach Melba.
S: How's that going to ward off evil spirits?
H: It won't but it will take your mind off whatever bad thing happens to you on the way! Whaddya say?
S: I say for a Peach Melba it's worth risking going out of the house.
H: Thought it might be. I'll pick you up. Just to save you from flat tyres, broken windscreens, fender benders or whatever else you think might happen to you on the way.
S: Thanks! You're a pal!
(Prompts US National Peach Melba Day & Friday 13th)
21st January 2023 - Squirrels and Fruitcake
There was a knock on the front door. As Hutch moved down the hallway, he called to his wife, "I'll get it, honey."
He opened the door to see Starsky standing there, bouncing on the balls of his feet as usual. Nothing was wrong then.
"Hey pal, mind if I come and hide out this afternoon?"
"Of course not," Hutch replied as he waved his friend past him. "What exactly are you hiding out from?"
"Spring cleaning."
"Ah."
Hutch took Starsky through to the kitchen and made him a pot of coffee. He grabbed a granola bar for himself and passed two tins to Starsky, saying, "Fresh cookies in that one. Very old Christmas fruit cake in the other."
Starsky opened the tin containing the fruit cake, gave it a sniff and smacked his lips.
"Beautiful," he murmured, cutting a large slice with the knife Hutch passed to him. "See, fruit cake lasts forever. Ali insisted the remains of ours got chucked away today. She put it out for the birds! The birds, Hutch!"
"We-ell, it's good the birds will get some pleasure from it. At least she didn't just throw it away."
Starsky sniffed in an unconvinced sort of way. "I could watch them eating it if I wanted to," he added in a morose voice.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Max persuaded me to set up a camera in the garden to watch the birds we get. He linked it to some app on my phone. Wanna see?"
Hutch nodded and peered over Starsky's shoulder as he turned his phone on and loaded the app. Soon, they were seeing live pictures from Starsky's bird table.
Starsky reacted with shock and then outrage. "Squirrels! Squirrels are eating my fruit cake!"
Hutch couldn't help chuckling and observing, "They look like they're enjoying it too. That one's almost hugging himself with glee."
"Bah! Squirrels are a pain!"
"But they're also very clever. Remember that video you made me watch of a set of squirrels defeating a maze that scientist guy set up? You liked them then!"
Starsky grimaced and conceded Hutch had a point. "I guess."
"Never mind, pal. The squirrels get your cake but you can finish ours off, if you like."
"Can I?"
"Yeah, go ahead."
Hutch watched with satisfaction as his friend grabbed the last slice and put it on his plate. However bad Starsky's eating habits, they didn't seem to have done him any harm.
"Whatcha doing the rest of the day?" Starsky asked, as he poured himself another coffee.
"Well, I think in about half hour, I shall be helping you walk off all that sugar," Hutch said. "Shall we walk around the park today? About three times ought to do it."
Starsky just grinned as he took another bite of delicious fruit cake.
(Prompt for Jan 21 - National Granola Bar Day, National Hugging Day,
Squirrel Appreciation Day and National Fruitcake Toss Day amongst many!)
22nd January 2023 – National Blondie Day
S: Hey pal, it's your day today!
H: What are you talking about?
S: It's Blondie Day!
H: Are you sure you read that right? I mean I never heard of brunette or redhead day. Why would there be a blond day?
S: Let me double check...Oh, it's National Blondie Day as in Blond Brownies...that'll teach me to look at my phone without my glasses on!
H: Shame. It might have been nice to have a day dedicated to me
S: Well, it still can be. How about I take you to Delicious for some of those blond brownies?
H: I shouldn't...but okay, let's do it.
S: Pick you up in ten, Blondie
24th January 2023
S: Hey partner, you're looking very dapper today!
H: Thank you, but I'm not wearing anything different from normal.
S: Oh well, in that case you are looking dapper as always.
H: Starsky, are you trying to get me to do something for you? Why are you being so nice?
S: I'm always nice!
H: Hmm. When it suits you.
S: Hey! I'm always nice to you!
H: Again I say, when it suits you.
S: Well, you could say that about most people, couldn't you? You could say that about yourself even.
H: Yes, okay, true...Why are you being particularly nice to me today?
S: You should have asked that question in the first place! It's National Compliment Day.
H: Is it indeed! That's terrible!
S: Why?
H: Because it's saying it's okay to be rude the other three hundred and sixty-four days of the year.
S: Of course, you'd see it that way!
H: Don't you?
S: Nah. Just a reason to be extra especially nice today...Now, shut up and eat your peanut butter and jelly sandwich. And you'd better say something complimentary about it.
H: zipped lips
National Days - Compliments and Peanut Butter
26th January 2023 – Coughing
H: Morning pal! Where are we going for our walk today?
S: (cough cough) I don't think I can walk today, pal (cough cough). I can't do anything without (cough cough) coughing!
H: Oh no! When did this start? Have you seen a doctor?
S: Relax pal. Max gave me his bug is all (cough cough). I'll be fine in a couple of days.
H: Okay...Do you want some company? I could come visit.
S: Don't want to give you this bug (cough cough). Nice idea though.
H: I'm not worried but, if it worries you, how about we sit in your study with the windows open to let the germs out.
S: Good idea. See you at ten thirty?
H: Yep.
S: You can talk. I'll do the (cough cough) listening.
H: That'll make a nice change!
S: (cough cough) Don't make me laugh!
H: smiley face
28th January 2023 – Still Coughing
H: Hey buddy. How's that cough of yours?
S: Coming and going. I just think I'm getting better and then...(cough cough)...you get the idea. Irritating!
H: You still taking that disgusting cough mixture?
S: Yes although I don't know why I'm bothering!
H: Keep taking it, pal. It has to be disgusting for a reason! Remember, when we were kids and whatever concoction our parents made us take for illnesses always tasted vile but they said it was doing us good. It's just like that.
S: I guess. What are you up to today?
H: Well, I'm going to a seed swap at the community garden this morning. My prize winning runner beans are like gold in the vegetable market! I should come back with loads of interesting seeds to try out this year.
S: Sounds great. And then?
H: And then I'm coming to see you and bringing in whatever food substance will cheer you up! Anything good on the National Days list for today?
S: Blueberry pancakes.
H: Nice.
S: I think I'd rather celebrate yesterday a day late!
H: What was yesterday?
S: Chocolate Cake Day.
H: Ah, the well known cure for any illness. Chocolate cake it is. See you about two thirty.
S: (smiley face) thanks pal!
5th February 2023 – Down in the Dumps (Winter Related)
Starsky looked at his cell phone and saw Laura was ringing him. It wasn't unheard of so he didn't let himself worry.
"Hi Mac, what can I do you for?"
"Hello Dave, I wondered if you were planning on coming over tomorrow?"
"Well, no, Hutch and I planned a walk for Tuesday."
"Oh. Okay. That will be fine probably."
Starsky heard the hesitation.
"What's up? Is Hutch okay?"
"Yes, he says he's fine...just that his brain has imploded. You know how he gets sometimes."
Starsky nodded to himself. "Yeah, I know. Anything in particular trigger it this time?"
"I don't know...I mean we've had rain three days in a row. He hates being stuck indoors. He keeps looking at his seed packets and then saying it's too early to open them. I think he's desperate for Spring. You know he seems to get a little worse each year waiting for Spring to start. You got any good ideas where I should take him to cheer him up?"
"Actually I do. We haven't been to the Descanso Gardens for ages. Funnily enough, I read something the other day saying they've got a seasonal display of lights in the woods and I remember thinking I must tell Hutch about it. He loves it there anyway whatever the weather and maybe the light display will perk him up. What do you think?"
"That sounds like a great idea."
"What have you guys got on this afternoon?"
"Not a thing."
"Then let's not leave it. Let's go today. Put Hutch on the phone and I'll tell him we're going out. Pick you both up at eleven?"
"That sounds perfect. Thank you. I'll just get Ken...Honey, it's Dave for you."
Starsky waited for Hutch to come on and then asked, "Hey pal, how are you doing?"
"Fine. You?"
Anyone else would have taken Hutch at his word but Starsky could hear the flat tone that meant something was amiss. "I'm fed up with the rain," Starsky said.
"Tell me about it," Hutch agreed.
"I saw an advert for Descanso Gardens the other day. We haven't been there in ages and it seems they've got this new thing called the Forest of Lights. It sounds cool. Just the sort of thing to brighten up a dark pre-Spring day. Wanna go?"
"Sounds interesting." And Hutch did sound interested. "When did you have in mind?"
"Well, how about today? Get your walking shoes on, grab an umbrella and I'll pick you both up at eleven."
"Well, I'd better check-"
"-Mac already said you're both free."
"She did?"
"She did." Starsky heard Hutch hesitate. "Come on, pal, you know a walk will make you feel better and I bet the lights will help too...Soon be Spring, Hutch, but this will help keep you going till then."
"Sounds great...and thanks, Starsk. I know what's wrong but I don't have the mental capacity to do anything about it. You know what I mean?"
Starsky chuckled. "I do. Although, anyone else hearing you use words like mental capacity will assume your brain is functioning fine!"
Starsky was glad to hear his friend laugh.
"See you shortly, pal, and remember your brain functioning at half speed is still faster than most people's do. Don't be so hard on yourself."
"Okay. See you soon."
As he turned the phone off and slipped it into his jacket pocket, Starsky felt glad that he was still able to come to his friend's aid when he was needed...and sometimes even when his friend hadn't yet realised he needed help. It had always been that way between them and he hoped it always would be.
8th February 2023 – Crossword Puzzle
S: How's your crossword going?
H: Nearly done.
S: You've been frowning at it for the last ten minutes. Are you stuck?
H: No.
S: You sure?
H: Yes, I'm sure.
S: Okay......What did you get for three across?
H: Starsky, we agreed we'd both do the crossword separately and then compare notes at six. There's three minutes to go.
S: If you haven't finished it by now, you're not going to. Beers are on you.
H: Not so fast. I've still got two and a half minutes.
S: Is it the State that's got you flummoxed? I keep telling ya to borrow my book on the State flowers and birds and then you'd be able to answer the questions easy.
H: If they gave proper clues, like capital cities or rivers, I'd know it. My geography is way better than yours!
S: You can't fight the system, pal. It's always flowers and birds and always will be. Time's up.
H: I've still got thirty seconds......
S: Give up?
H: Huh, I suppose...but let's swap papers and check you didn't cheat.
S: Sore loser!
H: (grumbling) Iowa? Of course!
S: Beers are on you. Huggy's place?
H: Yeah, sure.......Starsky?
S: Yeah?
H: Can I borrow your book over the weekend?
S: smiley face
(US Iowa Day today)
19th February 2023 – Weird Dream
S: Morning pal! I had the weirdest dream last night.
H: What did you eat before you went to bed? That's probably what caused it.
S: That's beside the point. Don't you want to know what my dream was about?
H: Not really. But I guess I'm going to hear about it anyway!
S: See there were these two youngish women-
H: -Is this an x-rated dream? I'm not sure I want to hear it.
S: Shut up and listen! There were these two youngish women and they were driving around in a car and it sort of felt like they were detectives and I was watching them doing their job. They drove along to a prison and went inside. They got taken along to a room and then these two prisoners came in. It was us, Hutch! What do you think it means?
H: I think it means you ate too much cheese last night.
S: You don't think it's a premonition of the future?
H: Starsky, how many times do I have to tell you, you are not clairvoyant, you don't have ESP and your dreams are just dreams!
S: Oh...okay...It was just so vivid, ya know. Kinda freaked me out.
H: I can tell that! How about we go for a long walk and blow the remnants of that nightmare away?
S: Sounds like a great idea! Shall we take the dogs along?
H: Yeah, let's do that. See you in fifteen?
S: Yep! Thanks pal.
(We all know the news this referred to!)