Thousands and thousands of bright stars in the black sky, light years away, winked down to you. If you gazed at them long enough, relaxed, lazy-eyed, you would mezmerize and then be there. In space. Floating. Another particle suspended in the dark brilliance. But if you tried too hard, focused, you would remain heavy and earthbound.
Starsky was drifting up there, enjoying the out-of-body experience when Hutch's voice pulled him back swiftly to the hood of the car they were laying across.
"Works, huh?"
"Yeah. That's really neat, Hutch. Where'd you learn that?"
"We used to do it all the time when we were kids. Go and lie down in a field outside of town. On a night like this."
Starsky sighed and put his arms behind his head on the windshield. "Never saw too many starry nights like this in the Big Apple."
"Well, it would be better without that beacon light, but you get the idea."
"Uh huh....gives new meaning to 'take a trip and never leave the farm'. How come you never showed me this before?"
Hutch shrugged. "I haven't thought about it in a long time. In fact, I don't remember doing it since I was a kid."
Starsky snorted as he thought of his own childhood. "When I was a kid, at night we used to get a can of gasoline, pour it down the top of Woods Street...it was on a hill...and light it when a car got about halfway up."
Hutch popped his eyes wide. "You what?"
"Didn't you ever do anything like that?"
"No!"
"Oh, it was harmless, not enough gasoline to light the whole street, just enough to scare the livin' daylights outta whoever was driving." He started to laugh at the memory. "God, the way those brakes screeched, the car would just slam to a stop! The best part was they could never back up very straight......panic, you know."
Hutch was laughing along with him when they heard the first low rumblings.
"Here comes another one." Starsky said happily.
They both pulled themselves up to a sitting position. Peering straight ahead through the chain link fence in front of the car, a far but brilliant beam stared at them down through a long lane of orange lights . The rumble in the distance built quickly into a deep roar and the beam started moving towards them. As it grew larger and larger the noise became even more thunderous and the look in their eyes wider. Then slowly, elegantly, the bright light lifted off the ground.
Wow, Hutch mouthed, his words lost in the din. They simultaneously leaned back down onto the windshield as the jet closed on them, looming low like a gigantic bird. Just as it swept over the car, its long silver belly shining, the air cracked with the noise, ultimate and deafening. Quickly gone behind them, the wake from the jet's engines were still resounding loudly. Starsky and Hutch grinned at each other.
When the roar faded away into the distance, Starsky, looking back up a the sky, spoke first, a little awe in his voice.
"Man....that was somethin'. That was a big one."
It took a moment for Hutch to respond. "That was a big one, huh?"
"Yeah...what I just said." Starsky thought for a moment. "Was that a 747?"
Hutch continued his dreamy gaze upwards. "What's the matter, cat got your tongue?"
A flash of confusion crossed Starsky's face and he looked at his partner. "Hutch.....Hutch!!"
Hutch jerked his head. "What?"
"What? Can't you hear me?"
"Of course I hear you. You're yelling."
Starsky rolled his eyes. "Are you sure this isn't going to cause permanent damage? Cause I think your ears just grabbed a ride outta here."
"Nah...don't worry about it. I've done this many a time. Can still hear a pin drop a mile away."
"Right, Superman. Whatever you say."
They both rested their heads back, scanning the panorama above. A calm had returned to the air, neither disturbing it for a few moments til Hutch spoke.
"Hey, Starsk....what would you do if you won a million dollars?"
"Are we bored here?"
"Everybody's got a plan. What's yours?"
Starsky spent a moment considering this.
"Oh, I don't know. I guess the usual, trips, a house...nah, scratch the house. I don't know, Hutch, I never buy lottery tickets so it doesn't keep me awake at night....What would you do with all that money?"
Hutch scrunched up his face. "I think I'd have to give most of it away."
"Huh?" Starsky was surprised. "Why would you do that?"
"Well, think about it, Starsk. I'm happy. I'm doing what I want to do. Why change anything?"
"Yeah, but not to have to worry about rent..." he patted the hood of the car, "you could go out and buy yourself a real car."
"I like this car."
"Hutch, it doesn't like you. This here is a woman hanging onto you for your pocketbook."
"Yeah, I guess I'd break down and treat myself to a new car. But, you know...if you handed me a million dollars tomorrow, I'd have fun spending some of it. Then I think I'd be stumped."
"Wouldn't fly a blond or a redhead down to the Carribean or somethin'?" Starsky teased. "You win a million dollars, you can think big, Hutch."
Hutch chuckled. "I'd flash it, who am I kidding?"
Starsky returned the laugh, then looked over. "But that would wear thin, huh?"
"Yeah, it would be fun, but... I think it'd start changing things I don't want to change."
"I hear ya. Just don't forget me when it gets to be a burden, huh?"
"Oh, you'd be suffering right along with me, Starsk." Hutch laughed.
Another comfortable lull ensued, each lost in their own thoughts for a time.
"So," Starsky broke the silence, "how's it going with Eileen? How come you didn't bring her out here tonight? Or am I not your first?" A sly grin.
"I don't know if this would be her kind of thing." Hutch answered.
"The more I get to know her, the more confused I get, you know?"
"Comin' from you, I believe it."
Hutch paused, then asked Starsky in a serious tone.
"I know you would have married Terry. Think you ever will get married?"
Starksy was slow to respond. "No... I won't marry, Hutch."
"Never say never, Starsk." When that was met with silence he tried again. "Why wouldn't you marry?
"Oh..." Starsky hedged, not knowing whether to continue. "I don't want to make any woman a widow."
"We all go one time or another, partner." Hutch put in. "You don't marry just because you're not immortal."
Starsky regretted his next words as soon as they were out of his mouth.
"I don't think I'm going to make it out of this job alive, Hutch.
Hutch shot up, shock on his face.
"What are you talking about?"
Starsky caught his look and quickly averted his eyes. "Never mind."
"No, I won't 'never mind'. What do you mean?"
Starsky did look back and slowly sighed. "Let's face it, Hutch. I'm on the Grim Reaper's dance card. One of these days he's going to drag me out to the floor."
"Starsk, don't talk like that...." Hutch uttered.
"Hutch, look, it's not somethin' that's eating away at me. It's just a feeling...I'm probably wrong, huh? Forget I mentioned it."
"How am I supposed to forget it? I never knew you felt that way."
"Gees, I'm sorry we ever brought this up. Who says I know what's going to happen? I'm only telling you why I wouldn't marry. Look, if it'll make you happy, I will - tomorrow - and you can be the maid of honor." He flashed his best smile...he hoped.
Hutch regarded him for another moment then leaned back again without a word. Starsky watched his face set in a small grimace and waited.
"Hutch?"
He was ignored.
Starsky sat up this time, leaning on his elbow.
"So, what, are you mad at me now?"
Hutch squinted ahead, frowning. "Yeah....I guess it makes me kind of mad that you feel like that."
"Why? I think I've earned it."
"Nothing will happen like that. You..."
"Let's be real, Hutch." Starsky cut in. "How many chances do I get?"
"Then why are you still on the force?" He shot back angrily. "You never told me about this....Are you sticking around just for me?"
Starsky was pensive for a moment, then answered. "Yeah...I am. For you and me." He shrugged in a helpless gesture. "It's what I want to do."
"So...you're walking around out there, thinking you're probably going to die on some sidewalk one day....just for our partnership?"
Hutch watched a fragile, crooked smile form on Starsky's face.
"Crazy, huh?"
Hutch stared as his partner lowered himself back down. He too laid back. The anger and fear worked its way around in his head and it was a long time before he spoke again. When he did there was resignation in his voice.
"You are crazy. That's why I can never let you stray far."
"And don't say you'll quit," Starsky replied quietly, "over something like this."
"I'm not saying anything."
"Good, let's change the subject."
"It's not over, partner. I'm filing this one."
Starsky squinted one eye as he thought hard...and fast.
"Alright, here's a joke for you, Blondie. How does a French boy get a Ukranian girl pregnant?"
"I don't know." Hutch answered a little sullenly. "Well, how?"
"Not too smart, are ya?"
Hutch chortled despite himself. "All these years, and I'm still in left field."
They exchanged warm smiles and the hush of the night fell on them.
"If you could change something, Hutch, going back, what would you change? And I don't mean anything on the job."
"Hmmm, for starters, I would never have married Vanessa."
"Okay, what else?"
"I guess I would signed up for the police force a lot sooner. Listened to myself instead of my parents and everybody else....What brought this up?"
Starsky made a face. "I don't know. Just looking up there, at this huge universe, I'm thinkin' about what little time we have down here..."
"Oh, don't go getting all dark on me again, Starsky."
"No, I'm not. It just makes you think, you know. How smart you've been with your life. How you used it."
"What would you change then?"
"My dad, Terry."
Hutch pressed his eyes shut. "Okay...that's fair." He said softly.
"But something that was a decision, Starsk. Something you had complete control over."
"Well..." Starsky concentrated for a long moment then turned a grin on him. "Despite all the real rough times, Hutch, there's been a whole lot of good times. What I 'could' change...not worth worrying about." He happily shook his head.
"Then why are we having this conversation, for crying out loud!" Hutch almost wailed at him. "You're flip flopping all over the place on me here tonight."
"What?" Starsky was taken aback.
"Oh....just...do the floating up thing again, Starsky." Hutch sputtered.
"Okay." Starsky hesitated, then turned his attention back to the stars.
All was tranquil for a few moments and Hutch thought his friend's mind was wandering way up above when Starsky's voice disturbed the quiet again.
"What happens when we're gone? I mean long gone."
Hutch groaned.
"No, listen, Hutch. Famous people are written down in history. What about people like us? What happens to the memory of us, huh?"
"How do you mean?" Hutch's voice was even.
"I mean what happens to...what 'was' us?"
Hutch didn't answer right away as he considered the sky above him.
"See those stars?" He asked gently. "They're history, Starsky."
"Huh?" Starsky turned a bewildered face to him.
Hutch smiled and nodded upwards. "We're seeing what 'was' hundreds of years ago. Some of them thousands of years ago. That's how long their sight takes to get to us. Light years."
"I didn't know that..." Starsky whispered, raising his head with amazement.
"They were numerous, small and insignificant in that whole galaxy up there at one time, but we're out here tonight enjoying them. Some don't even exist anymore and we still see them."
Hutch watched the sapphire blue eyes as they peered up, wondering and marvelling. They glittered, reflecting the spectacle above. He enjoyed the childlike dawning on his partner's face.
"Everything has a history, an impact, Starsk...big or small... We'll always count, partner." After a moment he laughed to himself, then said, "Even when we're long gone, somewhere, somehow, I have a feeling you're still going to be getting under my skin."
Starsky slowly looked back down, then turned to Hutch, gladness on his face.
"I'm gonna try, Blondie."
Their attention was suddenly drawn to a deep noise ahead of them. A new light pointed towards them from the far end of the runway.
"Whoa!" Starsky sat up and drew his knees up to his chin. "Here we go."
Hutch eagerly sat up beside him. "Here's hoping again we don't make tomorrow's headlines. Tragic accident."
"What's gonna be a tragedy, Hutch, is your loss of hearing, we do this too often."
"What?"
"I said..." Starksy saw his big smile. "Smartass."
The jet began its tear down the runway, approaching them with a crescendo of noise as they gazed, delighted and spellbound, like two little boys. It's bright light lifted, menacing closer and closer, the roar from the engines threatening at them. Then it was soaring over their heads, once again shocking the air with its noise.
They sat back, arms behind their heads, still bathing in its awesome effects as the jet's engines echoed into the background. Starsky heard a different noise behind them and turned around to see that another car had pulled up not far away. He could see it was crowded. The doors opened and soon six or seven figures, hard to make out in the dark, were climbing onto the hood and roof. The music from their radio muted out soft feminine voices.
"Hey." He nudged Hutch.
"What?" Hutch jumped at the touch.
Starsky looked in exasperation at his partner once again, then motioned to the car. "We've got company."
Hutch twisted around to see what he talking about. He peered through the darkness, then turned back again.
"Our little secret's out." He said.
"Oh, well...it's a big show. Lots of seats, huh?" Starsky stretched his legs back down the hood of the car.
"Right-O, partner."
Someone turned the volume up on the radio and soon the only sound heard was the melody drifting out. It travelled upwards, with many pairs of searching, admiring eyes, into the black and sparkling night sky. The stars looked down and waited til all were one, listening to the gentle, distinctive voice.
It seems to me a crime that we should age
These fragile times should never slip us by
A time we never can or shall erase
As friends together watch their childhood fly*
The End
*lyrics to 'Friends' by Elton John