CHAPTER 9
Cassie walked through the mall searching for the perfect gift for Dave and Hutch as Starsky strolled through an endless maze of trees with his partner. One by one he studied them…some leaned to the right …some leaned to the left and some were just plain ugly. Hutch began to come towards him from the other side…inspecting the ones he thought to have a little potential. As if they were staking out the place they moved slowly towards the center. There wasn’t very much of a selection…but Hutch finally narrowed his choices down to one…while Starsky had his eye on another a few feet away.
“How about this one?” Hutch said as he glanced over at his partner.
“I like this one better.” Starsky told him with certainty.
Hutch took a few steps in his direction and studied the tree he had selected carefully before commenting.
“It’s bare on one side.” He told him.
“So we’ll put that side against the wall.” He replied.
“It’s going in front of the window dummy…there can’t be a bad side.” He told him.
“So I suppose you found a better one?” Starsky said with a little sarcasm.
“Take a look.” Hutch said as he motioned him to step towards it.
Starsky looked it over carefully to find a flaw…but there was non…it was perfect…not too bushy…not too tall…full and straight…it was beautiful.
“Hurry up and get the owner of the place while I guard it.” He told him. “It’s the best one I’ve seen.”
Hutch smiled a pleasing smile as he congratulated himself on his choice
and then hurried off to find the proprieter.
Starsky held onto the tree as a few people passed by him. He spotted
one lady watching him and admiring his prize with an eagerness that gave
him an uneasy feeling. If he had to…he would fight to defend his property.
She casually strolled up to him and smiled as she spoke.
“Nice tree.” She said softly.
“Yeah.” He answered her hesitantly.
“You know…this tree would look great with icicle lights…do you have any?’ She asked as she moved closer to him.
“Well…actually no.” He replied as he tightened his grip around the stalk.
“My kids are Five and Seven…I sure would like to bring a nice tree like this one home...especially since it looks like I won’t be able to get them much else this year.” She told him as he listened…and his heart began to melt. “It sure is a pretty one.”
“You mean…you don’t have any presents for your kids at all?” He asked in a sad voice.
“I’m gonna try my best to get them something…but if I can get them a nice tree…Maybe they won’t notice the empty space underneath it.” She said as she slowly turned away from him. “Merry Christmas.”
“Wait a minute…” He said as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. “Here…go buy this tree…I can find another one.” He told her as he produced a twenty-dollar bill from one of the folds.
“Oh…I just couldn’t.” She said with a blush red face. “It’s your tree…It’s so nice of you to offer to buy it for me….but I can’t…”
“Yes you can…” He told her as he took her hand and pushed the money into it…closing her fingers around it. “I insist.”
“Thank you…Thank you so very much!” She said with a smile as she reached up to kiss him lightly on the cheek.
He left her there and headed towards the front of the foliage in search of his partner…who was standing next to the owner and leaning on a tall fur tree.
“Hutch…” Starsky called out as he approached him.
“Why aren’t you guarding our tree?” He asked with a surprised look.
“It’s a long story…” Starsky said shyly.
“Don’t tell me…you lost it?” He questioned him. “How could you do that?”
“What do you think?…I have no heart?” He asked him with a sad expression. “Could you deny a couple innocent little kids a nice tree like that?” He explained. “We can find another one.”
“I knew I shouldn’t have left you with it.” Hutch told him. “You’re so gullible.”
“Just pick out another one will ya.” Starsky said finally. “It really doesn’t matter.”
“We’ll take this one.” He said as he pointed to the tree he had been standing next to and then looked at his partner as he lifted it with one hand
Starsky watched as Hutch left him standing there and carried it past him and towards his car… Stopping only to make one final comment over his shoulder….“Pay the man…”
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Chapter 10
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