Travel Plans
a sequel to Savior
by Rae
When Starsky began to feel better, Hutch started dropping brochures on his kitchen table.
"I heartermont?" Starsky said, coffee in hand, toast in mouth.
"'I love Vermont,' moron. I talked to Dobey. We're going next week."
Starsky looked at him, and Hutch tried on a grin he'd been saving for a while. It didn't seem to have much effect. But Starsky said, "Okay," and Hutch had to ask him to say it again, because he was sure he hadn't heard him right.
"I'll go," Starsky said. "Maybe I'll be able to sleep if I'm three thousand miles away . . ." He finished off the toast. "Hey, you didn't tell Dobey I haven't been able to sleep?" Hutch didn't answer, of course. "You did. Why'd you do that? I'm never gonna get off desk duty."
"That's why he's giving us a week off." And then Hutch nearly ruined the whole plan, because his mouth said brightly, and without permission: "They have raccoons in Vermont. Squirrels, too!" Starsky put the mug down on the table. Hutch checked discreetly to see if it had cracked from the blow. "And," he said, reassured, "no nudity laws."
"Huh?" Starsky picked up his mug, checked it for leaks, and finished off its contents. "They ain't allowed to be nude in Vermont? How do you take a shower? And, uh, go to bed?"
"'Go to bed'? What are you, twelve?" He switched to his patient voice, the one Starsky hated. "No, idiot, it means there are no laws against nudity. You can be nude in public there."
"That's how you're selling this? I can be nude in public?"
Hutch nodded. "And in bed."
"Okay. I said okay. But I don't gotta be nude, right? You're just saying I can be, right?"
Hutch nodded again, trying to look very earnest. "Me, too, you know. I can be nude, too."
"Sold!"
And Hutch thought maybe Starsky was going to get rid of his nightmare and come out in one piece after all.
Send feedback to Rae racric@verizon.net