March Drabbles

Deja Vu

Great, here he was cuffed to a radiator and all because his picky pain of a DI had insisted on the “softly, softly” approach yet again.  Last time he’d been shot in the hip flask.  Waste of good whisky. 

This time, they’re going to infiltrate a dodgy film set and Tyler has insisted they rehearse their part.  Which would have been okay if they hadn’t both assumed the other had the key.  They’re having to wait for Chris to get one.  And now Sam’s moaning that he’s hot and he, Gene, is obliged to help him take his shirt off.  

---000---

Landmarks

They were standing by the war memorial, waiting for Gene, when Ray said “It would have been better if my Grandad had died in the war.”

Sam looked horrified, “How can you say that?”

“He had shell-shock; all he did once he came home was sit in front of the fire and shout whenever anyone made a noise.  You can’t call that a life.”  Ray paused and added, “’He died years ago.  Never  thought about him, until I got blown up.  That was bad enough, but being in a foreign country, away from home, no wonder his mind was affected.”

---000---

Signs of Spring

Gene Hunt wasn’t in his house when his inspector knocked.  So Sam Tyler walked round the side of the house to find his very grumpy boss standing in the middle of the garden glaring at a clump of snowdrops.

“B****y things,” Gene muttered .

“I like them,” Sam objected, “they’re a sign of spring.”

“So is the missus insisting that I mow the lawn.”

“Shall I put the kettle on?”

“No, you finish the lawn.  I’ll put the kettle on.”

A little later Gene was grinning at a further sign of spring – his DI stripping off a sweat covered shirt.

---000---

Crackers

There was a loud crack behind them and Sam leapt into the air, instantly starting to look round for somewhere to hide.

“What’s wrong with you, Dorothy?” Gene laughed as two more bangs sounded in quick succession.  “Afraid of a few fire crackers?”

A quick glance at his DI’s face and Gene stopped laughing.  Whatever demons these crackers had conjured up they had nothing to do with Chinese New Year, for Sam was now shaking and looking as if he was going to cry.

Silently Gene put his arms round the younger man and led him away from the noise.

---000---

Just Like That

They were walking back along the hospital corridor, when Gene suddenly stopped. 

“That sounds like Carling’s voice,” he said.

They peered around the ward door, to see Ray wearing a fez, telling jokes and performing conjuring tricks to a group of entranced children.

A doctor, who was coming out of the ward at that moment, saw their surprised expressions.  “It’s good to see those kids smiling for a little while.  He comes every week and they really look forward to seeing him.”

Sam and Gene left quietly, both agreeing not to mention Ray’s out of office activities to anyone else.