Hero
By Amanda Berendt
Copyright August 2003
 

    Detective Nick Knight sat at his desk watching his partner
talking animatedly on the telephone.  Detective Donald Schanke had
been on the phone for nearly twenty minutes.
    "What did it look like? Well, I know that, but how big was it?"
After several more minutes of similar questions, he hung up the
phone.  "Man, oh, man what we do for our kids."
    When Nick gave him a questioning look, he continued. "Jenny's
goldfish died this morning, and Myra wants me to replace it with one
the same size before she gets home from her sleepover tonight."  Nick
laughed at his partner's exasperation.
    Since they had just finished a major case, the two men got down
to business completing all the necessary forms and writing up their
reports.  Several times during the evening, some of their fellow
detectives and even a few uniforms came over to congratulate Nick on
catching the perp.  After each interruption, Nick found himself
looking over the desks at his partner to see his reaction.  If all
the attention Nick was getting was bothering Schanke, he wasn't
showing it.
 
*It must have been cold there in my shadow
To never have sunlight on your face
You were content to let me shine
That's your way
You always walked a step behind*
 
    As their shift dragged on, Nick began to straighten out the
piles of paperwork covering his desk.  He put what still needed to be
done into his IN box and the completed forms into an interoffice
envelope to be given to the captain.  He needed a break.
    A voice came from across the desks, "Hey Nick.  I know you're
really into this paperwork and stuff, but would you be able to drive
me over to the pet store then drop me off at home?  My car's in the
shop and Myra wants to be home in case Jenny calls." 
    Nick smiled.  "Sure, Schank.  I need a break.  This stuff is
almost done.  Why don't we just book of early?"  he said, eager to
get away from the monotony of desk work.
    On the way down to the parking lot, they encountered a few more
of Nick's 'fans.'  They wanted to know how Nick had been able to get
there ahead of everyone else and how he had been able to subdue the
suspect by himself.  Embarrassed by this attention, Nick looked past
the officers and saw Schanke waiting for him, smiling sheepishly when
he met Nick's gaze, as if he were sympathizing with Nick's
embarrassment.
 
*So I was the one with all the glory
And you were the one with all the strain
A beautiful face without a name
For so long
A beautiful smile to hide the pain*
 
    Finally reaching the parking lot, they climbed into the caddy.
As Nick pulled out onto the street, Schanke said "I hope the
department pays for all of your gas."  Nick laughed and they
jokedback and forth until Nick pulled the car up outside the pet
store. 
    Schanke got out, closed the door and leaned back into the car
window. "I'll be right back.  Gotta get a fish with the right
measurements." 
    Nick watched him enter the store.  The issue of replacing
Jenny's dead goldfish with an identical one seemed to be such a
trivial problem, but Schanke was putting so much effort into it
despite all of his complaining.  That was something Nick envied about
his partner.
    He thought back to the praise he had gotten at the precinct. 
Yes, he was a good cop and he had brought in the suspect single
handedly, but that was nothing compared to the joy Schanke would
experience from his family.  He would return home, saving the day by
averting the heartbreak Jenny would experience if she discovered her
dead pet.  Nick would gladly trade all of his commendations to be
able to protect a child from such a sadness.  Although he would never
admit it to anyone, the life Schanke had was what Nick was striving
for.
 
*Did you ever know that you're my hero
You're everything that I'd like to be
And I can fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings*
 
    Fifteen minutes later, Schanke came out of the pet store
carrying a clear plastic bag containing a bright orange goldfish. 
"Man, allof these things look alike to me."  He complained as he got
into the caddy. "But Jenny would notice if one of the fins was a
millimeter shorter."
    Nick laughed again as he put the car in gear and pulled out into
the evening traffic.  They soon left downtown behind as the car moved
into the tree lined streets of the suburbs.  This is what Schanke
came home to every day.  *He has so much to lose,* Nick thought. *He
goes out every night, puts his life on the line and gets
norecognition.*  Nick wanted to say something to his partner, but
itwas as if all the commendations didn't really matter.  When he
looked over, there was Schanke in the passenger seat poking at the
plastic bag and wondering out loud if there was enough air inside for
the fish.  Nick filed this moment with the others like it in his
heart. Schanke was stronger than anyone could see on the outside.
 
*It might have appeared to go unnoticed
But I've got it all here in my heart
I want you to know I know the truth
Of course I know it
I would be nothing without you*
 
    As they pulled up to the Schanke residence, Myra came down the
front steps in her pajamas and robe.  She waved a hello to Nick
through the car window and hugged Schanke as he got out of the car.
    "You're home early?" She said, then added in a whisper. "Did
youget it?"
    "Yeah," answered her husband. "We were just doing some
paperwork, so we booked off early when I asked Nick for a ride.
What's with the whispering?"
    Myra answered in a low voice. "Jenny came home about an hour
ago.  She got homesick so Katie's dad drove her home."
    "So how am I supposed to get this inside?" Schanke asked,
pointing to the baggie containing the fish.
    "She's in the living room.  I've been keeping her busy so
shewouldn't go upstairs."
    Myra and Schanke said good night to Nick and turned to go
inside.  Nick eased the caddy out of the driveway, pausing when he
reached the street to see the couple safely inside.  He could picture
hispartner sneaking upstairs to replace the deceased pet.  The
returning to the living room to greet his young daughter.  She would
be excited her daddy had taken the evening off to be with her.
   Reluctantly, Nick pulled away from the curb and headed back
towards the city.  Gazing out at the green lawns littered with balls
and bikes and the other trappings of family life, the flickering glow
of televisions behind curtains, he thought how luck Schanke was to be
a part of this life.  This is what his partner risked everytime he
came into work.  That took more courage than anything Nick had done,
and his partner would never get a commendation for it.
 
*Did you ever know that you're my hero
You're everything I wish I could be
And I could fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings*
 
    Several nights later Nick and Schanke were called into Captain
Amanda Cohen's office.
    "Detective Knight," she said with her usual stoicism. "The
crownis requesting that you and I escort Dollard to his hearing in
Edmonton."
    Nick shook his head, "Captain, I can't go to that hearing.  My
condition..." Thinking a moment, he added "Schanke knows all about
the case.  He did all the legwork, all I did was actually grab the
guy. He should go with you."  He could see that this had grabbed his
partner's attention.
    Cohen nodded. "OK, Knight.  I'll put through the paperwork to
get the name changed on the plane tickets.  That is, if Detective
Schanke wants to go."
    Schanke beamed. "Yeah, sure.  How could I pass up an all-expense
paid trip to Alberta."
    "Detective, this is official police business."  Cohen admonished. 
    "Yeah, I know, but we're going to have some free time after we
drop this guy off."
    Nick smiled as he watched the captain and his partner work out
exactly what a business trip was.  Finally, he thought, he would be
in the background as Schanke got the glory.
 
 ---Fin---

This story came to me when I heard Bette Midler's song "Wind Beneath
My Wings" on the radio last week.  I immediately thought of Nick and
Schanke.  I apologize in advance for any character mistakes – writing
for Schanke is not my strong point.  

Disclaimers:  The characters of Nick, Schanke, Myra, Jenny and Cohen
are not mine.  I am just borrowing them for a little while.