RAINY DAY
By: Lynne G.
The rain had been coming down in buckets since early morning, and it had not let up at all.
Inside the livingroom of the large ranch house it was warm and cozy, with a large fire burning in the fireplace.
Ben Cartwright was sitting in his favorite chair reading his newspaper. His two older sons, 17 year old Adam, and 11 1/2 year old Hoss were playing checkers. The baby of the family, Little Joe was only five years old, and he was sitting on the floor playing with his toy soldiers. The child was getting over a bad cold and chest infection, and he was getting bored with having to stay indoors.
Little Joe's mother had been dead for a couple of months, and he missed her very much. She could always find something to keep this very active little boy busy.
" Papa, can I go outside ta pway peaze?" Little Joe asked. "No son, it's raining so we have to stay inside today," Ben told the little boy, hoping the child would go back to play with his soldiers.
Little Joe stopped playing and looked over at Ben, then over to his brothers, and he giggled softly to himself. He got on his knee's and crawled over to his brothers, growling.
" Grrr, grrr," growled the little boy with the bright green eyes and curly brown hair. He crawled over to Adam and bit him on the leg. " Ow, why did you bite me little brother?" asked Adam as he rubbed his leg while looking down at the growling boy.
" I's a big bear, and I'mma gonna eat ya Adam. Grrr, grrr ! Den I'mma gonna eat Hoss up," said the growling and giggling little boy. " Pa, help us ! There's a grizzly bear in here and he's gonna eat us," yelled Hoss. " Will you stop trying to eat my leg you little bear. It hurts !" yelled Adam.
" Grrr, grrr, grrr. Ya dunt taste so good Adam," said the little bear as he made a funny face.
Hoss and Ben were laughing at " their little bear " with the curly hair.
" Hey Pa, I think this little bear is heading your way," warned Adam. " Grrr, grrr, grrr, I fink I'mma gonna taste Papa now. Watch out Papa cuz here I's come. Grrr, grrr, grrr!" growled the little boy who was giggling too.
" HELP ME BOYS !! I'm about to be eaten by this scary bear," called Ben. By now the little bear was rolling on the floor giggling. " Come on boys, lets get this scary bear," said Ben laughing.
Adam and Hoss joined Ben on the capture of the very dangerous little bear. The three Cartwrights stood over the giggling, growling bear and they reached down and started to tickle the child bear. Soon all four Cartwrights were laughing loudly.
Ben picked up the little bear, held him and made like he was going to eat the little bear. He carried the giggling child over to the sattee and laid him down. He then lifted up the little boy's shirt, put his mouth on the child's stomach, and he started to blow on the child's tummy, making funny noises.
Little Joe was laughing so hard, that he had tears running down his face. He kept trying to get away from Ben, but Adam and Hoss made sure he stayed put. " Papa, I gotta pee ! I gotta pee !" yelled Little Joe. Ben let his baby son up, and the child ran up the stairs to his room to use the chamber pot. When he came back down the stairs again, he got onto his knee's and he started to crawl and growl again.
Then Hoss and Adam got down on their knee's and they were growling too as they went after their little bear brother.
They finally got a hold of their little brother, aka little bear, and they started to tickle him again. The house was filled with loud laughter. Ben was having a good time watching his son's laughing and having a good time again.
" What wrong with family ? Why laugh so hard?" asked Hop Sing. " The boys are just having some fun. Everything's alright Hop Sing," Ben said with a big smile on his face. With that said, Hop Sing headed back to the kitchen with a big smile on his face too. He loved to see his family happy again, especially Little Joe. The little boy had been very sad lately since his mothers' death.
After a few minutes later, the little bear crawled out to the kitchen, and once he reached the kitchen, he began growling at Hop Sing. " Grrr, grrr, grrr !!!!"
Hop Sing looked down at the growling little bear, and he smiled, then he said, " are you going to eat me little bear?" " Grrr, grrr, grrr. I'mma not gonna eat ya Hop Sing. I's jest pwayin' at bein' a bear," said Little Joe. " What you do with Little Joe?" asked Hop Sing. " I's ated him all up," said the little bear proudly.
" You go tell little boy's family dinner ready now," said Hop Sing trying not too laugh. The little bear crawled out of the kitchen and announced dinner was ready.
" Mr. Cartlight, this little bear says he ate Little Joe," said Hop Sing. " Yes he did Hop Sing. We are all going to miss that little boy very much," said Ben trying to sound and look very sad. " That's fer sure. I really miss him already," said Hoss
" Papa, I's dunt eat me ! See, I'mma still here. Da bear wented bye bye," said Little Joe as he stood up. " Oh, little buddy, we missed you so much, and now you have come back to us," Adam said as he picked up his baby brother and gave him a kiss on his the top of his head.
After dinner, Adam and Hoss went out to the barn to do their chores. " Papa, can I's go help Adam and Hoss wiv da chores?" asked Little Joe. " No sweetheart. I don't want you out in the rain, or in the cold barn until you are better. Papa doesn't want you getting sicker. Besides, I get lonely when you aren't in here with me. You don't want Papa to be lonely do you?" asked Ben. " Oh, no Papa. I stay in here wiv ya. Dat way ya won't get lonely," said Little Joe with a big smile on his face.
When Adam and Hoss came back in the house, Hop Sing had hot chocolate and cookies waiting for them. Ben and Little Joe also had some too.
When they finished their hot chocolate, Ben said it was time for Little Joe to get ready for bed. Ben picked up his little son and gave him a piggy back ride up to his room, and help him get ready for bed, and a story. " Night night Adam, Hoss," said the little boy on his way up the stairs giggling. " Night little brother," they both said.
After Little Joe was in his nightshirt, he said his prayers, used his chamber pot, and then he jumped into bed. He held his little teddy bear in his arms, had his thumb in his mouth as he listened to Ben reading to him. Before Ben got to page two, Little Joe was sound to sleep.
Ben looked down at his precious baby boy, smiled and gave the child a kiss on his forehead. " Good night my precious baby. Sweet dreams baby," he softly said as he turned down the lamp.
Before he left the room, he looked back at his little son, and he softly said, " I love you baby," Then he left the room.
THE END