"I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED !"

By: Lynne G.

Sheriff Roy Coffee rushed into Dr. Paul Martin's offfice    shouting for Paul as he carried an unconscious Little Joe Cartwright in his arms.  As soon as Paul came out from the back of his office he was shocked when he saw Roy carrying the boy in his arms.

" Bring him back here Roy !" Paul shouted as he held open the door for Roy.  Once they were in one of the exam rooms, Roy laid Little Joe on the exam table.  " Roy, what happened to him?  Where did you find him?" Paul nervously asked as he felt for a pulse on the boy's neck.  " He's been drinking!" said a very surprised and shocked Paul.

" I found him laying in the road about two miles out of town.  I could smell alcohol on him, and he must have been sick before he passed out.  He's so pale.  I just can't believe he was drinking.  My God Paul, he's only twelve years old," Roy sadly said.

" He seems fine, except for drinking too much.  I don't understand why he would be drinking for in the first place," Paul said as he slowly shook his head while he began to bathe Little Joe's very pale face.  " Little Joe, wake up son.  Little Joe !" Paul said as he was now gently slapping the boy's face.  " He ain't wakin' up Paul," a concerned Roy softly said as he watched Paul.  " Looks like he's going to have to sleep it off," Paul sadly replied, as he slowly shook the boy's shoulders.

" Roy, you had better ride out to the Ponderosa and get Ben.  God, I hate to tell him about this boy being drunk," Paul told Roy.  " I know," Roy softly answered.

" Where is that boy?  All I asked him to do was to ride into town and get the mail and come straight home and he can't even do that!" Ben angrily said, as Adam and Hoss looked at him.  " Pa, maybe the mail was late," Hoss said as he hated to see his little brother in trouble again.  " Hoss, face it, the mail is not this late.  He's probably goofing off as usual," Adam told Hoss.  Hoss glared at him.

A couple of hours later while the Cartwrights were busy doing yard chores, they saw Roy ride into the yard.

" Hi Roy," they all said.  " Hi Ben, Adam, Hoss," Roy answered back.  " Roy, what are you doing out here?" Ben asked.  " Ben, it's Little Joe.  He's at Paul's.  You better come with me," Roy explained.  Ben went pale at what he had heard, and he was shocked.  " Roy, what happened to him ?  Is he alright?" Ben nervously asked.  " He'll be fine Ben.  I'll let Paul explain what is wrong with him," Roy said, as he didn't want to tell Ben that his young son was drunk.

George and Max Sandstrom were two  drifters who Ben had hired a couple of months ago.  They never stayed at any job for very long.  They didn't like the Cartwrights very much.  They didn't like the way the Cartwrights dotted on the boy, and they were jealous of the boy.  It reminded them of their own younger brother, Ross, who could do no wrong in the eyes of their father.  They were blamed for every wrong thing Ross did, and they were punished for it.  Ross had died from an illness about ten years ago, and now with working for Little Joe's father, all they wanted to do was to get the boy in trouble with his family, something they had wished had happened to Ross.

George and Max had been watching Little Joe as he left for town, and they followed the boy.  They waited for the boy to return from town, and on his way home again.  Max stood where he could see the road, and as soon as he saw Little Joe heading their way, he told George to get ready.  It was about two miles out of town where the Sandstroms were waiting for the boy.

George quickly laid down in the middle of the road and he waited for the boy to ride by, while Max hid out of sight.  As Little Joe rode up, he noticed George laying in the road, so he jumped off Cochise and went to see if George was alright.  The boy hadn't seen George or Max before, so he didn't know that they worked on the Ponderosa.

As Little Joe kneeled down to check on George, Max jumped on him, and held him down while George blind

folded the struggling boy.  Once they had the boy blind folded, George held him while Max forced open the boy's mouth open and he began to pour whiskey down the boy's throat.  Little Joe tried to spit out the awful tasting whiskey, but he couldn't.  Once half the bottle of whiskey had been forced into the boy, Max took the bottle out of Little Joe's mouth while George kept holding the boy down.

Little Joe just laid there trying to catch his breath.   He couldn't figure out what had just happened to him.  His head was spinning fast, his throat and chest felt like they were on fire and he felt sick to his stomach.  A couple of minutes later he began to gag and he threw up several times.  When he finished, he rolled over on to his back, while his world kept spinning, it then turned dark.

George and Max were laughing as they took the blind fold off Little Joe.  " This should make old man Cartwright good and mad at his boy," George said as he and Max took one last look at the unconscious boy laying on the ground.

It took the Cartwrights and Roy just under two hours to reach Virginia City, and to Paul's office, where they jumped off their horses and rushed into Paul's office.

As soon as they entered the doctor's office, Paul came out from the back rooms to greet them.  " Paul, how's Little Joe?  What's wrong with him?" Ben excitedly asked.  He was sick with worry about his youngest son.

" Ben, Adam Hoss, Little Joe is going to be fine.  Please sit down and let me explain to you what is wrong with him.  First off, Roy found him laying unconscious on the road about two miles out of town, and he brought him straight back here."  Paul took a deep breath, and continued on.  " Ben, this is hard for me to say, but Little Joe is drunk, and he had been sick and he had passed out before Roy had found him.  I'm so sorry to have to tell you this Ben," Paul sadly said, as he put his hand on Ben's trembling shoulder.

The Cartwrights just sat there in total shock at what Paul had just told them.  " I..I don't know what to say Paul.  I can't believe my twelve year old son was drinking.  Where did he get the liquor, and why would he do something like this?  Wait until I get my hands on that boy.  He'll be on restriction for the rest of his life!" Ben said as he was now very angry.  Adam and Hoss didn't know what to think or say.  Neither of them could have ever have believed that their little brother would do something like this.

" Ben, Little Joe will be fine once he sleeps this off.  I don't think he drank very much, since it wouldn't take much to get a young boy like Little Joe drunk.  I gave him a good exam.  About the only problem he will have, is a big headache and an upset stomach, plus he might not remember much about what happened to him," Paul explained.

" Can we see him please, Paul?" Ben asked.  " Sure, right this way.  Now remember, he is sleeping," Paul told them.  Once they were in the back room where Little Joe was sleeping, Ben, Adam and Hoss looked down at the very pale boy who looked so little and so young, that it was so hard to imagine him being drunk.  " I still don't believe this," Ben softly said as he pushed back the boy's soft curly hair that was laying on the boy's forehead.  " Why son, why?" Ben sadly and softly asked his sleeping boy.

" Paul, when can we take him home?" Ben asked.  " I'd like to keep him here for the night Ben just to make sure he'll be alright.  That way I can give him something for his headache and stomach.  You can take him home tomorrow morning," Paul said.

" Pa, Hoss or I could stay here with him," Adam suggested.  " Thanks son, but if any of us stay, it will be me.  Don't worry, he won't be punished until we are back home," Ben said.  " I hate to leave him here," Hoss sadly said.  " I know you do son, but he'll be fine.  Don't worry," Ben replied.

Little Joe slept until late the next morning, when he woke up with a terrible headache.  Ben heard him moaning, so he walked over to the bed and he looked at his son who was struggling to open his eyes.

" Joseph, open your eyes now son.  You've slept long enough," Ben said.  Paul stood there watching as he held a glass with some medicine for Little Joe's headache and upset stomach.

" Oh, my head hurts.  Where am I ?  What happened?" the boy softly asked as he put his hands on both side of his

head.  " The room is movin'.  Make it stop please.  Oh my head," Little Joe mumbled.  " Here Little Joe, I want you to drink this," Paul said as he lifted up the boy's head.  Little Joe forced himself to drink the awful tasting liquid.  " Yuck !"  Paul eased Little Joe's head back down on the pillow and said, " You'll feel better in a few minutes son.  Just lay here and rest."

Little Joe closed his eyes again, as the room continued to spin, and he softly said, " Pa ."  " I'm here son.  Just do as Paul says, and you'll feel better in a few minutes," Ben said hoping to keep his anger controlled.  He could see just how horrible his son felt, and he hoped this would teach him a good lesson, so it wouldn't happen again.

It was late in the afternoon when Ben and Little Joe arrived home.  It had been a very silent trip on the way home, with neither Cartwright saying anything.  Adam and Hoss had come out to meet them.  Little Joe looked very pale and very tired as he sat there on Buck with his father sitting right behind him.  " How ya feelin' little brother?" Hoss asked as he helped the boy off of Buck.  " Awful !" the boy replied.  " Little Joe, I want you to go straight to your room now !" Ben angrily said.  " Yes sir," the boy answered without looking up at Ben as he slowly walked towards the house.  " Pa, did he say why he got drunk?" Adam asked.  " No, he claims he doesn't remember," Ben said as he looked towards the house.

" Joseph, I'm going to ask you again, and I want answers young man !  Why were you drinking?  Where did you get it from, and why did you get drunk?" Ben shouted.  Little Joe stood there trembling, with tears in his eyes while he looked at the floor.  " I..I...I don't know.  I don't remember," Little Joe softly said as he continued to look at the floor.

" Joseph, I am so disappointed in you.  All I asked you to do was to ride into Virginia City to pick up the mail and come straight back home.  You can't even do that one simple thing, but no, you decide to get drunk !  What is wrong with you boy?  You are only twelve years old.  For the love of God, what is wrong with you?" Ben shouted.  " Pa, please, I don't know what happened," Little Joe said as he looked up at Ben with tears running down his face.

" I'm sorry Joseph, but you will be on restriction for the next month.  You will not leave the yard unless one of your brothers, or I are with you.  Do you understand what I am saying to you?" Ben loudly asked.  " Y..Yes sir," the boy softly answered. " You will be given a very long list of chores to do, believe me, Ben explained.  The boy nodded.

Ben was true to his word and he kept his youngest son busy from sunup to sunset everyday.  There were many sections of fencing that needed to be repaired on the ranch, which was the only time the boy was allowed out of the yard. 

About two weeks later while Little Joe was the only one home, and he was very busy in the barn, George and Max snunk into the barn where they grabbed the boy and shoved him to the ground, and into an empty stall.  Once they had him blind folded, they forced half a bottle of whiskey into him.  Again Little Joe tried to fight off the two men, but he couldn't.  When the bottle was empty, they let go of Little Joe, who just laid there with his eyes closed and he was breathing hard.  They left the empty bottle laying next to the boy, who was moaning.  " See ya round kid," George said as he and Max laughed.  Then they quickly left.  A couple of minutes later, Little Joe was sick and he threw up several times before he passed out.

A hour later, Ben, Adam and Hoss rode in the yard about the same time as Hop Sing returned home from Virginia City, with more supplies.   " Hop Sing, it looks like the store restocked again," Ben said.  " Yes, they did," Hop Sing replied.  They all helped Hop Sing unload the buckboard and put the supplies away.

" I wonder where Little Joe is?" Ben asked as he looked around the yard.  " He's probably still working in the barn.  I see he finished getting all the wood chopped," Adam said.  " That's good.  At least he's trying, and he hasn't complained at all," Ben said.  " I'll go check in the barn, Pa," Hoss announced as he and Adam headed for the barn.

" Hey, little brother, ya in here?" Hoss shouted as he looked around the empty barn.  He's probably sleeping in the hayloft," Adam suggested, since that was their little brother's favorite place to be it seemed.  As Hoss  walked towards the ladder that led to the loft, he noticed feet barely sticking out from an empty stall.  " Adam, look !" Hoss loudly said as he pointed in that direction.  " Oh my God, Little Joe, what happened boy?" Hoss shouted as he saw his little brother laying on the floor unconscious.

" Oh no, not again !  He's drunk Hoss !" Adam said as he picked up the empty bottle.  " Why is he doin' this Adam?" Hoss asked as he picked up his little brother and he ran towards the house with the boy laying limp in his arms.  " Pa !" Hoss shouted.

" Adam followed Hoss, still holding the empty bottle in his hand.  When Ben came out to the porch, and saw Hoss carrying Little Joe, he got a sick feeling in his stomach.  " What happened to him Hoss ?" Ben shouted.  " Found him passed out in the barn," Hoss replied.  When Ben saw the empty bottle of whiskey in Adam's hand, he became very angry.  " He's drunk again !" Ben shouted.  " Looks that way Pa," Adam sadly replied. " I'm going to kill that boy so help me !" Ben again shouted.

Hoss carried his little brother up to his room and laid him down gently on his bed as Ben and Adam followed behind.  They soon had Little Joe undressed and bathed and into bed.  " Pa, should I go and get Paul?" Adam asked.  " No son, we'll  just have to let him sleep it off again.  I wonder where he got that bottle, and had it hidden?" Adam asked.  " I have no idea.  I'd love to know where or who is giving him the whiskey.  What am I going to do with him?  He certainly doesn't care what I tell him about drinking !" Ben loudly said as he looked down at his young son who was so very pale.

That next morning, Hop Sing had given Little Joe something for his headache and upset stomach.  The boy felt terrible.  His restriction was now a month longer.  Ben had punished him severely again.  Once again Little Joe didn't remember

what had happened to him.  All he knew that he had been working in the barn, then everything went black.

About a week later, Hop Sing found the boy passed out again, this time behind the barn.  Ben had questioned all the hands to see if anyone of them had given the boy whiskey, but none of them had.  George and Max had made sure they were busy somewhere on the ranch while Ben was questioning the other hands.

About two and a half weeks later, Little Joe was busy in the barn mucking out the stalls, not one of his most favorite things to do.  Ben and Adam were in the house going over the books, and Hoss was riding up the road that led to the yard.

In the mean time, George and Max had snuck into the barn and grabbed Little Joe again.  The boy struggled very hard to try to get away from George and Max, but he was no  match for the much larger and stronger men.  Once they had the boy on the ground and blind folded again, Max opened the boy's mouth, stuck the bottle in the boy's mouth and he began to pour the whiskey down the boy's throat.  After the half full bottle of whiskey was empty, Max took the bottle back out of the boy's mouth and tossed it down on the floor.  They had been so busy with Little Joe, that they didn't hear Hoss ride into the yard.

As soon as Hoss climbed off down from Chubb, he could hear struggling sounds coming from the barn, so he quickly ran over to the barn to see what was going on.  As soon as he saw what was going on, he ran over to George and Max, and he grabbed George and knocked him out, then he did the same thing to Max. He was also screaming for Ben and Adam.

Hoss quickly bent down to his little brother, took the blind fold off the boy, and he lifted the boy's head up while the boy was trying to catch his breath.  Little Joe's world was spinning out of control as he started to gag.  Hoss instantly turned Little Joe over to his side and he gently held the boy while he threw up several times.  " I gottcha little brother," Hoss softly said with tears in his eyes.

As soon as Ben and Adam had heard Hoss screaming for them, they jumped up and ran out the door and quickly to the barn.  The sight that greeted them was a big shock as they saw Hoss holding Little Joe while the boy was throwing up, and also they noticed George and Max laying on the floor unconscious.

" HOSS, WHAT'S GOING ON OUT HERE?" Ben shouted.  " Oh Pa, they was pourin' whiskey down Little Joe's throat !  Pa, he's so sick !" Hoss cried as he was still holding his little brother who had just passed out.  " He's trembling so bad," Hoss cried again as he held his baby brother for dear life.

Ben kneeled down next to Hoss and he took his young son into his own arms and held him tightly against his chest. " Adam, take those two into Virginia City and have Roy lock them up before I kill them !" Ben angrily said, as he continued to hold his trembling and unconscious boy in his arms.

Hoss helped Adam put George and Max on their horses and tie them down.  Then he went back over to Ben and Little Joe to help Ben with the boy.

Ben picked up his unconscious son and carried him into the house and straight up to his room.  Hoss called out to Hop Sing to please bring hot water and towels up to Little Joe's room.

Soon they had Little Joe cleaned up and into his nightshirt and safely tucked into his bed.  " Oh sweetheart, please open your eyes," Ben begged over and over.  " Pa, why did them two do this to Little Joe?  What did he ever do to them?  He's just a boy.  He didn't even know them," Hoss sadly said with tears still in his eyes as he looked down at his baby brother who was so pale looking, and unmoving.  " I don't know son, but I intend to find out as soon as I go into town and ask them.  I should have known that your little brother wouldn't do anything like this.  I thought he was out of control.  I feel so ashamed that I punished him so much.  The boy has been so depressed all this time.  How could I have not seen that?  No wonder he didn't know what was happening to him.  I only hope that he can forgive me for all the punishment I gave him," Ben softly said as tears ran down his face.

" Pa, we didn't know.  Me and Adam thought the same things you did.  I hope that little brother can forgive us too.  God, I love this little one so much Pa," Hoss said quietly.  Ben, Hoss and Hop Sing sat next to Little Joe's bed as they watched the boy sleep.  " I wish he would wake up.  I need to talk to him and tell him how sorry I am and how much I love him," Ben said, as Hoss and Hop Sing agreed with Ben.  " Hop Sing make sure he have medicine ready for boy when he wake up.  Boy do nothing wrong.  Boy innocent," Hop Sing declared.  " Yes, you are so right about that Hop Sing," Ben replied, as he continued to watch his boy sleep.

When Adam retuned home, Paul was with him, and they hurried up to Little Joe's room.  " Pa, how is he ?" Adam asked as he looked at the boy sleeping.  " He's still sleeping.  We got him cleaned up and into bed, and he hasn't moved at all," Ben replied.  " Ben, I can't believe those two good for nothing men would do something like this to a boy.  Let me examine him," Paul said.  After Paul had finished examining Little Joe, he told them just to keep giving him the medicine for his headache and upset stomach.  " Ben, this boy needs to rest and eat.  He also needs to be told what has happened to him.  Once you find out why those two men did what they did to the boy, Little Joe should be told why, and that it wasn't his fault.  My heart goes out to the boy Ben for everything those two have put him through," Paul explained.

" Ben, boys, Little Joe is going to need a lot of love and understanding.  Please be patient with him, give him time, and hopefully his depression will go away.  He's also exhausted as well.  Make sure he gets a lot of rest too.  I tell you, I feel like beating those two men to a pulp for what they did to this boy.  We can all thank God, that they didn't force even more whiskey into him.  Too much whiskey would have killed him.  It would have poisoned his entire body," Paul told them.  " Thanks Paul," Ben replied as he held Little Joe's small hand in his own large hand.

Little Joe felt awful the next day when he woke up.  Hop Sing had given him some medicine for his headache and upset stomach.  He more or less slept off and on all day and he when he was awake, he cried a lot, and he was very confused.

Ben and Adam had gone into Virginia City in order to find out why George and Max had forced whiskey into his young son.  After George and Max had explained why they did to Little Joe what they did, Ben pressed charges against for endangering the life of a young boy.

It took a lot of control on Ben, Adam, Roy and Paul's part as not to take out their anger on George and Max.

The next day, Ben tried to explain to Little Joe what had happened to him and why it happened.  The boy was confused, hurt, and very upset at what had happened to him.  He was emotionally drained, and he cried a lot.  Ben held him and told him that he would be just fine, and at how much they all loved him.  They also apologized to him about his punishment, which he didn't deserve in the first place.

Little Joe didn't say much to his family as he was just too confused and still upset at what George and Max had done to him.  When he wasn't in school or doing his chores, Little Joe preferred to be by himself, as it was easier to think without any interruptions.  It was taking him a long time to come to terms at what had happened to him.  He was also so very thankful that George and Max weren't his older brothers.  He knew that Adam and Hoss would never do anything like that to him.

He knew his family loved him so very much and he loved them more than life itself.  He also included Cochise in that love too.  He knew that he didn't have to worry about George and Max anymore either, as they were going to be in prison for a long time.

Before George and Max left for prison, they both apologized to Little Joe for everything that they had done to him, and they meant every word of that too.  They also told Little Joe that he was a very lucky boy to have such a wonderful and caring family who loved him so very much, but Little Joe already knew that.

The End.

RETURN TO LIBRARY