Hoppy's Surprise
By Debbie B
"EEEEEE!" screeched Hop Sing. "It not easy being caregiver
for big man, little boy and two studs…what you expect me do with all this
launddry?"
"Look at mess on floor, on bed, hanging on chair, laying across table and bookcase…who you think you are?"
"Hop Sing don't like mess…get it?"
"Clean up, pick up, cook up, pack up….that it, Hop Sing pack upâ…go back China…there he be waited on!"
"Mis'tr Hoss always hungry, cook, cook, cook…eat, eat, eat and then want more…him big man, never full, not like Lit'le Joe, him eat veryy little, very picky, picky, picky…why Hop Sing bother?"
"Hmm…why number one son always wear black? Men think Mis'tr Addam big bad man cause him wear black all time, never nice shirt, like red. Hop Sing happen to like red, but no…him have to have black, blacck, black. Wash, wash, wash…that all Hop Sing get done, cook annd wash, wash and cook…never no time for fun, like Lit'le Joe have.&nnbsp; He purty boy, ladies love number 3 son…Him love the ladies too.. Lipstick always on collar…hard to get out. I scrub and scrub and still there stain. Why women paint faces? No like that on lady…no…not Hop Sing. Like plain and naturalâal…like the great Budda made."
"HOP SING!"
"Dadburnit…what now? Mr. Ben him shout so loud, windows rattlee and walls tremble. He got such big voice, scare many people. But not Hop Sing...no sir, Hop Sing afraid no man, not even Mr. Ben…weell, almost not."
"HOP SING!"
"I coming, Mr. Ben…work, work, work, never no play for Hop Sing.&nbssp; Hop Sing cook, clean, scrub, wash, and then cook, clean, scrub and wash more…it never get done, never. And do they ever say, 'thank youu Hop Sing', no not one time. Hop Sing no remember last time one Cartwright say, thank you."
"HOP SING!"
"Okay, okay, Hop Sing come…@%+%&#…what you want Mr. Ben?en?"
"Here, Hop Sing, this is for you, from the four of us," Ben said, handing the servant a long white envelope.
Hop Sing's almond shaped eyes, widened in surprise.
"What this?"
"It's our way of saying thank you for all you've done for us over the years." Adam supplied.
"Yeah, we hope ya like it, Hop Sing," grinned Hoss expectantly.
"Hurry, open it!" Little Joe said in his bubbly voice.
Hop Sing ripped opened the envelope and pulled out some papers. He glanced at them and then up at the Cartwrights. His eyes were full of questions.
"It's a ticket, Hop Sing," laughed Joe as he took the papers from Hop Sing's hands and unfolded it. "See," he said.
"Ticket!" screeched Hop Sing. "What Hop Sing want with ticket? Where Hop Sing go?"
Ben looked puzzled, glanced around at his sons and then slipped an arm around the little man.
"Hop Sing, the boys and I bought you a ticket to San Francisco, see, here it is," Ben explained, pulling the ticket out and placing it into Hop Sing's hand.
"It's for ya birthday, Hop Sing," grinned Hoss, explaining what the ticket was for.
"You want Hop Sing go to San Francisco?" stammered the little Chinaman. "Why…what Hop Sing do in big city?"
"Yes…yes…we do, Hop Sing," Ben grinned.
>
"You get rid of Hop Sing?"
"No…no of course not, Hop Sing," Adam jumped in to say. "We waant you to go to San Francisco to catch a ship, you're going to China!"
"GO TO CHINA!" Hop Sing shouted in rage.
"Yeah, sure, Hoppy, we thought you'd like to go back for a while and visit your family, so we all chipped in and bought you a ticket," beamed Little Joe.
Hop Sing's eyes turned dark and he flung the tickets at Ben. A folded fist was molded by his twisted fingers and he shook it under his boss' nose.
"Hop Sing not go to San Francisco, Hop Sing not want to go back to China…"
"But…but you've always said…" Ben stammered.
>
"I know what I say…you think Hop Sing really mean it? You fooll, all
you fool. Hop Sing only got one family and you four fools are it! Why you
not make Hop Sing birthday cake instead, buy new shirt or slippers, why
you want sent Hop Sing so far from home? You big dump ox…all of you! I go
make own cake, you go China…I'm staying ho home…got that?"
Hop Sing left four men staring in open-mouthed wonder at his retreating back.
"@#$* Hop Sing no want go China…@*)+_$!^ I stay Ponderosaâ…only home Hop Sing want! Only family Hop Sing got…the Cartwrigghts…hmp!"
"<&$@@*+"
THE END