Bathhouse Woes
By: Katja
I know I am only going to work, but that doesn't mean I don't have to
wash up and comb my hair. I know my younger brother spends hours in
front of the mirror when he has a date, but normally he doesn't even
like to take a bath after work. Well, not me. I like to be clean,
like to look good, at all times. Not just for the ladies. I do it for
me.
I can hear Joe banging on the door now. Yelling at me to hurry up. I
casually ask him through the closed door what the hurry is if he's
only going to town to pick up the mail and the silence on the other
side of the door tells me more than his words could. I grin at my own
reflection in the mirror. Ah, so little brother wasn't just going to
pick up the mail. It's always interesting to have information like
that. I have a feeling he won't want Pa to find out he's meeting or
hoping to meet his latest conquest. Hope he won't forget that mail
this time.
Suddenly there's more banging on the door. Ah, my other brother now.
I suppose Joe thought he needed some muscle. I smile as I listen to
Hoss trying to help his brother. Wonder what Joe said to get him to
leave that mare in the barn for a few minutes. Must have been good.
He's been with that mare all night long. Still smiling I pick up my
bottle of what Joe calls my `fancy cologne from San Francisco'. In
fact it's not from San Francisco at all, but if that's what he wants
to think that's fine by me as long as he doesn't touch it. I
carefully apply a little bit of it; just enough to leave that nice
musky scent around me that never fails to get the ladies' attention.
Not that that is the reason I use it, mind you.
Suddenly another loud noise almost makes me drop that bottle, a
booming voice asking what all the blasted racket is about: Pa. I know
he was working on the ledgers earlier and he doesn't like to be
disturbed when he's doing that. It's definitely his most hated job
around here and even I tread lightly when he's at his desk. Guess my
brothers really did it this time. I shake my head and make a
soft "tsk tsk tsk" sound while I take one last look at my reflection.
Deciding I look good enough to face the cattle today I walk to the
door and open it. Immediately Joe ducks underneath my arm into the
bathhouse, closing the door behind him. I find myself looking into my
father's dark, frowned face, his jaw is set, his arms crossed and I
think Little Joe should be glad he's safely inside that bath house
now, because I have a feeling Pa needs some calming down right now.
"Adam, must you always spend ages in the bath house, upsetting your
brother?" His words take me by surprise. "You know how he gets
when
he has to go to town. Sometimes I think you just stay in there to
tease him, just to upset him. Don't you ever think about the fact
that there are others here who try to WORK? I'd have thought I could
trust my oldest son to help me, not to make my task even more
difficult."
I roll my eyes. That boy has done it again! From inside the bathhouse
I hear that annoying giggle and I sigh, being the oldest sure can be
a curse.
Another thought enters my mind: I need to build a second bathhouse,
one for me alone.
The end