Disclaimer: This story was written for pleasure and not
for profit.
As a
writers challenge, some very talented authors have already written their
version of this story of Ben’s birthday spent alone with gifts from his sons
including a bottle of brandy. Wrangler
encouraged me to write my version. I
hope it is half as good as the wonderful stories that I’ve read.
Chance Treasures
By
“Chance
treasures…must not be sought for or—heaven forbid!—dug for…That would defeat
one’s purpose…To dig for treasure shows not only impatience and greed, but lack
of faith.” * Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Ben Cartwright woke with the first
light of sunrise on the morning of his fifty-fifth birthday. He had spent a restless night listening to
the early spring blizzard raging against his bedroom window. The exhaustion he felt was not entirely due
to his lack sleep. It was mostly due to worry.
He was worried about his three sons.
He might have even enjoyed the inside coziness of the storm if his sons
had been safe at home with him. They had
waited out many storms together over the years. They would sit around the
hearth in the main room wrapped in blankets, drinking hot chocolate and playing
games. Ben would tell his sons exciting stories about the years he spent at sea
and the fierce storms he encounted. The boys would listen wide-eyed and huddle
closer together. There was togetherness
during storms that Ben was not able to enjoy this time. As it was, he didn’t know where his sons had
found shelter from the wind and snow. He
could only pray that they were safe.
Yesterday had started out gray and
overcast. The temperature unexpectedly
dropped throughout the day turning a misty rain to ice and then snow. The storm gathered and intensified
quickly. Adam, Hoss and Joe had left
early in the morning to check fence lines for winter damage. They planned to camp out overnight. Ben expected them back late this morning
after they completed the survey of necessary repairs. Pulling the covers higher, Ben wondered again
where the boys had spent the night.
Hopefully they were close enough to one of the line shacks when the snow
began. There were also several caves in
the area that could provide safe and warm shelter if necessary.
Despite his intense desire to have
his sons home with him on his birthday and despite their promise to be here,
Ben now hoped that they had the good sense to stay put and not attempt to
travel under these treacherous conditions.
As much as Ben wanted to celebrate this day with his sons, he would
never want them to risk their safety. He
sighed. If they couldn’t make it home
today, this would be the first birthday he spent without any of his sons since
Adam was born. One son had occasionally
been away on his birthday but never all three at the same time. Adam had been away at school and Hoss had
missed one birthday because of business but Joe had never missed his birthday. At sixteen, his youngest son was not old
enough to be away on business and he did not want to go away to school.
The more he thought about it, the
more Ben worried about the boys’ promise to be home for his birthday. Joe might be foolhardy and impulsive enough
to try to brave the storm and keep that promise but Ben felt assured that his
oldest son would not allow such impetuous actions. Adam had a good head on his shoulder. He was always able to put his emotions aside
and think calmly and rationally especially during a crisis. He was depending on Adam to do just that
now. Ben smiled thinking about the
battle that probably ensued when Joe and Adam clashed once again. But Adam was dauntless when he needed to be
and he needed to be this time. Ben
thanked God for his oldest son’s resolve and strength of character. Yes, Adam would do what was best to keep
everyone safe. He would not let Joe try
to make it home under these conditions.
Ben’s thoughts turned to his
middle son, Hoss. He was grateful that
Hoss was with his brothers. Not only was
he a buffer between the two, he also had instincts about nature that neither of
his other two sons possessed. Adam and
Joe were very competent outdoors but they didn’t have Hoss’ gift. Hoss understood nature and all its subtleties
as no other man he knew. He could read
nature. He would have known that the
storm was imminent. He would have warned
his brothers of the approaching danger.
Ben was sure that Hoss would have found shelter before the storm grew
too intense. And Hoss knew every
possible shelter on the ranch. Yes, he
was a little less worried knowing that Hoss was with Adam and Joe. He thanked God for this son.
Ben couldn’t help but smile when
his thoughts turned to his youngest son again and the trouble he was probably
giving his two older brothers. Joe had
promised to be home on time for his father’s birthday and the boy was
determined once his mind was set on something.
And Ben knew his mind was set on this.
He could only imagine the arguments he was probably giving his
brothers. He knew his youngest son’s
stubbornness. And regardless of the age
and size difference with his brothers, Joe never hesitated to take on either
one or both of them. Ben realized this
was probably so because Joe knew that neither one of his older brothers would
ever intentionally hurt him. He was
grateful for the boy’s spirit and thanked God for this son as well.
Yes, Ben was blessed with three
wonderful sons. He was glad that they
had decided to spend some time together and check the fence lines. There was safety in numbers and each son had
his own strength. Adam and Hoss would
understand that their safety was much more important than any promise they made
to make it home. They would know that
their well being was the best possible gift Ben could receive on his birthday. Thinking of his youngest son again, he hoped
that Adam and Hoss had been able to convince Joe of this fact. Joe was still a boy in need of guidance. He had to trust Adam and Hoss to provide that
direction in his absence. They had never
let him down in this respect. They could
handle their little brother—most of the time.
The light in the room was growing
steadily stronger as the sun rose higher in the sky. Reluctantly, Ben pulled back the layers of
blankets and quilts he had practically cocooned himself in to protect himself
from the dropping temperatures. He had
gotten up twice during the night to add a few logs to the fire but the warmth
it had provided had long left the room.
Ben shivered. Sitting up on the
edge of his bed and grabbing his robe, he took a moment to straighten his
back. He thought that getting older was
not an easy process. Of course, the
alternative was not to be even considered.
He was in good health but he could no longer deny the aches and stiff
muscles. The little discomforts were
always there but they weren’t anything he couldn’t live with. He didn’t complain because he didn’t want his
sons to worry about him—especially Joe.
Joe worried about him too much and he didn’t want to give any cause to
that worry.
Sighing again, Ben pulled on his
robe and went over to the hearth. He
placed several logs in a pile and started a fire. Walking over to the window, he pulled aside
the curtains to look out into the yard.
The glass was covered in frost making it impossible to see outside. The sun shinning through the window gave it
the appearance of fine crystal. Ben
unlatched the lock and forced the window open.
A blast of freezing air assaulted his face. The storm had departed leaving a bleak,
snow-blanketed landscape in its wake.
There was about two feet of snow on the ground with drifts of snow
reaching five feet against the barn. The
snow had turned back to an icy mix sometime during the night leaving a layer of
ice on the snow. The trees were covered
in fine ice that sparkled brilliantly in the early morning sun. Although it looked beautiful, Ben knew that
the ice would make travel even more dangerous.
His hope that conditions would improve enough for the boys to make it
home was fading.
Ben closed the window feeling a
bit sorry for himself.
Sitting down in the comfortable stuffed chair by the fire, he wrapped
himself in a handmade quilt that had an intricate Scandinavian design. Inger, Hoss’
mother, had made it long before she had met him. It captured his wife’s spirit in its bold
design and beautiful delicate colors.
More than warding off the chill that still hung in the air, it was an
emotional comfort to wrap it around him.
Lost in memories, Ben did not hear
the gentle knocking on his door until it became louder and insistent. He called, “Come in.”
Hop Sing entered the room carrying
a steaming cup of coffee, “Good morning, Mr. Cartlight. Happy birthday. You drink some nice hot coffee. Get warm.”
Ben smiled, “Thank you, Hop
Sing. It’s just what I need.”
Noticing Ben’s worried expression,
Hop Sing smiled, “You no worry about sons.
Boys safe.
Be home soon. Hoss knows storms.”
Ben returned Hop Sing’s smile. The
man always seemed to know what he was thinking, “Yes, I know. They’re big boys. They can take care of themselves—at least
Adam and Hoss can. And I know they’ll
protect their little brother and keep him safe.”
Hop Sing repeated, firmly, “Yes,
boys be home soon.
No need to worry.” He closed the
door behind him leaving Ben to his solitary thoughts.
Ben sipped on the hot coffee and
sighed again. Pulling the quilt tighter
around his shoulders, he leaned back in his chair making himself comfortable.
This was going to be a very long day.
*************************
As Ben headed down the stairs he
was met by the enticing smell of bacon.
Hop Sing was busy preparing a feast.
He stopped on the landing when he saw the large wrapped box on the
coffee table in front of the fire. Ben
smiled and continued down the stairs.
When he came around in front of the box, he saw a bottle of brandy tied
with a large gold bow. Next to it was a
small box wrapped in simple brown paper and tied with a green velvet
ribbon. Three envelops sat on the
table. One envelope leaned against the
bottle of brandy. It simply said “Pa” on
it in Adam’s handwriting.
Ben picked up the envelope. He hesitated for a moment but then decided to
open it. He pulled out the carefully
folded paper.
He read the note with a smile:
Happy Birthday,
With
love from your sons,
Adam,
Hoss, Joe
Sitting down in his favorite
leather chair, Ben picked up the bottle of brandy. It was an expensive, fine bottle that must
have been chosen by Adam. His oldest son
had refined tastes. He would wait to
enjoy it his sons when they returned—hopefully tonight.
Ben ran his hand over the top of
the large box. It was wrapped in blue
paper with a large yellow bow on top.
Ben smiled, “Well at least I’ll have something from my sons with me
today to keep me company.” It was a
comforting thought.
Hop Sing entered the room from the
kitchen carrying a tray of food, “You come eat now. Everything get
cold. Sons leave gifts in my room before
they leave. You open after
breakfast. Make you feet better. You come now and eat.”
Ben smiled, “Thank you, Hop
Sing. I’m coming. I think I will open these gifts when I’m
finished with breakfast. I don’t think
the boys will make it home today.”
Ben knew that Hop Sing prepared a
special breakfast for his birthday.
Although he wasn’t very hungry, he went to the table prepared to eat a
hearty meal. He knew how much it meant
to Hop Sing.
*************************
Ben decided to wait a
little longer to open the gifts just in case his sons made it home. He tried to keep himself busy with paperwork
but he found it hard to concentrate on the figures. By the time mid-afternoon arrived, Ben
realized that the boys had probably done the smart thing and waited for the
traveling conditions to improve tomorrow.
Although the sun was warm, the ice on the roads would take some time to
melt.
By late afternoon, Ben stood in
front of the fire stoking it. He took a
seat in front of his presents and wondered what his sons had in store for him
this year. Perhaps Hop Sing was
right. Opening the presents would make
him feel better. He decided to open the large one first. Reluctantly glancing at the front door one
last time, Ben pulled on the large ribbon releasing the wrapping paper from the
box. The crate was sealed tightly with
nails. Realizing he would need something
to open it, he went into the kitchen in search of a hammer. When he returned, he began pulling out the
many nails.
Ben smiled, “They’re really making
me work for this present.”
Finally, all the nails were
removed. Ben pulled off the cover to
reveal a beautifully crafted leather saddle.
The workmanship was exquisite. It
must have cost his sons a small fortune.
Ben pulled the saddle out of the crate and examined it more
carefully. He realized that he had seen
and admired it before. It was about six
months ago that he had seen it in an advertisement at the general store in
Ben opened the card that went with
the gift. He was surprised that there
were only two messages inside the envelope.
The first one was from Adam.
Pa,
Happy Birthday, again! I hope this saddle takes you wherever you
want to go in good health.
Adam
Pa,
Happy Birthday and many,
many, more.
Love,
Hoss
Ben looked in the envelope for a
third message from his youngest son. He
was surprised not to find one. He knew
that the gift must have been Joe’s idea and wondered why he hadn’t written a
note as well.
Ben reached for the small box wrapped
in the plain brown paper. The wrapping was slightly askew. It was tied with a familiar green velvet
ribbon. He recognized the ribbon on
closer inspection. It had belonged to
Joe’s mother. She had often worn it in
her dark hair. The color matched her
eyes perfectly and accentuated her chestnut curls. He knew this present was
from Joe. He unwrapped
the box and opened the lid. Inside was a
small object wrapped in tissue paper.
Removing the object, he carefully unwrapped
it. He was surprised to find a small
rock. It was almost perfectly
rounded. It was gray with a line of pink
running through it. It felt silky smooth
in his hand. He knew it had no monetary
value but there was something vaguely familiar about it although he couldn’t
recall what.
Shaking his head Ben thought,
“Now, why on earth would Joseph give me a rock?” He picked up the envelope on the table hoping
for a clue. It was indeed a note from
Joe.
Dear Pa,
Please
don’t open my gift if I’m not there. I
need to explain.
Happy
Birthday!!!!!
All
my love,
Joe
Ben wondered what the enigmatic
message meant but he realized that it was useless to try to figure out his son. He
decided to wrap the rock in the tissue paper and put it back in the box. He carefully wrapped the box in the discarded
plain paper and tied the ribbon around it.
If Joe wanted him to wait, he would.
He wouldn’t have opened the gift if he had read the note first. He didn’t want to go against his son’s
wishes. It wouldn’t do any harm to wait
for the boy to get home and open it again.
“A rock?” Ben
wondered again. “Where have I seen it
before? I’ll just have to wait for Joe
to explain.”
Ben settled back in his chair and
lit his pipe. He opened the book he was
reading hoping to distract himself and keep his mind from worrying.
**************************
Late that night, three riders
approached the ranch house. The light from the full moon reflecting off the
snow was brilliant providing enough brightness for safe night travel. The temperature had been steadily climbing
throughout the day turning the ice and snow into slush. It wasn’t ideal but the roads were passable
if traveled slowly. Adam and Hoss had
both decided that it was indeed all right to travel. Joe had been excited when his brothers
finally agreed to head for home. They
hoped to be home before
When they were a mile from
home, Joe began to lag behind. Hoss
turned back and called to his little brother, “Hey, Shortshanks,
I thought you were in such an all fired hurry to get home for Pa’s
birthday. We may actually get there with
a little time to spare. You’ve been
awfully quiet. What are you so worried
about? Pa will understand why we
couldn’t be there today.”
Joe slowly caught up with his
brothers. He hesitantly asked Adam one
more time, “Adam, can’t you please let me owe you the money for Pa’s gift? I had it—all twenty-five dollars. I know that it took me a long time to save
that much money but I can do it again. I
can. I can pay you back. Please…please can’t I owe you the money?”
Adam wasn’t budging, “Joe, stop
asking me. I told you six month ago
that you could only be part of this gift if you contributed equally. And that meant twenty-five dollars upon
delivery of the saddle.”
Joe jumped in, “But it isn’t fair,
Adam. The saddle was my idea. I told you and Hoss about it. It was supposed to be from me too.”
Adam remained stoic, “Sorry,
Joe. Life isn’t fair. The gift could have been from you too if you
kept your part of the deal. I told you
time and again that you had to give one third of the cost.”
Joe was becoming upset again, “But
I did have the money—all of it. You know
I had it. Hoss saw it.”
Hoss intervened on his younger
brother’s behalf, “He did have it, Adam.
He worked hard for it, too.”
Adam asked, “So where’s the money
now?”
Joe’s face fell, “I already told
you that I don’t know. I must have lost
it in
Joe was practically in tears but
Adam would not be swayed, “It doesn’t really matter, Joe. The bottom line is that you didn’t have the
money when it was time to pay. I really
am sorry but this is a good lesson for you.
You were careless so now you have to suffer the consequences. Maybe one of these days you’ll realize the
importance of responsibility.”
Joe raised his voice in protest,
“I was responsible. I saved all the
money and I was careful.”
Adam added firmly, “Don’t raise
your voice to me, boy. If you were
careful, you would have the money for Pa’s gift. Since you don’t, it’s too bad. I’m not a bank and I’m not giving you credit
and neither is Hoss.”
Joe had looked in Hoss’ direction
for sympathy. Adam glared at Hoss in
case his brother softened. It had taken
a lot of persuasion to convince Hoss that this was in Joe’s best interest.
Adam continued to glare at Hoss,
“I mean it, Hoss. This will be a good,
if hard, lesson for Joe. He’s sixteen
years old and it’s time for him to show a little adult responsibility.”
Joe’s response was sarcastic,
“Half the time you’re telling me to grow up and do something and the other half
you’re telling me I can’t do something because I’m just a kid. I wish you’d make up your mind.”
Adam showed his annoyance, “A
smart mouth isn’t going to win you any points in this argument.”
Joe sighed realizing that there
was no way he would win this battle. His
eyes were filling with tears. His voice
was barely above a whisper, “Adam, I don’t have any more money for another gift
for
“That’s not my problem,” Adam spat
back.
Hoss tried to cheer his little
brother, “But you left a present for Pa, Joe.
What was it?”
Joe stammered, “Nothing…nothing of
any value.”
Adam shook his head and said, “ I don’t want to argue anymore, Joe. I’m not going to change my mind. Let’s get moving if we want to make it home
before
As Joe brushed a tear from his
face, Hoss leaned over and whisper, “Sorry, Joe.”
Hoss moved his horse forward to
catch up with Adam. “Hey,
Adam. Maybe we’re being a little
too hard on the boy. I mean it is Pa’s
birthday.”
Adam nodded, “Maybe, Hoss, but I’m
not doing this to be mean. He needs to
be more responsible or he’ll get into serious trouble as he gets older. We’re not always going to be there to help
and protect him. He has got to stop and
consider the consequences of his actions before he gets into trouble that he
can’t get out of.”
“All right, Adam. It’s a fair point. It would kill Pa, and us, if anything ever
happened to that boy. He can be
careless.”
“Exactly
my point. I’m glad you
understand even if Joe doesn’t.”
Hoss sighed, “He’ll understand
someday. Maybe when
he’s a little older.”
Adam smiled, “I sure hope so. Now, let’s pick up the pace so we can
surprise Pa while it’s still his birthday.”
As Adam and Hoss moved along, Joe
followed behind. He had been anxious to
get home to his father but now that they were almost there, he was beginning to
dread it. He believed that he had let
his father down yet again.
*************************
Ben was reluctant to turn in for
the night. He was still holding onto a
little bit of hope that he would see his sons.
He knew it was a selfish wish but he couldn’t help it. As
Joe jumped off his horse and tied
him to the rail. His desire to see his
father momentarily overcame his anxiety about his gift. As he headed towards the house, Hoss called
after him, “Hey, Joe, where are you going? Ain’t you gonna stable Cochise?”
Joe answered over his shoulder, “ I will but I just want to see Pa while it’s still his
birthday. I’ll be right back.”
Adam smiled, “
Let’s do the same. I’d like to
see Pa, too.”
Adam and Hoss followed Joe onto
the porch. As Joe reached for the door,
Ben pulled it open surprising the boys.
All three sons returned their father’s smile.
Joe stepped forward and hugged his
father tightly, “ Happy birthday,
Ben returned his son’s
embrace. “ Of
course not. I didn’t really expect you boys home until tomorrow.”
Holding out his hand to shake his
father’s, Adam teased, “ Oh really? Then what are you still doing up this late?”
Ben warmly took his son’s hand in
his, “ I just got caught up in the book I was
reading.”
Adam shook his father’s hand,
“Yeah, right. If you
say so.”
Hoss laughed and slapped his
father’s back. He offered his father his
hand, “ Are you sure you weren’t waiting up for us?”
Ben tried to sound convincing, “ Certainly not. You
boys can take care of yourselves.” He
winked at Hoss and Adam before adding, “ At least you
and Adam can. I don’t know about Joe.”
Joe was indignant, “ Hey, I can take
care of myself just as well as they can.”
Everyone laughed except Joe. Ben wrapped his arm around Joe, quickly
adding, “ I’m just teasing you, Joe. Come on inside and get warm. Having you boys home
is the best part of my birthday. Why
don’t we open that bottle of brandy and have that toast.”
Adam answered, “
That sounds good,
Noticing the pout on Joe’s face,
Ben smiled, “ I really was only teasing you.”
Joe gave him another hug. He whispered, “ I
hope you didn’t open my gift yet. I have
to explain.”
Ben became concerned when he saw
that Joe looked worried and little sad.
“Don’t worry, son. Go on and take
care of Cochise.
We’ll talk when you come in.”
Ben moved Joe along with a gentle
swat to the seat of his pants. He
couldn’t imagine what had the boy worried.
*************************
Ben prepared the brandy by the
fire as he waited for his sons to return.
They entered the room a short time later. After hanging up their coats, they joined
their father around the fire. They each
picked up a tumbler.
Adam offered the toast, “ Happy birthday,
They all reached out to touch
their glasses and then take a sip of the brandy. When Joe shuddered a little, Ben laughed, “ A little strong son.”
Joe returned the smile, “ I guess I’m not
used to it.” He sheepishly added, “ I hate to admit it but I think I’d rather have some hot
chocolate.”
Ben laughed, “ You know what? I think I’d like some, too. Why don’t we go to the kitchen and make
some. Would you boys care to join us?”
Adam replied, “
No thanks, I’m good with the brandy.”
Hoss added, “
Thanks. I wouldn’t mind some.”
“All
right. Joe and I will be
right back and we can spend a little time together before we all turn in for
the night.”
When everyone was settled around
the fire, Ben felt content. He was
seated in his favorite leather chair.
Adam sat in the blue chair across from his father. Hoss made himself
comfortable on the settee. Joe had
chosen to sit on the floor between his father’s chair and the fire. Ben was finally able to relax and enjoy what
was left his birthday surrounded by his sons.
Having his boys home was indeed the best
gift. Remembering his other presents, he
said, “Adam, Hoss, thank you for the beautiful saddle. It’s very fine workmanship. I admired it when I saw it in that
advertisement in
Adam answered, “You’re very
welcome,
Hoss added, “I’m really glad you
like it. Happy
birthday,
Ben smiled warmly at his sons,
“Thank you, boys.”
While they were talking about the
saddle, Ben noticed Joe move slightly away.
He was now staring into the fire trying hard not to cry. Ben reached over and placed his hand on Joe’s
shoulder giving it a squeeze, “Are you all right, son?”
Ben tried to turn Joe towards him
but the boy stiffened and mumbled, “I’m fine,
Ben kept his hand firmly on his
youngest son’s shoulder knowing that the boy was upset about something. “Oh, you’re fine. Then why don’t you turn around and look at
me?”
Joe sniffed and wiped his eyes on
his sleeve to hide the escaping tears.
He slowly faced his father repeating, “I’m fine,
Looking into the kind, loving eyes
of his father, Joe finally broke, “I’m s….s…..sorry,
Ben reached out and lifted Joe’s
chin, “Joseph, I want you to tell me why you’re so upset. What do you have to be sorry about?”
Seeing the love in his father’s
eyes made Joe feel even worse, “ I’m….I’m ashamed,
When Joe hesitated, Ben asked
kindly, “What
happened? You weren’t able to save the
twenty-five dollars?” Noticing a tear on
Joe’s cheek, Ben handed his son his handkerchief. The boy never had one when he needed
one. “Don’t feel bad, Joseph. That’s a lot of money for you to raise.”
Joe shook his head, “But I had it,
Ben tried to encourage his son,
“But that’s wonderful, son. What happened? Why are you so upset?”
Joe looked at his father
brokenheartedly, “Because I lost it,
Ben tried to comfort him by
rubbing his shoulder,
“It’s all right, Joseph.”
Joe shook his head miserably, “No
it’s not,
Ben glared angrily at his two
older sons as he tried to soothe Joe.
Beginning to feel guilty, Adam tried to explain, “Pa, we just wanted to
teach Joe a lesson in responsibility. He
knew he had to contribute equally to the cost of the saddle. That was the deal. I wanted him to understand that there are
things he has to work for and stay committed to obtain results.”
Hoss was feeling terrible seeing
how upset Joe really was. He hadn’t
realized just how bad Joe was actually taking this. He should have known better. He should have followed his instincts about
his little brother instead of listening to Adam. Joe tried really hard and that should have
counted for something.
Hoss cleared his throat as he
moved over to sit on the hearth to comfort his little brother. He patted the boy’s back, “I’m really sorry, Joe. We shouldn’t have been so hard on you. Pa, he worked really hard to put that money
together. He didn’t spend anything on
himself for the last few months and he even did extra chores to earn enough
money. It wasn’t his fault he lost
it. Someone probably pick pocketed him
after he showed me his money in the store.
Some guy just about knocked him over and I just bet it was him. He disappeared fast.”
Seeing his father’s angry face,
Adam tried to defend his decision, “ Pa, it was for
his own good. I wanted to teach him a
lesson. He knew the rules. You’re always lecturing him on
responsibility.”
Ben shook his head in exasperation, “Yes, Adam, but
there is such a thing as extenuating circumstances. And there is also such a thing as
compassion. It sounds to me like Joe did
all the right things. Anyone of us could
have been robbed. You could have been a
little understanding.”
Ben reached for Joe’s arm and
pulled his son towards him. Joe didn’t
resist this time. He laid his head on
his father’s knee and tried to stop the tears that were escaping despite his
best efforts to control them. He did not
like for his brothers to see him crying.
Ben rubbed the back of his neck, “It’s okay,
son. I’m proud of what you tried to
do. I don’t care if you lost the
money. The fact that you tried so hard
for me is all that really matters. That
in itself is a wonderful birthday gift.”
Joe wanted to believe what his
father was saying but he wasn’t completely convinced. Looking up at his father he repeated, “I’m really sorry,
Ben said more firmly, “I mean it,
Joseph. I appreciate what you tried to
do. I don’t need anything else from
you.”
Hoss rubbed his brother’s back,
“I’m really sorry, Punkin. We should have loaned you the money.”
Although his intentions were good,
Adam was now regretting his decision. He
didn’t expect Joe to be so devastated.
He had to admit that the boy did try, “I’m sorry too, Buddy. I’m beginning to think that maybe I was too hard
on you.”
Joe just nodded. He kept his face buried on his father’s knee
trying to gain control of his emotions.
He didn’t want everyone to see him crying.
Ben reached over to the coffee
table and picked up the small box. He asked
gently, “What’s this son? You’re note
said that you would explain.”
Joe finally looked up wiping his
face with his father’s handkerchief. He
took the box from his father, “Forget this,
“It’s something, son. You thought to give it to me. I’d like to have it.”
Joe looked away, “It’s stupid,
Ben turned Joe’s face towards him, “I’m sure it’s no
such thing. If you thought to give it to
me, I would like to have it, please.”
When Joe didn’t respond
immediately, Ben asked again, “Please?”
Joe slowly extended his hand to
give the small box to his father. Ben
took it carefully as if he were handling a fragile treasure. He gently removed the ribbon and placed it tenderly
in his robe pocket. He unwrapped the box and opened the lid. After removing the tissue-covered rock, he
placed the empty box on the table. He
smiled at Joe expecting his son to look away again but the boy maintained eye
contact. Joe was looking at his father
closely hoping that he would understand the meaning of his gift.
Ben took the rock out of the paper
and smiled at his son, “It’s a very nice rock, son.”
Joe continued to search his
father’s face for some recognition. He
finally asked, “Don’t
you remember, Pa?”
Ben knew that it was vaguely
familiar. He had been trying to remember
where he saw it before but it still eluded him.
He turned the rock around in his hand feeling its smoothness, “It is
familiar, Joseph. I’ve been trying to
remember why all day.”
Joe looked closely at his father,
“All day, Pa?”
Ben didn’t realize that he had
slipped until Joe asked the question.
There was no denying the truth now.
He was caught, “I’m sorry, Joe. I
opened it before I read your note so I just put the rock back in the box and
wrapped it up again. I would have waited
if I had read the note first. Sorry, son.”
Seeing the guilty expression on
his father’s face, Joe couldn’t help but smile, “It’s okay,
Ben laughed, “Yes, you do. Well, it has been making me think but I just
can’t quite remember.”
Joe simply said, “Everyone needs a
rock,
The memory was still just beyond
his grasp but Ben could hear himself saying exactly that to a very young Joe.
Joe gave his father a shy smile, “We found it
together, Pa, on the
It suddenly came flooding back to
Ben. A smile slowly formed on his face,
“Of course, Joseph. How could I have
possibly forgotten? I didn’t know you
kept it all these years.”
“Forever,
Ben’s smile broaden, “Yes, son,
forever.”
Ben’s mind drifted back to that
day. It became crystal clear.
*************************
Ben leaned back against a large boulder on the lakeshore enjoying the
warm afternoon sun. He watched his young
son playing on the edge of the water.
The boy had taken off his boots and socks and rolled up his pant legs so
he could play tag with the gentle waves.
He was in perpetual motion. Try
as he might, it was difficult for Ben to control that energy. Not that he really wanted to most of the
time. He marveled at his son’s joy of
life. But he wanted the boy to learn the
importance of being still in life and centering oneself to deal with the world around us. The child
was impetuous as most young children.
Ben wanted him to learn to stop and think about the consequences of his
actions.
Watching his son play on the
Joe interrupted his father’s thoughts when he came running up to him
with his arms full of rocks. His small
hands carried so many of his found treasures that he left a trail of rocks
behind him. He dropped them in a pile
next to his father.
Joe began to pull his father by the hand as he excitedly explained,
“Come on,
Ben laughed at the boy’s unbridled enthusiasm. He held onto his arm so he couldn’t run off,
“Joseph, slow down. Slow down. Come sit with your pa for a minute. I want to talk to you.”
The boy’s expression immediately changed to worry, “D…D…Did I do
s…s…something wrong, P…Pa?” he stammered.
Pulling Joe down beside him, Ben smiled warmly at the boy, “No,
son. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m not angry. I just want to talk to you. Is that okay with you?”
Joe relaxed and smiled brightly at his father, “Sure,
Ben paused as he tried to find the right words to explain his thoughts
to his young son, “Joseph, look around you.
What do you see?”
Joe scanned the rocky shore, the deep green lake and the distant snow
capped mountains. Looking innocently at his father, he answered, “Well, Pa, the
lake looks real pretty today.”
Ben smiled down at his son, “Yes, son. It sure
does. That’s just what I wanted you to
see. I want you to stop and look around
you once in a while. I want you to
really see the beauty surrounding you. This lake was here for countless years
before you were born and it will be here for countless years.”
Picking up one of Joe’s rocks, Ben continued, “And these rocks have been
here, too. The smoother ones have been
on the shore the longest. They have been
touched by nature—the waves, the wind and the rain—over many years. It takes a long time to make them smooth and
round. It takes a long time for them to
become perfect.”
Joe looked through his pile of rocks.
His disappointment showed clearly on his young face, “Let’s go dig for
some more,
Joe got up but Ben pulled him back down on his lap. He tried to explain again, “Joe, when we
search for treasures, it shows our impatience.
The best treasures are the ones that find us—the chance treasures. We aren’t looking for them. If we stay still once in a while and have
patience, the best things may come to us.”
Joe was puzzled, “You mean it’s bad for me to go treasure hunting.”
Ben shook his head, “No, son, but it is good to stop and appreciate what
is around you—like this lake and the people we love. We might miss what is given freely to us if
we are too busy looking for treasures.
And sometimes when we are still and patient, we are presented with the
most marvelous gifts.”
Joe asked curiously, “Like what, Pa?”
Ben answered, “Like this lake, son.
Isn’t it beautiful? It has many
gifts for us. And it teaches us many things.”
Joe was fascinated by this revelation, “Really, Pa? What does the
lake teach us?”
Ben answered, “It
teaches us faith, Joseph. Faith in something greater than us. And patience. Nature understands patience. There is a time for everything and sometimes
we must wait for that time. I know you
already have the gift of faith but you still need a little work on patience.”
Looking seriously at his father, Joe frowned, “I guess I need a lot of
work with patience.”
Ben laughed and hugged his son tightly, “If you spend enough time here,
the lake will help you learn how to be patient. Tahoe is a good teacher.”
Joe mumbled, “Better than Miss Jones.”
Ben tried to hide his smile as he sternly said, “Now, Joseph, that
wasn’t very nice.”
Joe quickly added, “Sorry,
Ben coughed and covered his mouth with his hand to hide his laugh. “I suppose it is, son.” This child always made him smile. He stood up still holding the boy. He placed his son on his feet and held out
his hand to him, “Come on. Let’s take a
quiet walk on the shore. Maybe the lake
will have a gift for us. And if not, we
can just enjoy spending the time together—me, you and the lake.”
Joe giggled, “Okay,
Ben smiled as he took his son’s hand, “Now you’ve got the idea.”
As they walked hand in hand along the shore, Joe kept smiling up at his
father. He was happy for the closeness
and having his father all to himself.
Ben returned each smile and counted his blessings.
After a while, Ben stopped and said to Joe, “I think we better head
back. It’s getting late.”
“Wait,” Joe yelled and pulled his father forward. A glimmer of reflected light in the breaking
waves had caught his eye.
“Look, Pa!” Joe reached down and
picked up a perfectly rounded rock. The
gray rock had a vein of pink running through it. It was silky smooth and fit perfectly in the
palm of the boy’s hand. He looked at it
with awe and wonder.
Joe flashed his father a dazzling smile, “You were right,
Ben smiled, “It found us. It’s a
gift then. A chance
treasure from the lake.”
Joe looked out on the expanse of water.
He whispered, “Thank you.”
Looking up at his father, he asked hopefully, “Can I keep it, Pa?”
Ben knelt down beside his son, “Of course, you can. You can keep it for as long as you like.”
Joe looked deeply into his father’s eyes and asked, “Forever, Pa? Can I keep it forever?”
Ben ran his hand through his son’s curly hair, “Yes,
Joseph. You can keep it forever. Everyone needs a rock.”
Joe put his treasure into his pocket.
He kept his hand in his pocket to feel the smooth surface. There was comfort in the rock. Yes, he thought, he would keep it
forever. Everyone does need a rock. He could feel his father’s strength and
faith in the rock. When Ben reached for
the boy’s left hand with his right, Joe pulled away and went to his father’s
other side. He offered his father his
right hand not wanting to take his left hand out of his pocket. He wanted to feel his treasure in the palm of
his hand.
When they returned to their starting point, Ben helped Joe put on his
socks and boots. Pointing to Joe’s pile
of rocks, he asked, “Do you need something to put those rocks in to carry them
home?”
Joe shook his head, “No,
Ben smiled proudly at his young son, “Okay, son. Let’s head
home. It’s getting late.”
Ben picked up his son and held him tightly thinking, “And I just want
this one that found me.”
*************************
Ben caressed the smooth rock in
his hand. The vivid memory had brought
tears to his eyes. He had not seen this
rock since the day that it found them on the
Joe had been watching his father’s
changing face as he remembered that day years ago. It was obvious that he was experiencing many
emotions. But Joe wasn’t as adept at reading
his father’s expressions as his father was at reading his. He wasn’t sure what his father was feeling.
Joe didn’t realize that his father
was too choked with emotions to speak.
He was lost in the long forgotten memory. Joe misinterpreted the long silence. He thought his father was disappointed with
his gift.
Looking back into the fire, Joe
finally broke the silence, “I’m sorry,
Joe’s voice finally brought Ben
back to the present, “ Oh, no, son. This is a wonderful gift. I remember that day so clearly—everything we
talked about. I had no idea that you
kept this rock—a gift of patience and faith.
Yes, I remember. I’m just
surprised that you remember it so well.”
Joe answered seriously, “I listen
to everything you tell me,
Ben smiled, “A little work?”
Joe laughed, “Maybe a lot.” Joe paused before adding, “You were right,
Adam raised an eyebrow, “Chance
treasures?”
Joe tried to explain; “They’re the
ones that are given to us as when we’re not looking for them. They come to us. We just need to recognize them when they come
along. Right, Pa?”
Ben nodded, “Yes, you’re right, Joe. They are the best treasures.”
Hoss wondered, “Like what,
Pa? What are your chance treasures?”
Ben answered without hesitation,
“Your mothers. I met each of them when I
least expected it—when falling in love was the last thing on my mind. They were
certainly chance treasures and they left me with lasting treasures—you boys.”
The grandfather clock chimed
Adam stood up first, “You’re
right. I could use some sleep. Good night,
“Thanks, Adam. Goodnight.”
Hoss stretched as he stood, “I
didn’t realize how tired I was. Good
night,
“Goodnight, Hoss. Thank you.”
Joe lingered behind as his
brothers headed up the stairs. He
finally stood up when his brothers disappeared into the upstairs hallway.
Ben put his arm around Joe’s
shoulder, “Come on, son. You look
tired. It’s time for bed.”
Joe hesitated, “Pa… I really am
sorry about the gift. I should have been
more careful with the money. Adam was
right. I wanted to give you that
saddle. I thought it was the best gift
ever.”
Ben looked up the stairs
before responding softly, “You’re wrong, Joseph. I’ll tell you a secret. Just between the two of us. You can’t tell your brothers. I’m glad you lost that money because if you
didn’t, you wouldn’t have given me this rock.
This is the best gift I’ve ever received on my birthday. I mean it, Joe. I will treasure it forever.”
Joe said shyly, “It’s just a rock,
“Really, then why did you keep it
and treasure it?”
Joe hesitated, “Because it reminds
me of you Pa and that day we spent together.
It keeps me close to you. I can feel
your faith in it. Whenever I miss you
when you’re away, I hold onto to it and keep it in my pocket. It makes me feel like you aren’t so far away. And I try to be patient waiting for you to
come home.”
Ben held the rock tightly in his
hand. He was very moved by what Joe had
said. He knew how difficult it was for
his youngest son when he was away on business.
He was glad that the rock gave him something to hold unto both
physically and emotionally while he was away.
Ben nodded his understanding, “And
I can feel your love in it. I will
treasure it forever. I think it will
help me too when you’re far away from home and me.”
Joe earnestly interrupted, “I’m
never leaving you,
Ben smiled and placed his hand on
Joe’s chest, “We’ll always be in each other’s hearts. Always. But there
will be times when you’ll be away from the ranch, as you get older—on business
or pleasure. This rock will keep me
company just as it kept you company. And
someday I’ll give it back to you. And
perhaps you will pass it along to your child.”
Ben squeezed the rock and placed it in his robe pocket.
Joe frowned, “I don’t want it back
for a long, long time,
Ben encircled Joe’s shoulder with
his strong arm, “Okay son, it’s a deal.
Now lets go to bed.”
Joe leaned into his father’s
embrace and hugged him tightly, “Night,
Ben leaned down to kiss his son’s
head. “Thank you, Joseph.”
Ben kept his arm wrapped around
his youngest son as they climbed the stairs.
This had been the best birthday he ever had. His sons were safe at home. He placed his hand in his robe pocket to
caress the rock. The rock had become
entwined in Marie’s green ribbon. Ben
smiled contently. Chance
treasures. Yes, chance treasures
were the best gifts.
The End
Anne Morrow Lindberg inspired the idea of “chance
treasures”.
*Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindberg
Copyright 1955, 1975 by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Copyright renewed 1983 by Anne Morrow Lindbergh