THE CHICKEN POX
By: Deborah S.
 
 
Ben and Adam were both in Ben’s bed, being examined by Doc Martin. It 
didn’t take much for Doc Martin to figure out, what was ailing them. “Ben, 
Adam, I’m afraid you, like most of the town, have the chicken pox. Ever 
since twelve year old Billy Simpson came to church with them, it’s been one 
case after another,” Doc Martin stated.
 
Adam and Ben sat up, and looked at each other. “I never did like that Billy 
Simpson,” Adam said. Ben looked at Adam, then straight ahead. Scratching 
his chest Ben replied, “Yeah.” Doc Martin closed his bag, and then gave 
some instructions to the two men. “Ben, you and Adam will have to stay in 
bed for awhile. I don’t even want you to think of anything, but rest.  For 
the next ten days or so, The Ponderosa doesn’t even exist. Is that clear?”
 
Ben knew he couldn’t stay in bed, with Hoss and Joe off on a cattle drive. 
He had to run the ranch. Plus, who would do their cooking? Hop Sing was 
away on the cattle drive as well. More importantly, who would run The 
Ponderosa? Ben knew what he had to do. He would agree to any terms Doc 
Martin dealt him, and then, when the Doc Martin left, he would do what had 
to be done, and Doc Martin would never know. What Doc Martin didn’t know, 
wouldn’t hurt him, Ben thought to himself, then smiled.
 
“Why are you smiling, Ben?” Doc Martin asked. Ben stopped smiling. Adam 
looked suspiciously at his father. Adam knew what his father was thinking. 
Adam looked up at Doc Martin, who blinked his right eye at Adam.
 
“Adam, now that I’ve finished examining you, you may as well go into your 
own bed, but first, there’s something I need to tell the both of you. You 
see, I know you Ben Cartwright, and I know, as soon as my back is turned, 
you’ll be out of that bed, and back to running this ranch. Knowing you as I 
do, I brought along some insurance, just to see that this doesn’t happen, 
and that you stay in bed, as ordered,” Doc Martin said.
 
Adam smiled, wondering what Doc Martin had up his sleeve. Ben looked 
suspiciously at Doc Martin, and said, “What kind of insurance do you have in 
mind?” Doc Martin walked over to the bedroom door, putting his hand on the 
knob, and said, “Knowing that Hoss, Joe and Hop Sing are all away, and 
that you more than likely, had the chicken pox, I enlisted the help of a 
dear, and caring woman, who found it in her heart, to come out with me, and 
care for the two of you.”
 
Ben wasn’t pleased. This could put a damper on his plans to get out of bed, 
and resume his duties. “What dear, and caring woman, did you bring with 
you?” Ben asked. Doc Martin turned to face the door, and tried to stifle 
his laugh. “Why are you laughing?” Ben asked. Doc Martin cleared his 
throat. “Well, with so many people around with the chicken pox, I had very 
few to select from, so keep that in mind,” he replied. Ben sat straight up 
in bed. “Whom did you get?” he asked. Adam’s curiosity was peaked. He 
scratched his chest, and looked up at the doctor, who had turned around. 
“The Widow Hawkins,” Doc Martin replied, and then ran out of the room, 
closing the door behind him.
 
Adam put his head down, trying not to laugh, but couldn’t stop himself. Ben 
looked at Adam, and said, “Stop your laughing boy. If you think, for one 
moment, that I’m going to lie in this bed, and let that, that, that, that 
woman have the run of my house, that doctor has another thing coming.” Ben 
scratched his chest, and Adam followed suit. Adam couldn’t help what came 
out of his mouth next. “What’s the matter Ducky? You afraid?” he asked. 
Ben turned, looking Adam seriously in the face. “What did you say?” Adam 
cleared his throat, and replied, “I said, it’s lucky that you’re brave.”
 
Doc Martin peeked in the room, and said, “I’ll be back now and again to 
check up on the two of you. Now you get plenty of rest, and fluids, and 
that’s an order. Ben, I’ll go down, and tell Clementine, you’re all hers 
now.” Adam began to laugh. He could just picture Clementine Hawkins 
tending to his father’s every need. Ben looked at Adam sternly, and said, 
“You may laugh young man, all you want, but let me make something perfectly 
clear to you. If you, for one moment, leave me alone, with that woman, I’ll 
have you cleaning horse stalls from now on. Now, we both know how much you 
hate cleaning horse stalls, don’t we?” Adam’s face became serious. “Yes 
sir.”
 
“Have I made myself perfectly clear?” Ben asked.
 
“Perfectly Ducky,” Adam replied. Ben narrowed his eyes, and pointed his 
right finger at Adam. “What did you say, young man?” he asked. Adam 
thought for a moment. “Um, I said, um, I said I’m lucky,” Adam replied.
 
Ben turned towards the door, cringing, as he heard Clementine Hawkins 
singing up the stairs. Adam had to bite his lower lip to keep from 
laughing, as he scratched his back.
 
Clementine Hawkins walked into the room, carrying some food on a tray. She 
set the tray on the nightstand. “Oh, hello there Ducky,”  she said to Ben. 
Ben made a face, but didn’t respond. “Why I brought the two of you, some 
porridge, toast and tea,” she said batting her eyes at Ben. Ben looked 
away. Adam turned his head towards the left, so nobody could see him 
silently laugh.  Adam had to admit, he was enjoying every moment of this. 
Clementine handed Adam his porridge, toast and tea. Adam sat there, with the 
bowl of porridge on his lap, tea in his right hand, and toast in his left. 
Ben looked at Adam. “Clementine, why didn’t you bring two trays up?” Ben 
asked. Clementine sat next to Ben, and twirled her finger in his hair. 
Fear came to Ben’s face. Adam never knew how fun, having the chicken pox 
could be. “Clementine, could you please go and get Adam a tray?” Ben 
asked.
 
Clementine adjusted the pink bow, that was on the front of her head, then 
twirled Ben’s hair again. “You know you’re right Ducky. Now what don’t I 
get Adam a tray, and he could go into his own bed, and eat it in there. Now 
how does that sound?” Clementine asked. Ben grabbed Adam’s right wrist, and 
said, “No, Adam can’t go in his own room. He has to stay with me. You see 
when Adam was a little boy, he got real sick, and the only thing that pulled 
him through, was my being at his side. To this day, when Adam is sick, he 
has to stay right next to me, the whole time he’s sick,” Ben lied. Adam 
looked at his father. Adam wished he had a shovel, so he could shovel out 
all the bull in the room. Adam decided to play along with his father. He 
put his head on his father’s shoulder.
 
Clementine looked at Adam. “Oh, you poor, poor little boy. Oh, and his not 
having a mother and all, when he got sick,” she said. Ben was pleased his 
story had worked, and decided to add to it. “Yes, and you see, all he had 
was me,” he said. Tears came to Clementine’s eyes. She walked over to the 
other side of the bed, and sat down next to Adam. She brought Adam’s head 
over to her chest, and hugged him, while stroking the hair on his head. 
“Oh, you poor, poor little boy. It’s a mother you need, and I’m willing to 
fill that position. Ben choked on the porridge, he had put in his mouth. 
Adam laughed silently, with his face buried in Clementine’s chest. 
Clementine was so touched, because she took his laughter for sobs. “Oh go 
ahead, and cry dear boy. Let it out. Let it all out,” she said. Adam 
burst out laughing. Clementine held him closer. “Oh the poor boy, he’s so 
upset, he’s hysterical,” she said. Ben looked straight ahead. “Just 
remember those horse stalls boy,” he said.
 
THAT AFTERNOON, Ben and Adam were both itching so bad, that they both would 
have given anything, to have Billy Simpson walk into their room, right then 
and there. Clementine walked in, and said, “Ducky, I made you a bath, that 
has some herbs in it, that will help take the itch away.” Adam smiled as he 
scratched, picturing his father taking a bath, with Widow Clementine Hawkins 
in the house. Ben thought to himself, that there was no way, that woman 
would ever get him in a tub.
 
Clementine pulled down the covers, and pulled Ben out of bed. In Ben’s 
weakened state, she had the advantage. She rushed him out the bedroom 
door, towards the bathing room. Adam thought that this was too good to 
miss, and jumped out of bed to follow them. Once in the bathing room, 
Clementine started to pull off Ben’s nightshirt. “Please Clementine, I can 
do it myself, and when you are not in the room,” Ben said. Clementine gave 
him a look, and adjusted the green bow on the top of her head. “Now look 
here Ducky. Let’s get something straight, here and now. You ain’t got 
nothing I ain’t never seen before, so peel it off,” she demanded.
 
Adam sat on a chair by the tub, watching Clementine fighting to pull his 
father’s nightshirt up, and his father, fighting to keep it down. He 
wondered who would win the battle of the nightshirt. His father finally 
did. He forced Clementine to leave the room, and close the door behind her. 
 Ben got in the tub, and had to admit, the herbs were taking the itch 
away. He closed his eyes, and sighed.
 
Adam looked at his father. “Well Ducky, how’s the herbs?” he asked. Ben 
opened his eyes, and looked at his son.  “Those horse stalls are getting 
closer, and closer,” he replied. Adam cleared his throat, while scratching 
his stomach.
 
Awhile later, Clementine walked back into the bathing room, carrying a 
bucket. Ben covered his necessary parts with his hands.  “Clementine, what 
are you doing in here?” Ben asked. Clementine stood over the tub, the 
bucket aimed over Ben’s head. A smile on Clementine’s face. Adam dared not 
laugh. “Well you see Ducky, this is a two part herb bath. Now the second 
part, I poor over you,” she said.
 
Ben looked up at Adam, and said, “Well, Adam you can do that, can’t you 
Adam?” he asked. Adam looked at his father, and replied, “Well actually 
Pa, I think I’m just a little too weak at the moment, to lift that heavy 
bucket,” Adam replied. Just then, Clementine poured the bucket over Ben’s 
head. Adam laughed. “Those horse stalls are getting closer son,” Ben said 
through the liquid dripping over his face. Ben didn’t dare move his hands, 
to move the herbal water away from his face. Adam laughed. “Clementine, 
don’t you think Adam could use an herbal bath as well?” Ben asked. Adam 
straightened up, and replied, “No I don’t think so.” Adam watched to see 
what other fun was to come. It didn’t take long. Clementine walked over 
with a towel for his father. It must have been the smallest towel she could 
find. Clementine was growing impatient, as she stood here on the side of 
the tub, holding the towel in her hands. “Now Ducky, you can’t soak in 
those herbs I poured over you too long. Now get out,” she said.
 
“You don’t seriously expect me to get out of this tub, with you here, do 
you?” Ben asked.
 
“Look Ducky, as I said before, you ain’t got nothing I ain’t never seen 
before. Now move it,” she replied.
 
“I refuse to get out of this tub, while you are in this room. Now you move 
it out of this room right now, “ Ben demanded.
 
Clementine sat on the edge of the tub. “Now Ducky, what kind of a person 
would I be, if I didn’t help you out of the tub? Why you could fall, and 
hit your head in your weakened state. If you done that, I’d never forgive 
myself,” Clementine stated.
 
“That’s a risk, I’m willing to take,” Ben replied.
 
Adam looked on, as the debate between his father, and Clementine Hawkins 
went on for at least half an hour. His father finally won, and Clementine 
reluctantly left the room, slamming the door behind her. Adam walked to the 
door, locking it. Adam walked back to the tub. His father stood up, and 
slipped, with Adam catching him. “Poor Clementine. Just think Pa, if she 
were in my place, you would have fallen for her instead, ” he said 
laughing. What Ben Cartwright said at that moment, I cannot put in this 
story, without changing the rating. LOL.
 
 
CLEMENTINE HAD BEEN THERE for five days now, and wasn’t any closer to 
getting Ben to marry her. She realized that maybe to get to the father, she 
had to go through the son. Clementine walked up to Ben’s room, where Adam 
and Ben were sitting up in bed reading. Clementine set her plan in motion, 
walking over to Adam’s side of the bed. She sat next to him, taking the 
book Adam was reading, from his hands, and throwing it across the room. 
Adam looked in amazement at what she had done. Clementine put Adam’s face 
on her chest. Adam looked up at her. “Oh, you poor, poor little boy,” 
Clementine said, as she patted Adam’s back. “Oh, you poor, poor little boy. 
 Having to grow up without a mother.” she said pitifully.
 
Ben looked at the sickening scene, and said, “Yeah, poor little 6’2”, 180 
pound little boy.”
 
Clementine began to rock Adam back and forth. Adam looked up at her, and 
played along. “Oh you poor, poor little boy. Every little boy needs a 
mother to care for him, when he’s ill,” she said, looking over at Ben. Ben 
stared ahead, getting sick, and not from the chicken pox. “Clementine, he’s 
32 years old,” Ben said. Clementine continued on. “Oh, I hate to think of 
you, not having a mother to tuck you in at night,” she said. Adam smiled. 
Ben rolled his eyes, and said, “Clementine, if my 32 year old son, needs a 
mother to tuck him in at night, well then, he needs much more then what a 
mother can give him,” he stated.
 
Adam laughed silently again. “Oh, you poor, poor little boy. You’re 
sobbing again. Let it all out. Oh Benjamin, how can you stand to see your 
son cry so, from a broken heart, from not having a mother?” Clementine 
asked.
 
Ben looked disgusted. “Clementine, he’s not crying, he’s laughing. 
Clementine continued to rock Adam. “Oh you poor, poor little boy. Your 
father just doesn’t want to see you happy. Nor does he want to see your 
brothers Horse, or Tiny Tim happy as well.
 
Adam turned his head slightly, looking at his father, and said, “Poor Horse 
and Tiny Tim.” Adam looked at his father’s expression, and silently laughed 
harder. Clementine then said, “Oh, the poor little boy’s crying harder. 
Oh, I can’t bear to think how awful he’s feeling right now.”
 
Ben got an idea. “You know Clementine, I know something that will make Adam 
feel better. One of your herbal baths,” he said. Adam stopped laughing, 
and turned his head, enough to look at his father. Ben looked at Adam and 
smiled. “Yes indeed Clementine, I think Adam definitely needs one of those 
herbals baths. Oh, and lucky for you Adam, that you ain’t got nothing, that 
 she ain’t never seen before,” Ben said.
 
Adam sat straight up. “No, I don’t think so. I don’t think I need a bath. 
In fact, I don’t even itch anymore,” he lied.
 
Clementine looked at Adam. “Oh Little Ducky, I completely forgot about your 
having an herbal bath. Oh you poor dear. Mother Clementine will get one 
for you right now. Don’t you worry. You’ll be in the tub before you know 
it,” she said, then walked out the door.
 
Adam looked at his father. “Thanks Pa,” he said. Ben smiled and said, 
“You’re welcome son.”
 
Adam sat in the tub, his hands covering his important parts, as Clementine 
poured the herbal water over him. Ben sat there, enjoying every minute of 
it. Adam sat there, with herbal water pouring down his face, but he wasn’t 
going to move his hands to wipe his face, with Clementine there.
 
“Come on Little Ducky,” Clementine said, standing there, holding a small 
towel out for Adam. Ben laughed.
 
Adam got an idea. “You know Clementine, you and Pa haven’t had any time 
alone together. Why don’t I just soak in this tub for awhile, while you and 
Pa get better acquainted?” Adam suggested. What happened next, I can’t 
tell you either, because I just don’t want to have to change that “G” 
rating. LOL again.
 
TWO WEEKS LATER Adam was in the barn, cleaning the stalls. Ben walked in. 
“Well Adam, was it worth it?” Adam thought for a moment. As much as he 
hated to clean stalls, it had been worth it. “Yeah Pa, it was worth it,” 
Adam replied.
 
Ben smiled. “Well son, in that case, I have someone here, who is going to 
help you clean the stalls. I’ll go get them,” Ben said, then left.
 
Adam knew his father didn’t mean for him to clean the stalls forever. His 
father probably hired someone to do the job for Adam. Yeah, his father 
would hold anything against him. No not his father.
 
“Oh Adam.” Ben said. Adam looked up. There in the barn doorway, was 
Abigail Jones. Abigail Jones, who had longed for Adam since he could 
remember, and whom Adam had run from, for as long as he could remember. “Oh 
no,” Adam said, as he walked backwards, falling in the hay.
 
“Here’s your chance Abigail. Get him,” Ben said, letting go of Abigail’s 
arm. Abigail ran to the hay, and jumped on Adam. Ben stood there smiling, 
proud of himself, for getting the last laugh.
 
“Oh Ducky,” Ben cringed as he heard that voice. He turned to find 
Clementine, blue bow and all standing behind him. She took his arm and 
said, “Adam told me, you wanted to show your appreciation for my services,” 
she said.
 
THE END

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