" MY BEST YEAR EVER !"
By: Lynne G.
Twelve year old Little Joe Cartwright had been busy working in the barn on that very cold day, December 31. As the boy finished his morning chores, he decided to groom the love of his life, his beautiful black and white pinto Cochise. The pinto had been his birthday gift from his father, Ben Cartwright that year.
As Little Joe groomed his horse he began to tell Cochise all kinds of stories of what that year had been like for him before the pinto had entered his life on October 31.
" Boy Cooch, this year had gone by so fast and ya know what, you have made this year the best year of my life. Ever since I can remember I have always wanted a black and white pinto of my very own."
" Over the years, Pa, Adam and Hoss have got me lots of books that have stories about pinto's. I have a lot of carved horses that have been painted black and white too."
" Oh Cooch, ya should see my big old rockin' horse that Pa and Adam got me when I was five years old. It's the size of a real pony, maybe just a tad taller. I had so many fun adventures on that big old rockin' horse, and I still have it up in my room. My teddy bear Brownie sits on Trooper now. Oh, that's the rockin' horse's name, and you have met Brownie too." The pinto rubbed his face against the boy, who gently kissed his horse.
"Ya know what Cooch, you look just like Trooper with the same markings and the color of your mane and tail too boy. Oh Cooch, I love you so much !" Cochise whinnied back at Little Joe as if he were saying, " I love you too."
" Last winter was so cold and we had lots of blizzards too. Ya should have seen how deep the snow was. It was deeper than I am tall in some places. We had so much snow that school was closed. That was great not havin' ta go ta school, and seein' old Miss. Jones everyday too. She's one scary lady to have ta look at while stuck there in a boring classroom."
" I have ta laugh cuz she really likes old Adam. Ya should see her Cooch, she gets a goofy look on her face when she see's big brother or when she is thinking about him."
" I love ta tease big brother about her, but he dun't like it none, and he dun't like her either. If he see's her walkin' down the street in town, he turns and goes in another direction. One day when me and Adam were standin' there talkin' ta Sheriff Roy Coffee, I decided ta pull a joke on big brother, and it was so funny too Cooch."
" I suddenly said, " Oh hi Miss Jones." Big brother almost passed out right there on the sidewalk. Talk about funny. I laughed so hard I fell over and rolled on the ground. Sheriff Coffee had ta laugh too, but old Adam wasn't laughin' at all. He growled at me."
" Anyway Cooch, that snow lasted until almost May. It sure made a big mess on the ranch though. So many fences got knocked over from all that snow, and when the big ice storm hit, lots of tree's came crashin' down all over the ranch."
" It took a really long time ta get all them trees cut up. Heck we gots enough wood ta last a long time, fer the fireplace, Hop Sing's cook stove and the stove by Pa's desk."
" The rest of them trees we hauled off ta the sawmill, and all that wood can be used fer other things on the ranch."
" Spring lasted well inta summer this year. I dun't like it when it gets too hot, especially with so many chores that gotta be done."
" Summer was neat cuz school was out and I dun't have ta look at Jonesy fer three months. It's bad enough just seein' her in town though."
" It wasn't the hottest of summers thank goodness, but there were a few days when it got really hot, and even though the lake water was colder than normal, that cold water sure did feel good on them hot days."
" I played a really funny joke on Adam and Hoss one morning. Serves em right too, fer bein' so mean ta me and teasin' me so much. Ya will never guess what I dun to em boy?"
" I decided ta be nice ta em, so I told em I would saddle their horses fer em. Boy did I ever saddle em Cooch ! I sure ya could ya seen Sport and Chubb, boy. Talk about funny lookin'."
" I dun put sidesaddles on em. Yup, we gots some of them funny lookin' saddles here fer when ladies are visitin' and want ta go ridin', they can use sidesaddle, but some ladies like usin' ' real ' saddles."
" Anyway, ya shoulda seen the looks on Adam and Hoss's faces when they saw their horses standin' there with them sidesaddles on em. Pa and me were laughin' really hard, and I dun fell over cuz I was gigglin' so hard."
" Big brothers weren't laughin' none. Nope, they were mad at me, and well old Adam was really mad, but good old Hoss started ta laugh after a few seconds."
" Old Adam got me and he tossed me inta the water trough ! He ain't got no sense of humor, that's fer sure. That dadburn water trough has my name on it cuz I seem to spend so much time in it thanks ta my big brothers."
" All to soon the fun ended BIG TIME in September cuz school started up again. Oh no, all the long days of sittin' in a boring old classroom with old Jonesy were here again. I kept hopin' it was a dream, but it weren't."
" Finally, my twelfth birthday arrived, and that was the best day of my life Cooch, cuz that was the day Pa gave ya ta me. Do ya remember that day boy? I will never forget that day as long as I live !"
" I love ya so much Cooch ! You are my best friend ever ! You dun't get mad at me and I can tell ya all my secrets if'n I have any secrets. I can tell ya everything that bothers me and I know that ya will never make fun of me er tell on me, like my big brothers do." Cochise whinnied at his young owner.
" Remember that big snow storm we had on Thanksgivin' Day ? That was really some storm ! I hope it didn't scare ya boy. I wanted ta bring ya in the house, but Pa said, NO WAY ! I know ya was nice and warm cuz of that new blanket I got ya."
" Christmas was fun with lots of neat gifts and all them yummy cookies Hop Sing made. He still dunt know that I gave ya some cookies too. That's our little secret, ain't it Cooch?" Cochise nodded his head up and down, agreeing with Little Joe.
" I get ta stay up late tanight cuz it's New Years Eve, but as soon as the new year gets here boy, I will come out here and wish ya a Happy New Year Cooch. Just think of all the good times we can have in the new year boy. We will have so much fun and go on lots of excitin' adventures. I can't wait !"
Oh Cooch, I thank ya fer makin' this the best year of my life ! You are the best gift I have ever got !"
" I LOVE YA COOCH !!!!!!!!!!!!" Little Joe tearful told his beloved pinto, as the pinto licked the boy's face and whinnied very softly into Little Joe's ear.
THE END
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!