Joseph....!
by
Lynne G.
Usually Saturdays on the Ponderosa went smoothly and there weren't a lot
of chores that needed doing. It was more of a relaxing day, but this Saturday
was a little different.
This was the last day of haying season and the Cartwrights figured they
would be finished about mid-day. This day it finally a little cooler then
it had been all week, and they were all very grateful for that, but it was
still hard work.
" Boy I am so glad that's over for another year !" Ben declared
as he took a long drink from his canteen. " You sure got that right
Pa, and it was an excellent season too," Adam said as Hoss agreed with
that statement too as did Ben.
Little Joe stood there feeling very proud of himself for being able to help
out full time with the haying season this year. Being that he was now fifteen
years old, he was able to do more chores than he had in the past, but there
were still many more chores that he was still too young to do yet.
After they had arrived home one of the first things that they wanted to
do was take a nice relaxing bath. Ben, Adam and Hoss were all able to get
in their baths before dinner, which meant that Little Joe would have to
wait until after dinner for his bath since he was the youngest.
As the Cartwrights were relaxing after dinner and before Little Joe had
his bath, Ben, Adam and Hoss were talking about when Little Joe was a very
little boy and he hated to take baths. The boy would run out of the washroom
and outside and run around the yard without his clothes on and he would
yell, " No baff, no baff !" over and over and over while his family
had to chase after him and get him back in the house.
" Boy, how could we ever forget those days ? Little brother you certainly
kept us on our toes at all times. We didn't dare turn our backs on you.
One minute we were ready to put you in the tub, and the next moment you
were running out of the house yelling, " NO BAFF " over and over."
Adam teased.
" Yeah, seems like only yesterday when that happened," Hoss laughed.
" I have to say Little Joe, you certainly made bath time very interesting
for us," Ben stated as he remembered back to those days.
" Well, ha, ha, ha, ya had ta chase me did ya. I liked going 'round
without clothes. I love the feeling of the breeze on my bare skin,"
the boy teased as he was beginning to get an idea in his head for a prank
on his family and he giggled to himself.
" Joseph, go and take your bath now please," Ben suggested as
he smiled at his young son. " NO BAFF, NO BAFF !" the boy teased.
" JOSEPH !" Ben replied.
" Sure thing Pa ! I loved ta keep you guys on yer toes though,"
the boy said as he giggled and he started to leave the room, but before
he left it, he turned and grinned at Hoss with mischief written all over
his face.
Hoss was nervous as soon as he saw that look on the boy's face and he knew
that mischief was coming.
" Somethings never change !" Adam teased as they all watched the
youngest Cartwright finally leave the room.
" Hey Pa, I tell ya that boy is up to something. Did ya see that look
he gave me before he left the room?" Hoss nervously said as he swallowed
plus he had a worried look on his face as well.
Both Ben and Adam looked at Hoss and saw a look of worry on his face. "
Hoss, the boy is fifteen years old now so I don't think he is planning on
running around without his clothes on," Ben told Hoss to ease his concerns.
" But Pa, we are talking about Little Joe after all and we all know
that he still has a lot of ' little boy ' in him..." Adam reminded
them.
No sooner he Adam made that statement when a totally naked and giggling
Little Joe ran past them and out the front yelling, " NO BAFF, NO BAFF
!" over and over.
Not sure if they were seeing what their eyes thought they were seeing, the
Cartwrights just sat there in shock for the first few seconds before they
realized at what they saw was real, and they ran after the naked boy.
Little Joe ran around the yard yelling, " NO BAFF, NO BAFF !"
over and over while giggling loudly.
" JOSEPH GET BACK IN THE HOUSE NOW !" Ben shouted as they continued
to chase after Little Joe.
In the mean time in the bunk house, Charlie and Hank were enjoying a game
of checkers when they heard Little Joe yelling in the yard. They both looked
up at each other remembering back to the years before when that seemed to
be a very common thing for the youngest Cartwright.
" You don't think he is...? Charlie started to say. " Knowing
that boy, it wouldn't surprise me one bit," Hank laughed. They both
went outside and to their surprise, there was Little Joe running around
the yard as if he were five years old again. They were both shocked, but
then they started to laugh at the looks on Ben, Adam and Hoss's faces.
Little Joe was giggling so hard that he fell and was rolling in the dirt
while holding his stomach. His shocked family were finally able to catch
up him and Hoss quickly picked him up and threw him over his shoulder while
Ben gave him four quick swats to his small bare bottom.
" Just like old times Ben," Charlie shouted as he and Hank continued
to laugh. Ben just smiled at them.
Once back in the washroom, Hoss dumped his little brother in the tub. The
boy was still giggling. A very shocked Hop Sing just stood not believing
what he had seen either.
" You guys shoulda seen the looks on yer faces. Talk about funny !"
the boy giggled as the tears ran down his face from giggling so hard.
" Joseph so help me if you ever do that again, I'm ...I'm going to
put you in a cage until you are an old man !" Ben threatened. "
Good idea Pa !" both Adam and Hoss said.
Back in the livingroom, Ben, Adam and Hoss still couldn't believe what Little
Joe had done. " That boy...." Ben started to say before a loud
singing voice was suddenly heard singing, " Rubber ducky we're the
one. Oh rubber ducky I love, cuz ya never tease me. Oh rubber ducky yer
the one !"
" Pa I think baby brother spent too much time in the sun this week.
It's damaged his brain. First he runs around the yard totally naked yelling
" NO BAFF " over and over and now he is singing to his rubber
ducky, and I hate to think what he will do next," Adam said as he looked
at Ben.
" You could be right about that son, but I think that boy is just teasing
us. At least I hope he is," Ben replied with a worried look on his
face.
" Pa, that boy has that duck in the tub with him evrytime he takes
a bath !" Hoss reminded Ben. Ben just smiled as did Adam.
" Mr. Cartlight, Little Joe need help. First he run in yard with no
clothes and yell he want no baff, now he sing to rubber duck. Boy need help
now. He not normal today !" Hop Sing rambled on.
" Don't worry Hop Sing, he's just teasing us, I hope," Ben told
Hop Sing.
" Oh rubber ducky we're the one ! Rubber ducky..." could still
be heard loudly through out the house.
The End