A Little Dirt Always Helps
BY
Lynne G.
While Ben and Adam waited for Hoss to return to the table that morning
from having the chore of waking up his twelve year old little brother, they
were discussing the day's chores.
" Adam I have decided to let Little Joe do the repairs on that section
of fencing down at Flett Creek, while you and Hoss go into town to get the
supplies and mail," Ben explained. He wasn't surprised at the unhappy
look on his oldest son's face.
" Pa, why would you want to let Little Joe do those repairs ? Hoss
and I were planning on doing them later on today. Little brother is just
a boy and with the kind of mischief he gets into, do you really think that
he can be trusted to do the job correctly ?" Adam voiced his concern.
" Son, your little brother is perfectly capable of doing those repairs
and you know that, plus he is old enough to be able to do any job I give
him," Ben said trying to reassure his oldest son.
" I suppose you're right Pa, but I can't believe that that boy will
get the job done without getting into some kind of mischief," Adam
replied nervously. He knew his baby brother all too well.
When Hoss returned to the table, he sat down and slowly shook his head as
he helped himself to some breakfast.
" I tell ya Pa, trying to wake up little brother is like trying to
wake up the dead. How can anyone sleep so soundly ?" Hoss declared.
" I don't know but I wish I could sleep that well," Ben teased
with Adam agreeing to that statement.
" I can't figure out why I like to wake him up, but I do. He's just
too darn cute I guess," Hoss mumbled as he took a bite of ham.
Hearing footsteps on the stairs the family looked in that direction to see
the baby of the family slowly yawning his way towards the table which caused
them to smile.
" Mornin' ", the boy mumbled as he sat down and continued to yawn.
" Good morning son, sleep well ?" Ben asked with a grin on his
face. Little Joe nodded back not fully awake yet.
" Now that you are here Joseph, I was telling your brothers what the
plans for the day are, and you, as soon as you finish your breakfast I want
you to ride over to Flett Creek and do the repairs on that section of fence
that blew down in the windstorm last week."
" I know that you can easily handle that job," Ben finished saying
as he looked to see what his son's reaction would be. He knew how badly
his youngest son wanted to be able to do the same jobs that his older brothers
did, well some of the jobs. There were some that were entirely too hard
for a twelve year old to do yet.
As soon as Little Joe heard what his father had said he was fully awake
and feeling very proud that he was going to do the repairs to the fence.
He puffed out his chest and very proud indeed and he grinned at everyone.
" Yes sir, and I will do a great job too-just wait and see. You won't
be disappointed Pa, I promise you that," the boy promised.
" I still say that a boy can't be trusted to do a mans job, and especially
a boy who loves to get into mischief. Heaven knows what will happen at that
fenceline," Adam teased.
Little Joe glared at Adam and stuck his tongue out at him. That made Adam
smile while Ben looked towards the heavens, slowly shook his head and cleared
his throat at his youngest son for sticking his tongue out.
Before Ben could say anything else, Hoss said that he agreed with Adam.
The boy glared at Hoss and stuck his tongue out at him as well. Of course
Adam and Hoss weren't going to tell their little brother that they were
only teasing him.
" Hey little brother, do you really think you can handle an important
job like repairing a fence all by yourself ?" Adam asked as he was
thoroughly enjoying teasing the boy.
" Sure can older brother and I bet..I just bet I can do a better job
than you can too," the boy told his brother. " Ok, you prove that
to me alright ?" Adam challenged. Little Joe smiled at Adam and winked
at Hoss who decided not to say anything at that moment. Ben was getting
a kick out of everything going on at the table that morning.
" Little Joe, now I want you to take plenty of nails and a hammer with
you," Ben suggested. " Not too worry Pa, and I'll take a shovel
too !" the youngster declared.
That statement of a shovel caught his family off guard. " A shovel
? What do you need a shovel for little brother ?" Adam asked as he
looked at Ben, then at Hoss before looking back to his little brother.
" Cuz ya never know when ya might have ta dig a new hole fer a post.
That's why I'm takin' a shovel with me. Good idea huh ?" the boy proudly
told his family.
" I never gave that a thought son. That's a wonderful idea," Ben
proudly told Little Joe who puffed up his chest even more.
" Ya hear that Adam, see I dun told ya that our baby brother can handle
that job ," Hoss proudly told Adam. " Hey I ain't no baby !"
Little Joe corrected Hoss.
" Sorry Punkin, but you are our baby brother so that title does fit
ya ya know," Hoss teased as he grinned at his brother. Little Joe glared
at Hoss again.
Little Joe worked hard and fast at his job of fence repairs. It had taken
him just over three hours to get the job finished and as he looked at the
fence, he felt very proud of himself, but he was tired.
He walked over to his beloved pinto, Cochise, and he gently petted the horse's
long silky neck.
" Hey Cooch look, I got all the fence repairs done faster than I thought
I could. Ain't that somethin'? the boy said. Cochise nudged his young master
and gave the boy a soft whinny, which caused Little Joe to giggle.
" I'm kinda tired Cooch, so I think I might have a short nap so I dunt
get home too soon and have Pa find more work fer me ta do. That's only fair
since I worked so hard already," the boy said as he looked at his shirt
and hands.
" Hummm, I ain't dirty 'nough, so I think I better get more dirty and
that way it will look like I've been workin' even harder and bein' really
dirty will prove that too. Whatcha think Cooch-good idea huh?" Little
Joe asked the pinto who in return whinnied back and he again nudged the
boy.
Little Joe took his time with rubbing dirt all over his shirt, jeans, hands
and face. He even rubbed dirt in his thick curly hair. Once he was finished
with the dirt, he sat down and leaned up against a tall pine tree and fell
asleep.
After Adam and Hoss returned home with the supplies and mail, they decided
to go and check up on their little brother.
As they rode, Hoss looked at Adam and said, " Adam, do ya really think
we should be spyin' on little brother ? That might hurt his feelings ya
know."
" Yes, I do, besides I just want to see if he might need some help
or more supplies," Adam replied as he was feeling a little guilty.
Once they arrived at Flett Creek they noticed that the fence repairs were
done, but they also noticed their little brother fast asleep as well.
" Well, I can see he's working really hard Hoss at...sleeping,"
Adam declared as he looked down at his sleeping brother.
" Yes, but he got his work done. Just look at that fence. He dun good
older brother," Hoss said as he as he too smiled at the sleeping boy.
"Yes I guess he did, but how on earth did he get so dirty, It looks
like he's been rolling in the dirt or something. Should we wake him up ?'
Adam asked as he continued to look at the very dirty boy.
" Nah, let's just go home and wait for baby brother to get home,"
Hoss suggested. " Good idea," Adam said as they rode off towards
home.
Once Adam and Hoss reurned home they told Ben that they had gone to check
on Little Joe and told him that their little brother had finished his work
and was sleeping. They also told him how dirty the boy was.
" How could he get so dirty ?" Ben questioned as he couldn't figure
out how a person could get so dirty repairing a fenceline. " Don't
know Pa, but are talking about Little Joe you know," Adam teased. "
Guess we'll just have wait to hear what he says, which could be very interesting
indeed knowing our baby brother," Hoss laughed. Adam and Ben had to
agree with Hoss's statement.
Around an hour later a tired and very dirty Little Joe arrived home, not
knowing his brothers had seen him sleeping at Flett Creek. Once he took
care of Cochise, he slowly walked towards the house feeling very proud of
himself.
" Hi ya Pa, Adam, Hoss. I got all the fenceline repaired. I only needed
to dig a couple of new holes fer the posts, so it's just a good thing I
took that shovel with me. Great idea huh?" the boy proudly told his
family with a big smile on his very dirty face.
" Thank you son. I knew I could trust you to do that very important
job, and yes, that was an excellent idea you had about taking the shovel
with you, but I do have one question, how on earth did you get so dirty?"
Ben asked as he looked at his young son. His family couldn't wait to hear
what the boy had to say.
Taking a deep breath, and looking at his family, Little Joe explained, "
Well, ya see Pa....Um, can't ya tell I've been workin' ? It's real dusty
out there and...well diggin' holes and hammerin' makes the dirt fly all
over the place and I was all hot and sweaty, so that dadburn dirt landed
all over me !"
It was very hard for his family not to laugh at what he had just told them
and at the different looks the youngster had on his dirty face.
" I see. You are correct about getting dirty son. You just never know
what dirt will do," Ben teased as Little Joe just continued to smile.
" Now son, I want you to please go and take a bath and get all that
dirt off of you," Ben suggested.
" Um Pa...I really dun want no bath so I think I'll just go and washed
outside at the pump. See ya ! " the boy declared as he ran out the
door.
" That boy !" Ben declared as he, Adam and Hoss laughed. Some
things never change do they Pa ?" Adam laughed. " Ya know, I thought
little brother out grew that, " I dunt want no bath " thing long
ago, Hoss reminded them, " but I guess not," Hoss added.
As Little Joe stood there washing his face, Adam and Hoss snuck up on him
and they grabbed hold of him which caused the boy to screech out in surprise,
and he soon found himself being dropped in the water trough with his brothers
laughing at him.
As he resurfaced, Little Joe spit water out of his mouth while he glared
at his brothers who continued to laugh at him.
" Whatcha do that for?" the boy yelled at them. " Why, because
you needed a bath ! That's why baby brother!" Adam replied. "
I AIN'T NO BABY !" the youngster yelled back. " Oh yes your are
!" both Adam and Hoss yelled back. Little Joe stuck his tongue out
at both brothers as he sat in the trough with his arms folded across his
chest.
Ben sat in the house and he could hear loud laughter coming from the yard
and Little Joe yelling at his brothers and he knew what had taken place.
" Looks like Little Joe ended up having a bath after all !" Ben
said to himself and he laughed.
The End