Well, Now What?
by
Sadie
“Well, now what?
Little Joe Cartwright sat on the little knoll
overlooking his home. Dawn was minutes away. A great
sigh rose wavering its way towards the fading stars.
“I hope “this” look convinces Pa.”
The house was to his eye still wrapped in slumber.
He had left his beloved Cochise behind and taken the
plain ordinary looking bay they had bought for when
visitors came, a horse that was very trustworthy, just
not anything anyone would remember seeing, especially
in town late at night.
It had worked like a charm, no one had done a second
head count at the coral and since Joe had gone to bed
first no one thought to see if he was there, Pa had
already said his good night.
All that went up in a puff of misty breath as the
front door opened and Hoss appeared stopping to
stretch at the edge of the porch. Joe hung his head
and shook it sadly, (Why oh why can’t I ever get a
break, ahh, could be worse, could be Adam, Fewww, that
would be bad!)
Lady luck took pity, Hoss for some reason turned and
re-entered the house.
Joe took a few moments to practice has expression, and
then with a jaunty shrug he went to meet the new day.
Quietly he put Stanley back.
Pulling his shirttail out, he stashed his jacket, not
needing to hide his gun belt, as he was not old enough
to have one, he darted to the out house once inside he
counted to ten, stepping out just as Ben Cartwright
came out the back entrance of his home for his morning
needs, the one place he knew he could be guaranteed at
least 5 maybe 10 minutes of uninterrupted time, at
least most of the time.
(It’s now or never.)
A few beads of perspiration as if on cue formed on his
upper lip.
“Joseph?. . . What are you doing?”
“Uh, Hi Pa,” he squeaked, “Mmmm,” pointing to the
little building he continued to stutter, “J-just—um,
y-you know, geee Pa.”
A perfect blush touched the slightly pale cheeks,
as he continued stuffing his shirt back into his pants
remembering to check to buttons for good measure
Ben coughed, embarrassed himself at the way the
question came out.
“Sorry son, it’s just I wasn't’t expecting any one,
least of all you, at this hour…Are you alright?”
Joe tipped his head down to cover the sly grin, and
past back the wounded soul full one.
“Shh, yeah, I think so.” he drew his arm across his
face.
Removing his arm to reveal closed eyes as he lifted
his handsome young face into the first warming rays of
the sun cresting the tips of the Ponderosa pines. Both
stood another silent spell letting the beginning of a
sweet summer day energize them.
“Well, Pa I’d better uh, get inside, sorry I startled
you.”
“No, no, its alright son, are you sure you're okay? I
mean…”
“Awwww com-mon Pa, I- I just, well, it might just have
been that extra molasses chew I sort of took from
Hoss’ stash, I – I know- don’t say it”
Ben had raised his finger to begin shaking it, as the
boy back stepped waving his arms in front of him in a
flurry of apologetic movements. Joe had reached the
back door and safety as his father’s attention was
strongly deterred to his original mission.
“Some day that boy is going to dig himself in too
deep, but unfortunately, or should I say fortunately
for him, not today!”
The sound of back door and outhouse door shutting as
one relieved them both.
Sadie Ben’s Lady