A Gumdrop?
by
Moreau
It was a special hunting trip. All three brothers got together at summer’s end and before hard winter chores were to begin. They wanted to take this week to have some fun, go hunting and be together.
Their Pa allowed them this week every year as a reward for hard work well done. The tradition on the first night is story telling. It was Hoss who regaled the story of a hunt halted by a stubborn 12 year old.
Pa and Adam were to leave with Jasper White and Blake Bodine on a hunting trip. A big herd of elk were spotted nearby.
As Adam and Ben prepared for the hunt, Ben discovered something missing....bullets and cartridges.
"You know young man I will not tolerate your disobedience. Now you will tell me what you did with my cartridges and I mean RIGHT NOW!"
Hoss looked away shuffling his feet. He winced at his father’s words and knew he was over the thin line set by his Pa, way over.
"Look at me Eric." Ben was at the end of his patience. His six year old middle son with all his sweetness and easy going nature was being down right stubborn. Hoss (Eric) Cartwright would rather take the impending spanking than tell his father where the gun cartridges were.
"No Pa, you will just kill those elk, and they don’t deserve it. You and Adam can’t go hunting if you can’t shoot nuthin’. Hoss said with his arms crossed.
"Enough of this. Ben took Hoss by the arm and put the boy over his knee. As he lifted his heavy hand, his son squeezed his tearful eyes waiting for the first swat. Ben shook his head. Instead of using his lap putting Hoss over it, he sat his distraught son upward hugging him until he stopped crying.
"Y-you ain’t going to spank me Pa?" Hoss said looking upward.
"No son, I know why you hid the bullets and I cannot fault you. You have to understand son that some herds are too big and must be thinned out to survive. We are only taking one animal per family, this meat is for our winter stores, not trophy son."
Reluctantly but obediently Hoss showed his Pa where the ammunition was hidden. Ben chuckled at his choice. He put them in his candy jar.
"And where is your candy Hoss?" Ben asked.
"Uh Pa about that..." Hoss was interrupted.
"Pa did you see what Hoss did, there are gumdrops stuffed in the guns." Adam said disgusted.
The End