Six year old Little Joe Cartwright had already sent in his letter to Santa Claus a week earlier, but the more he thought about some else he wished he had added to his letter, he decided that he needed to write another letter to Santa and soon too.
Ben was sitting at his desk doing the monthly bookwork and finding it hard to concentrate. He was thinking more about Christmas which would be here in two more weeks.
Suddenly the front door flew open and in ran a bundle of non-stop energy breathing hard. “PAPA! PAPA! The little boy shouted. “Over here son,” Ben replied as he watched his little son come to a screeching halt in front of the desk. The child’s cheeks were bright rosy red from the cold and his big green eyes seemed extra bright too.
Ben couldn’t figure out what could be so important at that moment, but with Little Joe anything was possible. “Settle down son and tell me what’s on your mind,” Ben suggested as he motioned for the little boy to come and sit on his lap. Little Joe quickly ran over to Ben and climbed onto Ben’s lap.
“Hi ya Papa,” the boy began. That made Ben smile. “Hi son, now what can I do for you?” Ben asked again.
Little Joe took a deep breath and began to explain to Ben what was on his mind. “Well ya see Papa, ‘member last week when ya sent my letter ta Santa fer me, well I done fer got ta mention two really important things to him, so I need ta write him a special letter. Um I was wonderin’ if’n ya could sent the new one fer me too?”
“I would be honored to sweetheart if it is that important to you,” Ben said a he hugged his baby tightly and he gave the boy a kiss. That made Little Joe giggle as Ben also tickled the boy. “Thanks Papa!” the boy shouted as he jumped off Ben’s lap and headed towards the stairs.
“Wait just a minute son and let me help you get out of your coat,” Ben suggested as Little Joe had already taken off his scarf, mittens and cap. “Kay Papa,” the boy replied.
Ben watched as his ball of energy ran up the stairs. He slowly shook his head and had to laugh as Little Joe could be so dramatic at times. “I wonder what is so important about this second letter to Santa.” Ben thought to himself.
Now up in his room, Little Joe took out a piece of paper and a pencil, then he sat down at his desk. As he sat there looking at the ceiling, he began to think of what just to say to Santa. He knew it had to be a special letter and printed in his best printing too.
“Dear Santa,
I know that this is my second letter to you this year, but this letter is
very special as it is for two special people in my life. Since you know
everything I do [how do ya know all that?] you will know why I needed to
write you again. I hope ya dunt mind.”
“I know how busy you are on Christmas Eve and how tired ya get, but please dear Santa, please do this for me and the two special people in my life.”
“On Christmas Eve could ya please make a special stop in heaven for me? I would love it if’n ya could stop and give my Mama a big hug and kiss from me and tell her that I miss her so very much and that I love her so very much too. I know she would really love that. Also if’n ya see some pretty roses on yer flight would it be possible fer ya pick one for my Mama and give it to her when ya see her. She loved roses. Papa tells me that Mama watches over me, I mean us all the time. I know she knows that I have been a good boy all year, um, almost a good boy everyday. At least I try to be a good boy, but that old trouble and mischief just attacks when I ain’t lookin’”.
“It must be so special for Mama to spend Christmas with Jesus now and I bet she watches everyone at Christmas all over the world like Jesus does. How fun is that! So please Santa, please can ya do that request fer me. I would really appreciate that so much.”
“My second request Santa is, as you know my oldest brother, Adam ain’t here fer Christmas this year. He dun and went away ta college way back in Boston. Papa said that Boston is too far away fer Adam ta come home fer Christmas. Still dunt know why he wanted ta go all the way back there ta go ta school. Heck I dun told him he could go ta school with me and Hoss, but he said that he needed to learn more than he could here, so off he went.”
“Christmas just ain’t gonna be the same without Adam here. He will be spending Christmas with his grampa, so he will be with family, but it still won’t be the same as being with us here on the Ponderosa. I miss him so much.”
“So if’n ya gots any extra time on Christmas Eve, please could ya stop by his grampa’s house and give Adam a big hug and kiss from me and tell him that I love him very much and that I really miss him too.”
“We sent him lots of present’s fer Christmas. Papa had ta send em real early so Adam would get em in time for Christmas. Hop Sing also sent along some cookies fer him too. I sure hope they dunt get busted. That would just awful!”
“So Santa, I sure hope ya dunt mind me sendin’ ya this second letter this, but you can see how important it is.”
“Thank you Santa. I love ya!”
Little Joe Cartwright
Little Joe checked over his letter and he was very proud of himself as he had used his very best printing and the letter looked perfect to him. He hoped and prayed that Santa could grant his two special wishes. He neatly folded the letter and raced out of his room and down the stairs to get an envelope from Ben which he would address also in his best printing.
Ben could hear his baby racing down the hall then down the stairs and straight over to his desk with a letter in hand, and a big smile on that sweet angelic face.
“Papa, I dun finished my second letter ta Santa. Have ya gots an extra envelope I could use fer it?” the boy asked as he looked at Ben with his big green eyes that danced with excitement.
Ben had to smile at his son. “Of course you can have an envelope son,” Ben said as he handed his son the envelope. “Thanks Papa!” the boy replied as he began to address the envelope to Santa. Once the envelope had been addressed, again in his best printing, Little Joe put his letter inside the envelope then handed it to Ben. “Thanks Papa!” Little Joe said as he gave Ben a big hug and kiss. Ben loved moments like this with his youngest son and he thanked Marie everyday for this special little boy.
“Papa, can I go out and play in the snow again?” the boy asked as he jumped and down with excitement. Little Joe loved to play in the snow every chance he had. He could stay outside playing all day and all night if his papa would let him.
“Of course you can go play in the snow again. Come and let’s get you dressed nice and warm. Hoss should be home soon and I know he wants to play with you in the snow.” Hoss had gone with Charlie to check on one of the fence lines to make sure it was still standing after the blizzard that had hit a couple of days earlier. “Maybe later we can have a snowball fight,” Ben suggested. “Ya mean it Papa, really?” “Yes I really mean it son. “OH BOY! Thank you Papa!”
With that said, Little Joe ran out the door to start making a lot of snowballs for the up and coming snowball fight. Ben just had to laugh at the antics of his little boy.
Ben glanced out the window to make sure Little Joe was busy and wouldn’t be coming in for a while. He wanted to read the new letter to Santa. He sat down at his desk and very carefully opened the neatly folded letter, and he began to read.
He was so proud of his boy for what he had requested from Santa that he had tears in his eyes. The letter was so beautifully written from the heart that Ben wished that there really was a Santa so his son’s request could be granted.
As Ben sat there in tears Hops Sing walked over the desk with a fresh hot cup of coffee for Ben and when he noticed Ben’s tears he became concerned. “Mr.Cartlight, what wrong? You have tears on face, Hop Sing asked. He couldn’t figure out what could be wrong. Ben didn’t know that Hop Sing was standing by his desk as the man walked so quietly.
“Hi Hop Sing, nothings wrong, honest. I was just reading this second letter Little Joe just wrote to Santa. It is so beautifully written that I couldn’t help myself. Here, you have to read it too,” Ben said as he handed the letter to Hop Sing.
As Hop Sing read the letter, he too had tears in his eyes. “Little boy write very special letter from his heart to Santa. Hop Sing wish there were a Santa to give Missy Cartlight and Adam what little boy wish for,” Hop Sing said as he handed back the letter to Ben. “I know,” Ben sadly replied as he very carefully folded the letter and put it back in the envelope. He knew he was going to keep that special letter for the rest of his life.
“Little Joe very special little boy Mr. Cartlight, very special,” Hop Sing told Ben as he walked to the kitchen. “He certainly is Hop Sing,” Ben softly said more to himself than to Hop Sing. Hop Sing heard what Ben had said and he smiled.
“Oh Marie my love, we have the sweetest and most caring little boy in the world. How I wish there was a Santa so he could give you what our baby asked for. I know just how proud you must feel too. I love you and I miss you so very much my love,” Ben said very softly to the photo he had of Marie that sat on his desk with the photos of Adam and Hoss’s mothers too. Those three photos made him close to his beloved wives every time he sat down at his desk.
Ben stood up and with his cup of coffee in one hand and the special letter in his other hand, and he walked up the stairs to his room. In his room he kept a box that contained every letter that his sons had written to Santa over the years.
Just before Christmas each year, Ben read each letter in the privacy of his room. They brought back so many memories that Ben cherished forever. His boys, his precious sons whom he loved more than life itself. Those Christmas letters and the memories of each Christmas will never be forgotten.
The end.
Merry Christmas!!!!!