"Ben's not so relaxing bath"
By: Lynne G.
It had been a long month for the Cartwright family. It was
haying season and the days were long and hard, but thankfully this summer,
the weather had been unusually cool. No one complained about that since
the cool weather was the only good thing about haying season this year.
The hay crop was excellent this year and there seemed to be more hay as
well. That meant all the cattle and horses would have more enough hay to
last well into the following hay season next summer.
" This has to be the best looking hay we have ever had and the most
hay as well," Ben declared as he looked at the hay. Ben and his two
older sons, Adam and Hoss were getting ready to return home after their
long day.
" Pa, since we have so much extra hay this year, do you think we can
share it with other ranchers who don't have enough of their own?" Adam
asked, as he too was surprised at the hay crop this year.
With a proud feeling, Ben looked at his oldest son, smiled and replied,
" Yes, that is a wonderful idea son. Thank you for that suggestion.
" Hey, I like that idea too," Hoss added as he had a big smile
on his face.
As soon as Ben, Adam and Hoss rode into the yard, a very happy Little Joe
ran outside to greet his family. This little five year old boy was the heart
and soul of the Ponderosa.
" Papa, Adam, Hoss, ya's home ! I sure dun missed ya all day ! Me and
Hop Sing had fun makin' lots and lots of cookies !" the excited little
boy shouted as he was jumping up and down with excitement.
Ben took a good look at the excitement in his baby boy's big bright green
eyes, and the big smile on face, as he held out his arms to catch the child
who ran towards him.
With a big sweeping action, Ben scooped up the little boy and hugged him
tightly. " Hi sweetheart, I sure did miss you today. So you and Hop
Sing made cookies did you ?" Ben declared as he continued to hug his
son.
" Yup, we sure did Papa. We made lots and lots and lots of cookies,
and we dun made a cake too. Hop Sing saided we gets that after dinner, but
we's all gotta eats all our dinner first !" Little Joe carefully explained
with a very serious look on his happy little face.
The boy's family got a big kick out of the expressions on the child's face
when he told them about the cake, and that they all needed to eat all of
their dinner before they could have cake.
With a big hardly laugh, Hoss replied, " Not too worry Punkin. I'm
plum starvin' ta death and ya know that I always eat all my dinner !"
" No truer words ever spoken," Adam added as he laughed.
" Can I's help ya take care of yer horsey's please?" Little Joe
asked as he looked at his family. He loved horses, and he loved to help
groom them, especially his pony, Ginger.
" Sure can little buddy," Adam said as he picked up the child
and put him on his horse Skip. Little Joe sat up very proudly in the saddle
as he smiled at his family. " Hey, Imma taller than all of ya,"
Little Joe declared as he sat there looking down at his family. " You
certainly are ," they all agreed.
The Cartwrights enjoyed hearing about Little Joe's day, especially the way
this happy go lucky little boy explained it.
" Papa, did ya know that Nemo tooked his nap wiv me ?" the little
boy announced. " That was nice of Nemo to have his nap with you. Where
were Rusty, Sam and Kitty ?" Ben asked.
" They was all on mousie duty. Papa, I wish I could purr like my kitties
do. I's keeps tryin', but still can't do it," Little Joe replied.
Trying not too laugh at what his baby had just said, Ben looked at his son's
confused look that he had on his face. " Sweetheart, people don't purr
like kitties do. Kitties purr when they feel good, and happy, and they also
purr when they like you," Ben explained.
" I guess my kitties are happy and they like me too," the child
stated. " Little buddy, your kitties love you very much," Adam
told his baby brother as he gave the little boy a big hug. " I's wuv
my kitties too, the child added.
Just before dinner, Ben announced that he was going to take a nice relaxing
bath after dinner. He was tired and sore and the thought of a nice warm
relaxing bath sounded like heaven to him.
When Little Joe heard what his Papa had just said, the child remembered
something very important. " Papa, ya gotts ta wait fer an hour before
ya have a baf after ya eats ya know," Little Joe delcared. Ben had
to laugh as did Adam and Hoss.
" Sweetheart, you have to wait for an hour after you eat when you go
swimming, not when you take a bath, but I will wait for say, thirty minutes,
alright?" Ben chuckled.
Little Joe could come up with some very interesting statements and answers
most of the time.
" Kay, Papa. That sounds good ta me," Little Joe declared as he
smiled at Ben. " You certainly do watch out for us, don't you Punkin
?" Hoss responded.
" Yup, I's sure does, cuz I's wuv ya all and I's needs ta make sure
ya's all safe ya know !" the child explained. " Thank you son.
It's very nice to know that you want to keep us safe," Ben told the
little boy, who smiled back.
After dinner, Ben asked Adam and Hoss if they could please keep their little
brother occupied while he had is nice relaxing bath. " My aching muscles
could certainly use a good soaking," Ben said.
" Sure Pa. You have your nice relaxing bath, so you feel as good as
new. Don't worry about that baby boy of yours, Hoss and I will keep him
busy," Adam reassured Ben. " Thank you son," Ben said.
Adam and Hoss were taking turns giving Little Joe piggy back rides around
the house, and chasing their little brother too.
Ben could hear all the giggling and yelling as he relaxed in the warm water.
He thanked God for his three wonderful sons.
Hop Sing was getting a big kick out of watching ' his ' boys playing and
having a good time.
Little Joe was in his stocking feet because he thought that he could run
much faster in the house without his boots on.
" Hoss, lets get this silly boy and eat him up because he is so sweet
!" Adam teased as he was licking his lips. " Oh boy, I sure do
love sweets !" Hoss announced as he closed in on his baby brother with
Adam.
Little Joe was squealing as he tried to get away from his big brothers,
but he was captured. Adam and Hoss pulled up the little boy's shirt so his
bare stomach was showing.
Hoss pretended like he was eating the child and every couple of seconds,
he and Adam would blow on the little boy's bare tummy, which caused the
child to giggle even louder, and he would cry out for help too.
Finally, Little Joe was able to get away from his brothers and he raced
off to the washroom where Ben was relaxing in the tub.
As soon as Ben heard his baby son race into the room giggling and yelling,
" Papa save me ! ", he opened his eyes just in time to see the
little boy leap in the tub with him, fully clothed.
Water went flying in every direction as the little boy landed in the water,
then onto Ben's lap.
" Joseph, what in the world is going on, and why did you jump in the
tub with me?" Ben almost shouted, as he looked at the winded little
mischief maker on his lap.
" Hi ya Papa. Ya needs ta save from Adam and Hoss cuz theys wants ta
eats me, ya know !" Little Joe explained as he had his little arms
around Ben's neck.
About that time, Adam and Hoss ran into the washroom calling out for their
little brother.
As soon as they saw Little Joe in the tub with an unhappy looking Ben, they
stopped and stood still.
" Are you two looking for this very wet little imp by any chance?"
Ben asked as he was almost laughing at the shocked looks on Adam and Hoss's
faces.
" Sorry about this Pa. We didn't know he would join you in the tub,
" Adam nervously replied. " Yeah Pa, we was only tryin' ta keep
him busy fer ya," Hoss sheepishly added as he wasn't sure if they were
all in trouble or not.
" Adam, would you please go and get your little brother's nightshirt,
and Hoss, could you please go and get some extra towels ?" Ben asked.
" Sure Pa," both Adam and Hoss said as they both headed off to
get what Ben asked of them.
" Papa, what's ya wants me ta do?" Little Joe asked as he looked
up at his Papa trying his very best to look as cute and as innocent as possible
while he was still sitting on Ben's lap.
Trying to keep from laughing at his baby boy, Ben looked at his very wet
son, and he asked, " What would you like to do son?" He was almost
afraid to hear what the boy would say.
" Um...um, dunno. Um..hows 'bout ya's just wuv me a whole bunch,"
Little Joe replied as he gave Ben one of his prize winning smiles.
" Oh I think I could do that and also how about you just continue to
sit in here with me until your brothers come back ?" Ben suggested
as he started to tickle his young son. Little Joe nodded as he began to
giggle again. Now both father and son were giggling.
Suddenly hearing more giggling, but this time coming from the washroom,
Hop Sing decided to peek in and see what was so funny now.
He couldn't believe what he was seeing, as both father and young son were
sitting in the tub giggling.
" What little boy doing in tub with father and still have clothes on
?" Hop Sing asked.
" I'm saving him Hop Sing ," Ben replied as he smiled at Hop Sing.
Hop Sing shook his head and mumbled, " Family not normal," he
declared as he mumbled his way back into the kitchen.
As soon as Adam and Hoss returned to the washroom with their little brother's
nightshirt and extra towels, Hoss reached in the tub and pulled out the
soaking wet child, who was now very sleepy from the warm water.
Adam and Hoss quickly got their little brother out of his wet clothes, dried
off and into his nightshirt. By then, the child was almost asleep. "
All done," Hoss delcared.
" Thank you boys," Ben said as he watched Adam carry his now sleeping
brother out of the washroom.
" Sorry 'bout yer bath Pa," Hoss said as he was walking out of
the washroom too. " Hoss, to tell the truth, I kind of enjoyed all
of this. Is Adam going to put Little Joe to bed?" Ben asked.
" Not yet. He said he just wants to hold him for a while," Hoss
replied as he now left the room so Ben could again get back to his bath.
As Ben sat there finally alone once again in the tub, he said, " That
has got to be the strangest bath I've ever had," he laughed softly.
The End.