MEMORIES
"Do ya remember when this was taken, Pa?"
asked Hoss, as the
Cartwright family, minus Little Joe, was browsing through a
photograph album, on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
Ben smiled, as he recalled the day, ten years earlier, when Little
Joe had posed for the picture.
"Yes, I do, son, and I remember the fight we had to get him to stay
still, long enough, to take it."
Adam smiled, too, and said, "I think I suggested gluing, or nailing,
his boots to the floor, but Mama wasn't keen on that idea."
"Neither was I," said Ben. "The floor, or the boots, would've
been
ruined."
"My idea, of bribin' him with ma jelly
beans,
worked a heckuva lot
better," said Hoss.
"It did, Hoss, and it was very generous of you to share them with
him," said Ben, looking fondly at his kind-hearted middle son. "I
know what a sacrifice it was, as you didn't get candy that often,
and I believe it cost you a fair amount, to get him to stay still."
Hoss blushed, recalling how he'd felt, that day, as he knew he
hadn't been having very kind thoughts about his little brother, when
he'd had to part with the sweet treat. But, he had known how
stressed his parents were getting, and saw it as the only way to
solve the problem.
"Believe me, I wasn't feelin' that kindly
towards
him, at the time,
but Mama made it up ta me, on our next
trip ta town, and she bought
me a load more candy, even tho' she was
worried `bout
ma teeth goin'
bad."
"It was a good day, though, wasn't it?" said Adam, leaning back in
his chair, and letting his mind drift through the years.
The whole family was excited about attending the Fourth of July
celebrations, after a special church service of thanksgiving, but
trying to get Little Joe dressed, was exhausting Marie.
"Joseph Francis Cartwright, Mama is getting very angry, now let me
finish dressing you, or you will not be going to the party."
"JoJo good, Mama bad,"
said the little boy, trying to break free
from his mother.
"Mama not bad, Little Joe naughty," said Marie.
Just then, fifteen year old Adam arrived in the room, and, as was
often the case, he soon had the child enthralled, as he told him a
story, enabling Marie to finish doing up Joe's buttons and to put on
his boots.
"Merci, darling," said Marie, looking up at her eldest
stepson. "Once again, you save the day. Will you take Little Joe to
visit the outhouse and then sit with him in the surrey? I will be
down, once I have fixed my hair; I must look a mess after wrestling
with our little octopus."
Adam smiled and said, "Mama, you look beautiful, as you always do,
but maybe your hair could do with a little attention. Of course I
will take care of Joe. Come on buddy, let's go downstairs."
Joe was happy to go, as he adored his big brother, and always wanted
to be with him. Adam took the boy outside and led him over to the
outhouse.
"JoJo no need pee, Damdam."
"Well, I do, so why don't you try to go, too?"
Adam was anxious for his little brother to relieve himself, before
the journey into town, as Joe often sat on his lap, in the surrey,
and was known to have the occasional accident. Adam did not want to
arrive at the picnic, with a damp lap, as he did not think it would
help much in attracting the girls, and the young man was at that age
when image was all important.
"OK, but let's pee up a tree, Damdam,"
said
Joe, running over to the
nearest pine.
Adam sighed, but followed the boy. He knew that his mother would be
cross if she found out that Adam had encouraged Joe to pee in the
open air, but at least it was better than him wetting his pants. Joe
enjoyed having a contest with Adam to see who could pee
the highest.
Adam often aimed low, in order to let his little brother win.
He did so, this time, and Joe yelled, "JoJo
win," and gave Adam a
hug.
The two boys buttoned up their pants and joined Hoss and Ben in the
surrey. Joe was proudly wearing the toy holster that his father and
brothers had made for him and nestled in the holster was a wooden
gun. The youngsters were entering a competition and had to dress up
to look like their fathers, if they were boys, or their mothers, if
they were girls. It was only for the pre school age children, and so
Joe was the only Cartwright son, who was able to enter.
Joe and nine-year-old Hoss found it very hard to remain quiet and
still, throughout the church service, anticipating all the fun that
was awaiting them, and even Adam wasn't
immune to the
excitement.
Ben and Marie were rather glad, once the service drew to a close,
and they were able to lead their children over to the field where
the celebrations were being held.
The two older boys were given permission to go and look around with
their friends, but Ben kept a firm hold of Joe's hand, knowing how
easy it would be to lose the small boy amongst the crowds.
The family met up, again, in order to eat their picnic lunch, and
then Little Joe had a nap, before the judging of the dressing up
competition. Adam offered to sit with the sleeping child, so that
his parents could have a look at the various stalls, and when Ben
and Marie returned, Marie was carrying a large cuddly toy, which Ben
had won for her, on the shooting range.
When Joe woke up, Marie gave the toy to the little boy, and Joe
decided to name it Spotty Dog, not very original, but it was a dog
and it did have spots of different colours
on its
back.
When it came to the judging of the competition, Little Joe was at
his most charming, and all the judges were completely smitten with
him. He was voted, overwhelmingly, the winner, and took the first
prize, a silver cup and five dollars.
The difficult part came when he had to have his photograph taken,
but that was resolved when Hoss sacrificed his jellybeans.
As the family sat in the main room of the house, with their memories
of that day, floating around in their minds, Little Joe came down
the stairs to join them. The thirteen-year-old had been sent to his
room to change into some dry clothes, after disobeying his father,
and riding off with his friends, after church. It was obvious that a
rainstorm was imminent and Ben had not wanted Joe to be out in it,
but the boy's wilful nature had caused him
to defy
his father, and
go, anyway.
As Joe approached Ben, he was wondering what his reception was going
to be. He was expecting his father to at least deliver a blistering
lecture or maybe even leave him with a blistered behind, so the
smile on Ben's face rather surprised him.
"Hi, son, bet you feel better, now that you are dry. We have been
looking at some old photographs, do you remember having this one
taken?" and Ben held up the album.
Joe perched on the arm of his father's chair and looked at the
photo. He didn't really remember having it taken, but he'd seen it
often enough to know the history behind it.
"The day I won the competition and Hoss bribed me with the
jellybeans," he said.
"That's right, and we were all mighty proud of ya,
that day,
shortshanks," said Hoss, happy to see that
his
father's earlier
anger with Joe, had subsided.
"Well, I was, until you peed on me, on the way home," said Adam.
"Trust you to remember that," said Joe, but he was smiling, as he
said it.
"Dinner is ready," announced Hop Sing.
As Joe went to stand up, in order to take his place at the dining
table, he felt his father's hand on his arm, and before he knew what
was happening, he was lying, face down, over Ben's lap.
"And I remember when little boys disobey their father's orders,"
said Ben, as he delivered a couple of hefty swats, with his large,
work worn hand, to Joe's backside.
Joe was more surprised than hurt, and as Ben helped him to his feet,
he managed a rueful grin.
"I guess I deserved that," he said. "Sorry,
"Yes, you did, and you are forgiven," said Ben, pulling the
boy into
a hug. "Come on, let's eat," and they made
their way to the table,
leaving the photograph album on the settee, but taking their
memories with them.
THE END
Little Joe forever
Lynne