MESS IN THE KITCHEN
by
Heidi
It had been a heavy day for the Chinese cook Hop Sing, being employed at
the
Ponderosa. The whole day he had worked hard to clean up his kitchen and
make
it spotless. Nowhere was there a piece of dirt or cumb to be found.
Satisfied he looked around him and he gleamed of pride. The cook went to
the
living room where his employer Ben Cartwright was.
“Mr Cartwright, Hop Sing being tired and go to bed”, said the cook.
“Alright Hop Sing. Goodnight”, said Ben.
“Mr Cartwright goodnight too”, the cook said where after he disappeared
to
his bed.
The following morning Hop Sing was a sunny mood until he came into the
kitchen. For a second it was deadly quiet but then all the Chinese scolding
words the cook and made up on the spot sounded through the kitchen.
Ben Cartwright and his eldest son Adam heard the word series, looked at
each
other and knew what time it was again. Every morning of the week already
they heard these words.
“I believe that Hop Sing has invented a few new words again”, Adam reacted
sarcastic.
Ben said nothing and saw then a white-hot Hop Sing coming to them.
He called, “ #@%^*&+@ I QUIT, GO BACK TO CHINA!!”
“Hop Sing, calm down!”, said the rancher.
Hop Sing calmed down.
Adam asked, “What is it this time again?”
“Hop Sing cleaned kitchen last night. Now mess in kitchen! Happens every
night”, the Chinese cook said.
“It wasn’t me. Perhaps those two little brothers of mine”, Adam said when
Ben looked at him.
They walked to the kitchen where they found an enormous mess. The kitchen
of
the Ponderosa had changed into a comeplete battle field.
“Hop Sing on strike till culprit has been caught!”, the cook said determined
“Hop Sing, that is too drastic. We will find a solution”, Ben said in an
attempt to keep his cook employed..
“Hop Sing on way to China. Send telegram when culprit has been found”,
replied Hop Sing.
“Hop Sing, what about if we set a trap and expose the culprits that way?”,
asked Adam.
“Hop Sing may punish culprits?”, asked the cook.
Ben and Adam looked at each other and nodded.
“Then Hop Sing stay for a while”, he said smiling.
The whole day Hop Sing was busy again with cleaning the kitchen. Outside
Adam was busy with the trap.
By evening time Adam came with a bucket of tar and a bag of feathers to
the
kitchen.
“Hop Sing, With this we can expose them. Grease the floor with this tar
and
don’t be too economical with it. We stay alert until the culprits come and
scatter then the feathers across them”, Adam explained.
Hop Sing liked that plan and soon the floor was greased with tar. Unnoticed
Adam and Hop Sing kept the whole night watching the kitchen.
Around 2 o’clock the younger brothers of Adam, Hoss and Little Joe, came
into the kitchen to fill their stomachs. Due to the mess Hop Sing had put
the the Cartwrights on water and bread.
“Dadburnit, why have you made such a mess of it each time? Now we must live
on water and bread”, Hoss grumbled.
“You stumbled to me when I came with that jar of jam”, reacted Little Joe.
They quarrelled for another while until they came into the kitchen.
“Hoss, I am stuck to the floor”, Little Joe said suddenly.
“Me too”, his brother said worried.
No matter how they tried to get loose, it didn’t work. It got worse when
they both fell down and got under in the tar. Then kwamen Adam and Hop Sing
came into in action and they scattered the bag with feathers empty across
the two brothers. A loud yelling and scolding was the following. Of course
Ben woke up by this action and he too came to the kitchen. When he switched
on the light he, Adam and Hop Sing saw the culprits.
“Eric and Joseph Cartwright! Why have you done this the whole week?”, he
asked strict.
“We were just hungry but the meals we wanted to make just got a bit out
of
hand”, replied Hoss.
“Whose idea was it to use om tar and feathers?”, Little Joe asked indignant.
Adam looked at them smiling and asked sarcastic, “What do you think?”
“Yours for sure?”, asked Hoss.
His brother nodded.
“Hop Sing, give them their punishment”, said Ben.
“Mr Hoss and Little Joe make kitchen totally spotless. Hop Sing will no
feather or tar see anymore in kitchen!”, spoke the cook.
“Now?”, Hoss and Little Joe asked at the same time.
“Now!”, said Hop Sing.
“Pa, I don’t know what you are gonna do but I am gonna watch nicely how
these two go to work”, reacted Adam.
“Adam, that sounds a good idea to me”, Ben replied smiling.
It cost Hoss and Little Joe more time than they had thought but after 3
days
and 3 nights scrubbing and polishing the kitchen of Hop Sing was spotless.
From now on Hoss and Little Joe let it out of thier heads to bake pancakes
at night and to make a mess in the kitchen. Hop Sing? He remained faithfull
to the Cartwrights and didn’t move to China.