week182

Hypnosis
by
Heidi

Ponderosa owner Ben Cartwright had gotten from his grandchildren Mitch and
Pam a book about hypnosis. Though the rancher had received the explicit
request not to try it out on them. Ben had promised that. But there walking
enough victims around at the Ponderosa to practise on. The twins helped
their grandpa with that with great pleasure.

So also that certain afternoon. Finally it was quiet at the ranch. Ben had
called the children to him for an important assignment.
“Mitch and Pam, you must make sure that I have a quiet afternoon this
afternoon”, said the rancher.
“Are you gonna do the administration? Daddy will be pleased then”, Mitch
said laughing.
“Maybe widow Hawkins comes for a tea visit”, Pam said chuckling.
Ben looked the children of his eldest son Adam strict for a second. They
were directly seriously again.
“I give you each 5 dollars to keep everone away from here. I am gonna study
this book which I got from you and try it out on my sons then. Don’t tell
them nothing about our plan. UInderstood?”, he asked.
The twins nodeded and got the money. They went to the porch to do their
homework. Cody, the dog of the family Cartwright, kept them company.

The sons of Ben, Adam, Hoss and Little Joe, came home, saw the kids busy and
couldn’t believe their eyes.
“Adam, are that réálly your children who are so nicely doing their
homework?”, asked Hoss.
Adam looked extra good for a second and answered then, “That are indeed my
children.”
“They are up to something. Especially when pa is nowhere to be found and
Cody is with them”, reacted Little Joe.
They dismounted and hitched the horses. Here after they went to keep the
children company and help with the homework.
“Where is grandpa?”, Adam asked after a while.
“In his skin”, answered Mitch.
“We understand that. But where is he exactly?”, asked Hoss.
“Exactly in his skin. Where else?”, his niece asked.
“Grandpa is inside but he may absolutely not be disturbed. He is busy with a
very secret assignment”, said Mitch.
“What for a secret assignment? I think you know more about it”, Adam said
ongerust.
“He gave us each an amount to keep you away. Maybe widow Hawkins is coming
for a cup of tea and do they together the administration”, Pam suggested.
“I rather see them playing bingo together”, said Hoss.
Everybody laughed.
“How many has grandpa paid you to keep us out of the house?”, asked Adam.
The twins looked at him laughing.
“We give you each six dollars if you say why we may not come inside”, said
Hoss.
The twins kept silent again.
“Eight dollars”, said Adam.
“If it gets raised to 10 you hear it”, answered Mitch.
“Twelve dollars but that is the final offer”, Little Joe said reluctant.
The children nodded and held their hands up. The brothers paid right away
but didn’t like it.
“Grandpa doesn’t want to be disturbed because he is reading a certain book”,
said Pam

Meanwhile Ben read the book form cover to cover and back. Especiallly the
chapter “How do I hypnotise my children?” had woken his interest. The
Chinese cook Hop Sing came in with coffee and saw that his boss was reading.
“Mr Cartwright try out hypnosis out on sons?”, asked the cook.
“Yes sure Hop Sing. Do you wanna help?”, asked Ben.
The cook nodded smiling.
Ben put the book down and explained,“Don’t let the boys come into the
kitchen until we have supper. Then we are gonna try it out.
“Hop Sing play game along”, the cook said chuckling.
He went back to the kitchen. Ben read that certain chapter again and got
then up to get his grandchildren inside.
“Mitch and Pam, would you like to come to me for a moment?”, the rancher
asked at the door.
The children came right away so that Adam could check the made homework.

In the living room Ben said, “Hop Sing is playing along wiht our plan. We do
the hypnosis during supper. You let nothing show.”
“About what?”, Mitch asked dry.
“Exactly”, said Ben.
“Daddy, uncle Hoss and uncle Joe have paid us 12 dollars to hear what kept
you busy. We said that you were reading a certain book”, said Pam.
“And they do believe it too”, her brother added.
“So how much have you earned with this case?”, asked Ben.
The twins counted the money and answered, “We have earned each 17 dollars.”
“Not bad for two young Cartwrights like us”, merkte Mitch remarked.

During supper Ben said suddenly to his sons, “Boys, pay attention to me for
a moment. Look into my eyes…you are getting sleepy…Soon you won’t hear or
see nothing anymore. When I snap my fingers you wake up and everything is
back to normal.”
The brothers looked at their father and became sleepy indeed. When they had
fallen asleep the twins and Hop Sing took everything away. To be sure Ben
had hid the book about hypnosis well in his bedroom. Ben and the kids ate
ahead and afther they had done the dishes Ben snapped his fingers. The
brothers woke up and looked amazed around them.
“What has happened?”, asked Hoss.
“I think you are working tóó hard in the open air because you fell asleep
during supper. Not even Mitch and Pam do that”, answered Ben.
“Then that will be so. Seeing as pa can’t lie”, said Adam.
Everybody laughed.

Ben knew that he couldn’t try this out on his sons again what hypnosis was
concerned. But he did knw that his grandchildren would help him with
everything. Even if they had to get their father into a fix with that.

Adam, Hoss and Little Joe didn’t discover what réálly had happened and that
was good too.

 

 

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