Joe's Day

By BJ Carter

Rating: G

Thanks once again for the use of your characters. They give all of us more time to love each of them.

Joe got up that morning, eased into his clothes and carried his boots out into the living room. He left his boots off as he moved through the kitchen gathering up some things to eat that he could take with him, stopping long enough to poke a piece of buttered bread in his mouth. He then put on his coat and as quietly as he could opened the front door, outside he put his boots on and headed for the barn. He saddled up Paint and walked away from the ranch house far enough not to be heard before he mounted and rode off away from the house.

Ben Cartwright woke up from his dream, a dream he had often, he and his wife, Marie, and the three boys all in a big house, happy, and laughing. He never quite got to finish the dream, it always ended about the same place, with him looking into Marie's eyes, and the face slowly melting away into Joseph's. He fought his eyes open and clear, then set up on the edge of his bed. He was always a little sad, but he fought out of it, another day's work was out there calling him, got to get the boys up and going.

Ben dressed and went through the kitchen toward the boys' room. He saw Hopsing working on breakfast, said good morning, and proceeded into their room. He just looked at them for a moment, Adam on his side, one knee up toward his chest, one foot out of the cover, like he slept when he was three years old. Hoss on the other hand was on his back snoring away, much bigger, but in a father's eyes still the look of childlike innocence on his face. He then looked at the bunk that should have had his baby, no shape, in fact, no child. He went over and shook Adam's shoulder, and pushed on Hoss's chest to wake them, they grumbled, and started to get up for another day. Ben went back through the kitchen, living area, and out to the front yard, no Joe, out to the barn, no Paint.

Joe knew he was going to catch it when Pa found out he was missing and did not go to school, but for some reason he just had to get away from everyone today. He would just have to pay the consequences later. For some reason he seemed to be in trouble a lot these days, and he didn't know why. It wasn't that when he was doing wrong he didn't know it, and it wasn't that he didn't figure he would get caught, he just could not seem to stop doing everything Pa told him not to. Adam said it was growing pains, well he didn't know about the growing part, but his butt was in pain real often. Gambling, lying, hooky, fighting, smoking, going where he was not to be and not staying where he was to be, you name it he had done it lately. The problem was he didn't know why.

As they sat down to breakfast Ben asked the boys if they knew when Joe left or where he was off to so early. Neither had any idea. Hoss had told him that Little Joe had been acting funny last night, like he had a secret and wanted to tell, but couldn't. Pa had remarked he hoped that secret didn't get him into trouble. He was beginning to worry his hand would give out before Joe's backside. They laughed, finished eating and went out to start their chores.

Little Joe had got up to his favorite fishing hole, took out his pole and sat down on the bank. He really didn't care if he caught anything, just watched the water move with the wind, and every once in a while a leaf would drop in the water and float down stream. He sat there for over an hour, trying not to think about anything, just watching the water, and the clouds drift by him. He didn't really fall asleep, just stayed in that haze you get into just before you drift off.

Ben and his two older sons were working hard, putting hay up for the fast approaching winter months. As cold as it would get they had to store plenty not just for the ranch house animals, but in case they had to carry feed out to the stock in some of the fields. They had to keep every head alive and well if they were to make it through until they were big enough to sell and invest in more stock to keep the cycle going. Each year they must grow a little to make the Ponderosa the ranch Ben had envisioned.

Joe got up, put up his fishing pole where he kept it hid, after tightening the cinch strap on Paint he mounted and rode back to the east. It was near noon, he stopped and got his lunch out and his canteen. He went over near the shade of a tree and sat down to eat. He could see the McNally boys down at the foot of the hill he was sitting on, but they were chasing some small animal and did not see him, just as well he didn't want to talk or be with them anyway. After he ate, he and Paint went up to where it was said were some old Indian grounds, he dismounted and let the reins fall, Paint wouldn't go far, and he started looking for arrowhead, trinkets, or anything he could find on the ground.

After about an hour he saw something shining in the light, he went over and pulled it up from the ground. It was a clump of gold, well it looked like gold, Pa had called it "fool's gold" the first time he ran home with it. But this was about an inch long and maybe three-fourths in wide with a hole near one side. He went back to Paint, in the saddlebags was three strips of leather he had been braiding for "something" he had not decided what yet. He took the strips, and went over and found a place to sit. He finished braiding the leather and attached them to the gold through the hole. It kind of looked like a necklace, so he tied the top and made a loop with the "gold" hanging down. He then went back to Paint and started back down the path.

It was getting on near three o'clock, Joe should be coming in from school soon, Ben was thinking. Hoss and Adam had just got back with another wagon load of hay/feed to be pitched up in the loft. He put the coffee cup down and put his gloves back on, he better get started, it would take a while to get it where it was going.

As Joe rode past a big tree he noticed that a small bird had fallen from the nest. Pa had told him on more than one occasion not to touch the bird, nature had it's ways. But being Little Joe, he climbed down and pick up the small creature. It took all he could do to get up on Paint, stand in the saddle, and climb up to the nest, he was always afraid of heights, but he did it and pulled the little bird out of his shirt and put it back where it belonged.

A quarter til four and no Joe, Pa was getting worried. He told the boys to finish up and wash up for supper, he was going to see what had become of Joe. They asked if he wanted their help, but he said no, just do what I ask. Don't wait supper, but we should be back in plenty of time is all he told them. He saddled up and rode off toward the school. He hadn't been gone very long when Weldon come up to the ranch. He told the boys he had brought Joe's assignments home, figured because he wasn't in school he must be sick. Adam took the work, said thanks and looked at Hoss. Looks like little brother has done it again Pa is going to clobber him for sure they agreed, but nothing they could do right then, just get their work done and not make Pa any madder.

After Pa had found only the teacher at the school, and that Joe had never been there, he set out to find his wayward child.

Joe dismounted and walked over kneeling down, he lowered his head and softly began to cry. The thoughts in his head were flashing faster than he could stand, why did you have to go he thought, why. He suddenly knew he was not alone. Pa was there.

Ben walked over to his small, baby, boy, kneeling at the side of his mother's grave. He had placed the necklace he had made on her marker. Ben moved closer to his son, squatted down beside him and placed his arm around him. They sat there for a long time not speaking. Finally Joe said, "I'm sorry, Pa, I just could not find it in me to go to school today, I am not sure what has been going on lately, and if you have to spank me for playing hooky I won't argue about it."

Ben looked over at the tear stained face of his son. "Joe, do you know what today is?" he asked.

"No," he answered, "should I?"

"Maybe, it is her birthday." Pa whispered. With that Joe fell in his father's arms and sobbed. "It is okay, I miss her, too."

After a while they mounted and started home.

No one asked any questions at supper, just a quiet evening at home. Tomorrow they could start over, building a ranch called Ponderosa, home to the Cartwrights.

THE END