Summary: You’ll find it under “H” in the dictionary :0)

Rated: Family Friendly / Word count: 1140

 

Hoss Defined

Right after breakfast . . .

Ben continued his relentless pacing back and forth near the fireplace.

“Oh boy, am I in a real pickle,” he thought.

He continued to mutter angrily under his breath. It was Doc Martin’s birthday and he had been invited months ago.

“How could I have forgotten to get him a gift?” Ben yelled out loud, slapping his leg in frustration.

“Who’s gift, Pa?” twelve-year-old Hoss Cartwright asked, coming down the stairs.

“Oh, Hoss,” Ben said sighing. “I’m sorry for yelling, I didn’t realize you were there. Doc Martin’s birthday party is tonight and what with everything going on around here, I clean forgot to get him a gift.”

Hoss looked thoughtful for a moment and then turned and ran up the stairs.

Ben looked after him in bewilderment. A few moments later Hoss came barreling down the stairs; a well-worn package in his hands.

“Here, Pa,” he said breathlessly. “Why don’t you give him this?”

Ben opened the package slowly, knowing full well what was inside. He carefully lifted the beautiful silk handkerchief, and smiled softly at his son’s generous offer.

“Hoss, I can’t take this,” Ben said gently, handing the gift back to his son. “You worked so hard to earn this, you should keep it.”

Ben thought back several months ago to when Hoss had worked and struggled for weeks, to learn enough Bible verses to win the prize. The day of the Sunday school contest had finally come, and Hoss had stood tall and bashful while his competitors fell away one by one. After an hour and a half of nerve wracking competition, Hoss had finally won, and no one was prouder of him than his father.

“Pa,” Hoss interrupted his musings. “I’m never gonna use somethin’ so fancy. It’s just been sittin’ up in my drawer. I figure the doctor would like to have it. Please take it, Pa?”

Ben smiled as he looked into his middle son’s pleading eyes.

“All right, son,” he answered. “But I’m going to put your name on the card.”

“Pa, why don’t you just write ‘from the Cartwrights’ on it?” Hoss suggested happily.

Ben laughed and ruffled his son’s hair.

“What am I gonna do with, you?” he said pulling the overgrown boy into a hug.

Just before lunch . . .

Adam stormed into the house and threw his hat roughly onto the credenza.

“What’s the matter?” asked Hoss, approaching his older brother cautiously.

Adam took a moment to calm himself before responding.

“What’s the matter is, I’ve got to move a dozen wild horse into the new corral, repair the fence in the south pasture, check on the men over at the logging camp, and go over the books, so the men can all be paid tomorrow. I’ve got a terrible headache and all I want to do is go to bed!”

Hoss looked sympathetically at his brother for a moment and then suddenly brightened.

“Adam, I can help you bring them horses in,” Hoss said excitedly. “ Then I’ll go fix the fence while you check the logging crew. I can’t help you any with the book work, but I’ll ask Hop Sing to make you some of his special tea for your headache. Then I’ll do your yard chores for you, so you can lay down a spell before supper. Does that sound all right?”

Adam stared wide-eyed at his “big” little brother for a moment and then allowed himself a small smile.

“Hoss I think that sounds just great, and I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” Adam replied, clapping Hoss on the back.

Hoss grinned and headed out the door while Adam stood back for a moment watching him.

“Hoss, you sure are something,” he thought.

A couple of hours before supper . . .

“Hoss,” Little Joe’s tearful voice reached the tender hearted boy’s ears.

“What is it, little brother?” he asked with concern.

“I lost my new ball,” Joe answered with a sob. “I accidently threw it way up in a tree and Pa’s gonna be real mad at me.”

“Now, Joe,” Hoss soothed. “Pa’s not gonna be mad at you if it was an accident.”

“Uh, huh,” Little Joe insisted with a sniff.

“Now why would Pa be mad?” Hoss asked.

“’Cause the tree it got stuck in is over by the new logging camp. I wanted to watch the trees getting chopped down, so I snuck over there. I brought my ball and now it’s stuck. It’s so high up, I’m afraid to go get it, and when Pa finds out I’m gonna be in trouble . . .”

With that Little Joe stuffed his tiny fists into his eyes and cried pitifully.

“Joe, don’t you cry,” Hoss said, patting his shoulder gently. He knew it was getting close to supper time, but that didn’t matter. “You come with me and show me where it’s at and I’ll get it for you.”

“You…you…will?” Little Joe hiccupped.

“Sure, that’s what brothers are for,” answered Hoss.

When the two arrived at the scene, Little Joe stood on the ground and watched in amazement as his older brother climbed high into the tree.

“Wow!” he thought to himself.

The next evening . . .

The next evening Hoss sat alone at the dining room table, a blank piece of paper before him. He let out a heavy sigh, which gained him the attention of his father and two brothers.

“Something wrong, Hoss?” Ben questioned.

“Ah, Pa,” Hoss said in frustration. “It’s this assignment for school. We’re supposed to write our name and then a definition next to it describin’ ourselves.”

“So, what’s the problem?” asked Adam, approaching the table.

“There ain’t nothin’ special about me, Adam,” Hoss answered, tossing his pencil in frustration.

Ben and Adam exchanged a quiet look and then smiled tenderly at the distraught boy.

Hoss was surprised when Adam reached out and took the piece of paper. He, Ben, and Little Joe all formed a small huddle, whispering quietly to each other, and Hoss watched curiously as Adam wrote something down. Little Joe, with a triumphant smile, then presented the paper back to him. Hoss took the paper and, after reading it, rewarded his family with a beaming smile.

Hoss Cartwright – Generous, Kind, Brave…HUMBLE!