Summary:  When young little Joe is injured, his family tries to ease his fears by revealing some of their own scars.

Rating:  G (2,590 words)

Scars

“NO! NO!” Little Joe Cartwright wailed. “I don’t want one, I don’t want one!” The five year old shouted as his father held him firmly down on the table. “Please, Pa, Please…. I don’t want one!”

Ben Cartwright looked deep into his frightened son’s eyes and clamly spoke. “I’m afraid you haven’t a choice, son. The doctor says the wound is deep and he’ll have to stitch it closed. Now be a good boy and hold still so the doctor can…”

“NO! I don’t want one!” Little Joe sobbed.

The doctor’s face mimicked his annoyance. “Ben, you’re going to have to do something. The way he’s squirming and all, well… I can’t even begin to do my job. He’s losing more blood by the minute. If he doesn’t stop soon, we’ll have to put him under.”

Ben ignored the doctor’s comment and turned his attention back to his son. He could see the fear in his eyes and it tore at his heart.

Joe immediately started to squirm once more, but Ben held him firm.

“But Pa, you don’t understand. I don’t want one! I don’t want a… a…”

Joe’s words trailed off as he erupted into sobs.

Ben Cartwright shook his son slightly. “Joseph. That is enough! My patience is running thin with this foolishness. You’ve never acted this way before.”

The firmness in Ben’s tone calmed his son down once more. “I know, Pa, I know…. It’s not the stitches.”

Ben’s face took on a puzzled expression. “Then what is it, son?”

“I don’t want to have a… a…. SCAR!” Little Joe wailed.

Ben was stunned. He could not believe that for the past half hour he’d been struggling to control his son all for the wrong reasons.

“Is that what is frightening you, Joseph?”

The little boy shook his head as he sniffled. “The doctor said I would have a scar and I don’t want one, Pa.”

Ben eased his grip on his son’s shoulders as the stern expression on his face eased.

“May I ask the reason why?”

“Because…. because only bad people like crooks and pirates have scars.”

Ben couldn’t help but smile as he stifled a laugh. Joe’s two older brothers, however, could not control their laughter as they stood watching from the corner of the room.

Seventeen year old Adam was the first to speak. “You mean to tell me that our younger brother does not want to be a pirate? Well, shiver me timbers…”

He then finished off his statement with a mighty, “Aargh!”

Eleven year old Hoss burst out another round of laughter at his brother’s antics.

Joe raised up and glared over to the corner. “Don’t laugh at me!

Ben was quick to intervene. “Yes, that’s quite enough you two. Joe has some concerns here that I think we need to take seriously.”

Then he turned his head away from Joe and offered a slight smile and an emphasized wink towards his two older sons. Both boys immediately stifled their laughter and apologized to their younger brother. Then they stood waiting to see what would happen next.

Ben turned towards Joe and smiled. “Now that I know what’s bothering you son, I think I can help. In fact, I’m sure we all can. Adam. Come here… you, too, Hoss. Both boys glanced at each other before stepping up alongside the doctor’s table.

“Now Joseph, you would agree that these two are your brothers?” Joe shot a puzzled look towards his Pa before nodding his head in agreement. “So, they are good people?” Ben continued.

“Well… most of the time Pa, except when they tease me.” Joe made sure to shoot his brothers another dirty look to let them know he was still holding a grudge.

“Then you would also agree that they are not pirates or crooks?”

Joe frowned at his pa and folded his arms up in a huff. “You’re just teasing me, too.”

Ben gently patted his boy’s thigh. “No, son… I’m not teasing you. Look here.”

Ben took hold of Adam’s right arm and began rolling up his sleeve. He instructed Adam to bend his elbow slightly and hold it out for his brother to see. There was a prevalent two inch white scar just to the right of the elbow. Joe’s mouth dropped open as he saw it.

“A scar… Adam you have a scar?”

Adam laughed. “That I do little brother.”

Joe swallowed deeply before adding, “How’d you get it?”

“Well, it’s a long story, Joe…” Adam’s words trailed off as he noticed his father giving him the eye. Unbeknownst to Joe, the doctor had begun his work on his leg.

“But, I guess I can tell you about it.” Adam scrunched up his face as though he was thinking hard to bring back the memory.

“Now let me see… I was about your age or a little older. Pa and I were traveling in the wagon train. We were miles away from any towns or doctors. If I remember correctly, we had stopped for the night and I was playing with some other children near the campfire.”

“If I remember correctly…” Ben interrupted his son’s story. “A certain someone, and a few of his friends, decided to leave the campfire area and play on some nearby rock formations. Formations, mind you, that had been marked as off limits.”

Adam cleared his throat as he felt his face blush slightly. “Well, yes… I guess we did go against what we were told, and you might say I learned my lesson the hard way.”

“I bet ya fell on the rocks, huh Adam.” Hoss suddenly was eager to hear the story as well.

“Yes, I fell on the rocks and then I was afraid to tell Pa what had happened. So, I had one of the other kids wrap my arm up tightly and roll down my sleeve.”

“You mean you tried to hide something from Pa?” Hoss questioned, almost in awe at his brother’s bravery.

Adam laughed. “I tried, but I think we all know that doesn’t work in our family.”

Ben chuckled. “You see, the “friend” wrapped Adam’s arm with so much cloth that he looked like a lopsided horse carrying its luggage in only one saddle bag.” The room erupted in laughter. “I don’t know how he managed to get that sleeve over that mess.”

“If I remember correctly, by the time I strolled back to the campfire my hand was turning blue. You had to rip the shirt at the shoulder just to analyze my injury.”

“How many stitches did you get, Adam?” Joe’s eyes were wide with curiosity.”

“Stitches? None.” Adam paused a moment to eye his father before adding, “…Unfortunately.”

“Unfortunately?!” Both Hoss and Joe questioned in unison.

“Well, let’s just say I would have rather had the stitches than what I did end up getting for ruining my best shirt.”

“Remember it wasn’t just for the shirt, young man. You were also disobedient.” Ben teasingly raised his finger and waggled it at Adam, who only grinned slightly and abruptly changed the subject.

“So, Hoss. Your turn.”

“My turn? Oh, yeah.” Hoss’ face immediately lit up. The eleven year old began pulling his shirt out of his pants, but stopped half way. Then he bent down and began to roll up his pants leg but stopped once more. “Oh shucks, I don’t know which one to show, Pa?”

“You have more than one?!” Joe exclaimed.

“Yep. I’ve had a few injuries.”

“I vote for the one behind your left ear,” Adam offered his brother some guidance.

Hoss grinned and leaned in close to Joe, turning his ear forward so that the back was exposed. Right behind the lobe near the hair line was a tiny little scar that was round.

“Go on… feel it little brother. I call it my lucky bump.”

Joe reached up and ran his hand over the scar. “It’s hard.”

“That’s ‘cause it’s resting up against my skull. It’s a good thing, too or I might not be here now.”

Joe’s eyes widened. “What happened? Was it a bullet?”

Hoss laughed. “No, little brother it was Adam’s knife.”

“His knife!?” Joe turned towards Adam “You threw a knife at Hoss?”

Adam glanced from Joe to Hoss and back again. “Well, not exactly at him, Joe. I was practicing behind the barn one day and Hoss was chasing a chicken around and I didn’t see him coming. It was purely an accident, but luckily the knife was dull.”

Hoss interrupted. “I just remember feeling a sting behind my ear and then the blood began dripping down my neck. Old Adam here sure handled things right though, didn’t ya?”

Hoss couldn’t help but laugh and Ben chuckled. Adam just rolled his eyes and said nothing.

“Well, I’m afraid the blood running down Hoss’ neck frightened your older brother to death. He came running into the house quick as lightening and…”

“…as white as a sheet.” Adam interrupted for he felt it best for him to reveal what had happened. “All I remember is telling Pa I stabbed Hoss in the neck and then I passed out cold on the floor.”

Again, the room erupted in laughter.

“Even to this day I’d rather not carry a knife unless it’s a necessity.”

Ben smiled and patted Adam on the shoulder. “If anything, son, scars teach us one thing… caution.”

He then turned his attention towards the doctor. “How are we doing, Paul?”

The doctor smiled. “All done Ben…Three stitches in all, but it should heal well. I just need to wrap it up and we’re through.”

Joe glanced down at the doctor. “I didn’t feel a thing,” he happily announced.

“That’s because your family here are good story tellers. There’s only one problem, however.”

Ben’s face instantly showed concern. “What is it?”

The doctor smirked, “Well, you seemed to have conveniently forgotten your scar story, Ben.”

“Yes, Pa. Do share,” Adam stated rather slyly for he knew the story the doctor was thinking about.

Ben heaved a huge sigh. “I don’t think Joseph or Hoss would be interested in that story, Paul.”

“Now Ben, it’s only fair and if you won’t tell it, then I will.” Adam and the doctor gave each other the eye.

Ben knew he was beat, so he stood up and shrugged before turning his back to his audience. He carefully undid his belt and pants, letting them drop to the floor. He then reached back and lowered his drawers just enough to reveal the right upper part of his buttocks. There, just as plain as day, was the remnant of a bullet wound.”

Joe and Hoss stifled a giggle as Ben immediately replaced his skewed attire.

“Well, who wants to start it off?” the doctor asked.

Then he looked down at Joe. “You know, come to think of it, your squirming today wasn’t anything like what your father did when this happened.”

Joe couldn’t help but let out a hearty laugh. “Tell me… tell me the story, please.”

Adam reached over and touched his brother’s shoulder. “Well, Joe. I hate to say it, but Hoss here was the one who caused it.”

“I did? How?” The eleven year old’s face immediately took on a look of worry.

Ben could see his boy’s concern and tried to soften the impact. “You probably don’t even remember it, Hoss. You were only two or at the most three at the time. Adam had been begging to go on a hunting trip, so I arranged for you to stay with Mrs. Parker, a nearby widow.”

Adam then continued. “The morning we were supposed to leave, Mrs. Parker received a telegram that her son was deathly sick and she had to immediately depart on the next coach. Pa knew how much I’d been waiting to go, so he decided to just take you along with us.”

“Is that a bullet wound, Pa?” Joe questioned and Ben simply nodded.

“How did Hoss get a hold of a gun at two years old? You won’t even let me hold one until I’m ten.” Joe looked over at his father with a pout.

“Well, your brother didn’t exactly hold the gun, he tripped over it as he came running eagerly over to the campfire. I had just bent down to stir the stew and beckoned them to come eat.”

Adam, Joe, and the doctor all let out a chuckle. Hoss, however, looked as though he was about to cry.

“I’m… I’m sorry pa. I didn’t mean to do it,” he solemnly stated.

Ben moved over and rested his arm on Hoss’ shoulder. “Son, you did nothing wrong. If there’s anyone to blame it should be me. I left the gun propped up against a tree and fully loaded. I deserved to get shot where I did for being so foolish.”

“Yes, but you haven’t told the best part, yet,” the doctor interrupted.

“There’s more?” Joe asked eagerly.

“Yes, little brother.” Adam announced before continuing. “So, here I am, eight years old, with an injured father and a crying brother. All we had were our horses and, well… Pa… he couldn’t sit … ah… properly in the saddle. So we loaded Pa’s horse down with all the supplies. I held Hoss in front of me in the saddle and pa somehow managed to drape himself over the horses back end.”

“Sort of like how you carry a dead man?” Hoss asked.

“Exactly, little brother.”

“Well, I remember someone running into my office to get me midday.,” The doctor continued. “They said Adam Cartwright was bringing in his dead father. I rushed out in the street just in time to see you three slowly lumbering towards me.”

“I still remember all the townspeople watching and muttering to themselves about what had happened.” Adam paused to relive the memory. “You should have seen the surprised faces when Pa slide off the back and gingerly, but proudly walked into Doc. Martin’s office.”

Joe let out a giggle and Ben took the opportunity to tease. “Are you laughing at your old man’s embarrassment?” he reached down and began tickling his youngest. “This should give you something to really laugh at, young man.”

“Stop! Stop, Pa! I’m sorry… I won’t laugh…. I wont’ laugh…” Little Joe’s shrieks penetrated the room as the doctor and all the Cartwrights joined in the amusement.

After a moment Ben lifted his boy up into his arms. He reached out his hand towards the doctor. “Thank you, Paul. I’m sure this young man will be off and running within a week or so, but for now he best let his Pa do the leg work.”

The doctor laughed and shook Ben’s hand. “Try to keep him off it for at least a week. Then he can gradually begin to add weight.”

Ben simply nodded and turned his attention back to his youngest son. “Well, Joseph, what do you think about scars now?”

Joseph glanced around the room and surprisingly frowned. “I still don’t like them and I still don’t want one,” he said.

Everyone looked at him rather puzzled. Then the boy’s expression instantly changed as he added, “But I guess you got to have one if you’re a crook, a pirate, or a Cartwright.”

Everyone laughed as Ben gave his boy a squeeze. “How true, son, how very true.”