The world is full of zanies and fools who don’t believe in sensible rules.

Impossible by Rogers and Hammerstein

He had to give it to the kid – he sure had spunk! He grinned at the mop of unruly curls seated in front of him as he steered his horse back down the road to Virginia City. It was a good thing the circus caravan travelled so slowly and they weren’t too far out of town before the kid had accidentally revealed himself.

Morry barely held back a chuckle as he recalled that noise that had given away their young stowaway. If he hadn’t sneezed from the trail dust kicking up under the canvas they could have made it to Carson City before they found him. As it was, he would need the better part of two days to take the kid home and return. He just hoped the law gave him a chance to speak first and explain when he turned up with the youngest Cartwright. He’d seen already that his father had some clout in the area and had sent men to help with the hoisting of the big top when they arrived in town. He could imagine the man had a posse out looking for his kid and he didn’t want to be mistaken for some kind of kidnapper or worse.

“So, kid … what are you gonna say to your pa when you see him?”

He felt the boy’s body stiffen in the saddle and he chewed at his lip instead of commenting. The boy might well be due a tanning and he obviously knew it.

“I’m … I’m gonna tell him …. I …”

The boy’s shoulders slumped and his head dropped back down as if all defiance had seeped away. It wasn’t the same kid he’d hauled out from under the canvas in the back of his wagon only that morning.

“He’s gonna kill me!”

“Nah. I reckon your pa’s gonna be real relieved to see you. He loves ya and he woulda been real worried when you disappeared.”

“You don’t know nothin’! Pa’s always mad at me lately. He says I keep breakin’ the rules and not listenin’ and lettin’ him down.”

Morry could feel the kid’s despair without even seeing his face. “He said all that?”

“Well, the first bit … but I know I just keep lettin’ him down, but I can’t help it!”

“Why not?”

Joe’s shoulders shrugged as he slumped forward again.

“I try! I really do! But I ain’t as smart as Adam or as strong as Hoss and I sure can’t cook like Hop Sing. Hoss says I make the worst coffee ever!”

“And?”

“And I start off doin’ my chores or whatever I’m s’posed to be doin’ and then …”

Morry smiled at the memories that rolled through his thoughts. “And then you see a fishing spot where the trout are just jumping and ….”

“Exactly! Miss Jones says I daydream too much.”

“Kid, the world is full of zanies and fools who don’t believe in sensible rules. One day you’ll find where you fit.”