Summary: The Cartwrights are out and about on the Ponderosa. Use these pictures (all C’s by water) for inspiration as to what they might be doing during the hot month of August. It can include any combination of Cartwrights.
Rating: G, Word Count: 1571
Dropping the axe handle he was about to use to clobber his opponent, Joe let his temper cool enough to know he would regret doing that. It was wrong to even want to do that. Yet the man across from him could infuriate him like no other. He stood there now wondering if it was over or if he had to defend himself against another onslaught. Joe was mad enough yet to make him have to ask.
“It’s over?”
“Yeah, it’s over. I could have finished you for good, but that would have made Pa real upset for a while.”
“Yeah, for a while.”
Then he had that damn crooked half smile that made Joe want to hit him again. Why was everything serious so funny and everything funny not funny to him? It only got worse since Laura, and now after he killed Howard, it was a slide down a cliff. To Joe, it was getting next to impossible to get along with his oldest brother.
“Why do you have to be this way? No one ever meets your standards. No one is ever good enough or does anything well enough. You wait for them to fail. You expect the worst or assume it will be. Don’t you ever think good things can happen? You bring everybody down with your attitude. It’s miserable around here lately because you’re miserable.”
“Thank you for pointing that out. I mean it. I guess I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing to others. I was too caught up in my own misery.”
“It doesn’t have to be that way. You could let go of the bad memories and try to make something good happen.”
“If only it was that easy. It isn’t easy to shed twenty years.”
“You could try.”
“I could if the memories would let me go.”
Not knowing what to make of that statement, Joe instead suggested it was time they went ahead with their tasks for the day. Adam agreed.
Working on repairing a bridge, Adam sat on the edge waiting for Hoss to bring more timbers to finish the repairs. He wished there were timbers that could repair his heart and mind. Somehow, he felt that they had been damaged by emotional storms much as this bridge had been battered in the last storm. When Hoss arrived, Adam could tell that he must have talked with Joe. He had that look that said he wasn’t happy with his older brother again. Adam wished he didn’t have that effect on Hoss, but it happened far too often.
“You had a go round with Joe again.”
“Not much happened.”
“He was upset about it far as I can tell.”
“No more than usual.”
“What started it this time?”
“About the same as always. He doesn’t like the tone I use with him, or the words I use, or the look I have. I guess I shouldn’t talk with him at all when it comes to work.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t.”
“Tomorrow, you can have the honor.”
“Don’t get smart with me too.”
Guessing that Hoss didn’t like his tone, his words, or his look, Adam said nothing more. They worked quietly the rest of the day. The next morning, Hoss and Joe headed out to work together. That evening, there were only three place settings at the dinner table.
“Your brother has decided to take some time off. He thinks some time away may help him with his ‘attitude’.” Ben looked directly at his youngest son with that last part.
“We did have a little disagreement yesterday morning.”
A Hot Day and a Cool Stream
Driving ornery cattle in the middle of summer was not an easy task. Handling one of the large Ponderosa herds was nigh on impossible except to the most experienced drovers. The Cartwrights and about fifteen drovers were moving a herd to greener summer pastures, a normal job each year. However, this year it happened during a major heat wave. It took them twice as long, over two days to get the herd moved as they had to stop at every stream to water the cattle, horses, and men. On the third day, they finally made it to the new pasture. Ben leaned over his pummel and surveyed the open range, dark with healthy, happy cattle.
“Well, Mister Cartwright, we finally did it.”
“We sure did, Mack. Your men did a good job. Tell them to head back to the ranch as soon as you’re sure the cattle are settled. There’ll be a good meal for you all and you can have tomorrow off.”
“That’s music to my ears, Mister Cartwright. Thanks. We sure couldn’t have done it without your help in finding all those streams.” With a smile and a shout, Mack rode off to tell the drovers the good news.
Chuckling to himself he turned his horse around and headed to the shaded stream. He let Buck get his fill then turned him out to graze with his stable mates. After splashing the cold water over his face, he filled his canteen and looked around to find his sons. He didn’t have to look far.
Joe was stripped to the waist rubbing himself with the chilled mountain water. “Hoowee, I’m not sure I’ll ever leave this stream. It’s gonna take me the rest of the day to cool off.”
Adam, who had already cooled himself off and was dressed again, responded from a nearby bridge. “Feel free to stay and enjoy the trout for dinner and the rocky ground for your bed, younger brother. But I’m looking forward to Hop Sing’s dinner and my own soft bed tonight. Say, has anyone seen Hoss?”
Adam’s question caused the other two men to pause and look around. Ben frowned as he glanced back at the group of drovers riding away. “I last saw him with Mack but that was a while ago.”
Joe shrugged and went back to splashing his chest, relishing the coolness against his skin. Ben drank deeply from his canteen and refilled it while taking in the beauty of his land. Adam sipped from his canteen, letting his thoughts meander along with the gentle stream below his dangling feet.
Further downstream, Hoss sat under a tall pine peering over a pond fed by the stream’s clear waters. His thoughts were far from cattle and family. Visions of a sprig of a gal with blonde hair and blue eyes filled his mind. He couldn’t wait to get to town the next day and see her again.
It was a long, hot day as Adam and Hoss finished putting in the last post of the fence that had rotted.
“Last one right?” Hoss asked.
“Yeah. Feels like we’ve been working on this forever,” Adam replied.
“We have been,” Hoss shot back chuckling.
Adam finished putting in the post and stretched, arching his back as far as he could. Hoss gathered up the tools and put them in a bag.
“Wanna go fishin’ later? Pa says that’s the last of the chores.”
“Sure. That would be nice. We haven’t gone fishing in a long time,” Adam replied.
They went to their horses and put their shirts back on. They then got on their horses and rode home.
A few hours later, the brothers went to the lake. They tied their horses at a tree, took their poles and went to a shady spot. As they sat under the tree, Hoss groaned as he sat as Adam yawned. They threw their lines in the water and sat in companionable silence.
“Are you gonna ask that gal to the dance this weekend?” Hoss asked, breaking the silence.
“What gal?” Adam asked feigning ignorance.
“Oh, come on, Adam, you know which one I mean. Julie. I saw you watching her at church.”
Adam smiled.
“I didn’t know anyone was watching me watching her.”
“Everyone was watching her but I saw you were more intent on her.”
Adam chuckled.
“I’m sure she’s already been asked. I won’t bother.”
“Ah, come on. I heard tell she likes you,” Hoss said seriously.
Adam looked at his brother to see if he was joking. He saw the seriousness on his face.
“You’re serious.”
“Adam, I’d only josh with Little Joe about a girl. I’m serious.”
“Well, maybe.”
Before Hoss could answer, Adam’s line pulled and he sat up and tugged at it. Hoss got up and helped him get the fish as it flew out of the water.
“That’s a big ‘un, Adam,” Hoss said, handing the line to his brother.
“It is.” Adam agreed.
Hoss’ line then tugged and they went to work getting the fish. After some time and after catching many fish, they were tired.
“Adam, I think we should head home. I think we’ve got enough for supper,” Hoss said.
“I think so.”
The brothers gathered their gear and lines of fish and headed home.
“Adam, you’re going to talk to Julie right?” Hoss prodded.
Adam looked over at his brother and smiled.
“Perhaps,” he replied and let the conversation drop.
A Note from the Brandsters. This was originally written and published on the Bonanza Trail Riders site. Brand is happy to offer this story a new home.
