Summary:  Based on the events in the episode “Between Heaven and Earth”.
Rating:  G  10,440 words

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Achilles Heel

 

Achilles Heel: a weakness or vulnerability

the present …..

 

He was climbing … ever upwards. He looked up and saw clear blue sky through the cleft in the rock above him, and he face took on a determined look as he began to inch his way upward again. Suddenly he stopped to catch his breath, his face resting against the rough rock underneath him as his hand reached for another grip on the rock face. A small rock fell in front of him and rattled its way down the cliff to his side. He looked over his shoulder at the clear wall of rock down below him, cringing in fear as his mind began to whirl. He hid his face with his arm and cried out his fear, then in a determined fashion began to inch his way upwards again. He closed his eyes and bit his lip, willing himself to make it, then his foot slipped and he held on desperately as he felt his body began to slide downwards. He cried aloud as he felt his grip loosening and he fell downwards … ever downwards. 

 

Joe cried aloud as he opened his eyes and sat up in bed, clutching at the bedclothes in his fear.  His breathing was shallow and his eyes were wide as he looked into the darkness, expecting to see the earth falling away from him, but all he saw was … nothing. 

 

Suddenly the door opened and a dim light appeared, moving towards him. Joe took his face away form his face and looked up into the concerned eyes of his father. “Are you alright?” asked Ben.

 

“Yeah Pa, I’m alright,” replied Joe, trying to smile. “I’m sorry I woke you. I just … just had a little nightmare.”

 

“You did have yourself a little nightmare,” said Ben, setting the lamp on the dresser beside the bed and sitting down next to his son. “You’ve been having quite a few of these lately Joe.”

 

“You don’t have to tell me Pa.”

 

“You want to come downstairs and get something to eat? Talk about it?” asked Ben.

 

Joe shook his head.  “There’s nothing to talk about. I can’t remember anything,” replied Joe, rubbing his face again.

 

“Can’t remember anything that you dreamt?”

 

“No … nothing. All I know is that I have a bad dream and next thing I wake up scared,” said Joe, biting his lip.

 

Ben put his hand on his son’s forehead, feeling for any sign of fever. He sighed as he realised that the youngster’s forehead was cool. “Sure you’re alright?” he asked.

 

“Yeah I’m alright. I’ll be fine,” said Joe, trying to smile at his father. “Goodnight.”

 

“Goodnight,” said Ben, standing up and picking up the lamp again. He reached out and caressed the back of Joe’s neck as he’d done when he’d been a child to comfort him. “Pleasant dreams,” he said gently.

 

Joe nodded and waited until his father had left the room before turning back the bedclothes to get back inside the bed. He hesitated for a moment, knowing that to go back to sleep would only be leaving himself open to one of the horrible dreams that had plagued him so often for so many nights now. With a sigh he got up and walked across to a chair, sitting down with his hand clasped between his knees. With bowed head, Joe waited for the dawn.

 

**********

 

the past …..

 

“Joseph! Get down from there!” Marie pulled her small son down from the chair onto which he’d climbed and put him onto her hip as she waggled a finger at him. The little boy merely giggled and clapped his hands before wriggling to get down. “You mustn’t climb up onto the furniture little one,” she said, trying to sound stern before setting him on his feet again. Little Joe grinned up at her. “Now go and play with your toys over there,” Marie said, pointing to the box of playthings near the sofa. 

 

Little Joe trotted obediently over to the box and studied it for a moment before trotting back to the chair on his little sturdy legs and beginning to climb up onto it again. “No Joseph!” said Marie, grabbing him again. “Naughty boy! Mama just told you not to climb on the furniture!” The little boy frowned at her this time as he wriggled to get down, but his mother held onto him firmly and sat down on the sofa while she placed him on her knee. She turned him to face her and gave him a stern look. “No climbing on the furniture …. do you understand?” she said firmly.

 

Little Joe put one finger in his mouth and sucked on it as he studied his mother for a moment. His little face was suddenly wreathed in a smile, which showed off the two small dimples in his cheeks, and he nodded his head eagerly. “Joe no climb,” he said earnestly.

 

“Good boy,” said Marie. Her little boy cuddled into her momentarily, looking up at her with his big sparkling green eyes as he gave her one of the smiles that she just found impossible to resist. As she hugged him to her, she pondered yet again just how much of her heart this one small person had taken. There were times when she loved him so much that she wondered how she had ever lived before he had come into her life two short years ago. She kissed him on the top of his head and placed him on his feet again, smiling at his sturdiness and his beauty. “You’re mama’s beautiful little man, aren’t you sweetheart?” she said adoringly.

 

Little Joe giggled at her once more and then promptly ran over to the chair and began to climb up on it again.

 

Marie’s look of adoration turned instantly to one of frustration. “Joseph!” she shouted. “That’s naughty!”

 

“What’s he doing now?” called Ben from the study where he was working at his desk.

 

“He’s climbing on the chairs again,” said Marie, pulling the little boy down yet again and smacking him on his leg. “Mama told you not to do that Joseph!”  Little Joe gave his mother an angry look and smacked her back on her arm. “Don’t you dare smack mama!” said Marie.

 

“No mack Joe!” said her young son, pouting at her angrily.

 

“For heavens sake Marie, what is all that shouting about?” asked Ben, standing up and coming around to the other side of his desk so that he could see his wife and son in the dining room.

 

“He’s climbing up on the furniture again,” said Marie. “Naughty boy Joseph!” Little Joe folded his arms and glared at his mother even more.

 

“Well does it matter?” asked Ben. “He’s not harming it, is he?”

 

“That’s not really the point,” said Marie firmly. “He shouldn’t be climbing on furniture in the first place …. and besides that, if he climbs on the furniture now, who knows what will be next?”

 

“Papa!” shouted Little Joe, noticing his father standing there and figuring that it was a more attractive proposition to be with him than with his obviously cranky mother at that moment. He wriggled in Marie’s grasp and reached out his small arms beseechingly to his father, putting on his best puppy dog expression as he did so.

 

Ben walked over and took the small child from his mother. “You’re too worried about things that don’t really matter,” he said, tickling his little son as he giggled in his arms.

 

“Not matter!” replied Marie indignantly. “Well I’ll have you know Ben Cartwright, that it certainly does matter!”

 

“You just have to be firm with him,” said Ben, placing Joe down on his feet again. “Look …. I’ll show you.” He bent down and looked closely at the little boy who stared back at him. “Now you are not to go near that chair again …. Do you hear me Joe?” he said sternly. “No more climbing on the chair!” He waggled his finger at the child. “Papa and mama will get angry if you do. Do you understand?”

 

Little Joe nodded at his father, his face very serious. “Yes Papa,” he said and turned and trotted over to his toy-box.

 

“See?” said Ben, straightening up again. “You just have to make sure that he understands.”

 

“He’s really got me worried Ben,” said Marie. “Right now it’s chairs, but soon it might be something really dangerous that he climbs. He hasn’t got any perception on height yet and he might soon be able to climb up very high and hurt himself.” Her eyes darted around Ben. “Joseph!” she shouted.

 

Ben turned quickly and caught his little boy as he was about to launch himself from the coffee table on which he had climbed and land in the fireplace. “Papa told you not to climb!” he said sternly.

 

Joe shook his head as he looked at his father. “Not on table,” he said.

 

Ben’s eyes narrowed and for a moment he didn’t know what to say. How on earth could a two year old be so logical? “Papa meant on anything!” he said finally, giving him a smart smack on his leg. “Do you hear me Joseph? You are not to climb on anything!”

 

Little Joe scowled at his father.

 

“See?” said Marie. “Not so easy after all is it?”

 

**********

 

Marie cuddled into Ben and looked up at him as she rested her head on his shoulder. “What?” he asked.

 

“Nothing,” she said, fiddling with the small hairs that were sticking out from above the top button of his shirt. “I was just thinking about how nice it is tonight …. Just the two of us.”

 

Ben gave her a special smile. “It’s not often the house is so quiet,” he said. “I think this is the best time of day …. The boys all in bed and the two of us … all alone.” He bent down and kissed the top of her hair. “Have I told you lately how beautiful you are?” he said softly.

 

“Yes, but tell me again,” she said, returning the kiss. “I like to …. Joseph!” 

 

Ben turned quickly to see their small son standing on the stairs behind them, giggling and clapping his hands. “How did he get out of his crib?” he said.

 

“I have no idea,” said Marie with a sigh as she began to get up. 

 

“No … I’ll do it,” said Ben. He walked over and picked up the small boy, carrying him back to his bedroom. He lit the lamp on the dresser and looked around for any sign that someone had taken him out of his crib, but could find nothing. “Here you go,” he said, putting the little boy back into bed and checking that the sides of the crib were securely in place. “Go to sleep now. Goodnight baby.”  He bent down and kissed his son on the top of his head, smiling as Joe waved at him. Ben turned off the lamp and walked back downstairs again.

 

“Now,” he said, sitting down on the sofa again and pulling Marie towards him. “Where were we?”

 

“You were telling me how beautiful I am,” she reminded him with a coy smile.

 

“Oh yes,” he said, returning the smile and then kissing the tip of her nose. “Well I was thinking …. How about you and I go upstairs and ….” He frowned. “Little Joe! I put you back into your bed young man.”

 

Little Joe clapped his hands and bounced up and down a couple of times on his heels before trotting down the remaining stairs. “Ride horsies now?” he asked his father as he reached the bottom step.

 

“No we are not going riding now,” said Ben sternly, getting up again. “You are going to bed young man and that’s where you’re going to stay!”  He picked him up again and headed upstairs with him, followed by Marie. “How on earth is he getting out of his crib?” he asked her over his shoulder.

 

“Perhaps one of the boys is letting him out?” she said. She opened the door to Hoss’ room as they passed it, but the boy was lying on his back fast asleep, small snoring noises emanating from him. 

“Adam?” Ben said softly as they passed his eldest son’s room and saw him lying in bed reading. “Did you get Little Joe out of bed?”

 

“No,” said Adam, putting down his book. “He must have got out himself.”

 

“Impossible,” said Marie. “The sides are far too high.” She followed Ben as her husband went into Joe’s room and turning up the lamp again. “See?” she said. “The sides are still up and they’re higher than his head. He couldn’t possibly even reach the top.”

 

“Well I don’t know,” said Ben, putting the child into bed again. “It sure beats me.” He tucked Little Joe into bed again and waggled his finger at him. “Now you stay there!” he said firmly. “No more coming out … do you hear me Joseph?”

 

Little Joe grinned at his father and began to suck on one of his fingers as he stared at both his parents. “Good night little one,” said Marie, kissing him softly on the top of his head. “Sleep well.”  She beckoned to Ben to follow her after turning down the lamp again. “Let’s watch,” she whispered.

 

They both stood in the hallway and watched through the crack in the half-opened door. Little Joe wriggled under his bedclothes for a moment and then sat up and took his finger out of his mouth. He crawled out from under the bedclothes and stood up, looking up at the top of the bars far above his head. Deftly he kicked the bedclothes until they had formed a pile in the corner of his crib, placed his pillow top of them and climbed up on the top of the pile, reaching the bars with ease. He then swung himself over the top of them and hung by his small hands until his feet reached the mattress that stuck through the bars on the other side. He then merely let go and fell to the floor on his bottom with a small thud. He picked himself up immediately and trotted over to the doorway where he saw his parents. With a grin, he looked up at them. “Hello,” he said happily.

 

“Well I’ll be,” said Ben. “Where did he learn to do that?”

 

“I don’t know,” said Marie, picking him up. “But now you might believe me when I tell you that he climbs up on everything?”

 

“How did he get out?” asked Adam, from behind them.

 

“Go back to bed,” said Ben. “He climbed out by himself, that’s all.” He followed Marie into the bedroom. “He won’t stay there now that he’s found a way out,” he mused. “I wonder how I can fix this crib so that he can’t climb over the top of it?” He fingered the bars at the side of the bed.

 

“I know Pa,” said Adam, coming into the room as well. “You could put another set of bars over the top of it, couldn’t you? Sort of like a cage?”

 

Marie eyeballed her stepson angrily. “You are not putting my son in a cage every night,” she said sternly. “Go to bed Adam. Your father has already told you to once already!”

 

Adam made a face and took a couple of step backwards. “Night,” he mumbled and fled the room.

 

“Perhaps the boy is right?” said Ben, trying not to laugh at the expression on his wife’s face. “I can’t think of any other way to keep him in there.”

 

“I’ll just sit with him until he falls asleep,” said Marie, tucking the little boy into bed yet again.

 

Ben gave her an appalled look. “But … but what about our … time together?” he asked.

 

“It will just have to wait,” she said briskly, sitting down by the side of the crib. “Please turn down the lamp Ben, or he’ll never go to sleep.”

 

Ben turned down the lamp and left the room quietly, thinking about his lost opportunity for a wonderful night together with his beloved wife. He really was going to have to do something about his youngest son’s penchant for climbing now.

 

**********

 

“Now sit there,” said Marie, putting her little son on his chair at the breakfast table. “Mama will be back in a moment and bring your breakfast little one.” Little Joe smiled up at his mother and picked up a spoon to bang on the table happily while he waited for her. Marie went into the kitchen and smiled at Hop Sing who was standing at the stove stirring something. “Good morning Hop Sing,” she said.

 

“Morning Missy Cartwright,” said Hop Sing. “Eggs all ready.”  He motioned to a platter of steaming eggs on the counter. “I bring flapjacks in soon.”

 

“Thank you,” said Marie, picking up the platter and walking back to the dining room with it. “Mama has brought you some eggs darling,” she said and then stopped as she saw that the chair on which she had placed the little boy was empty. “Joseph!” she called as she saw her son climbing up the staircase on the outside of the banister.

 

Marie quickly put the platter on the table, intending to run towards him, but at that moment Joe slipped and fell, catching the banisters with his two small hands and holding on so that he was hanging from the top landing. Marie put her hand over her mouth in horror, her heart missing a beat as she watched her precious baby hanging from the top of the staircase.

 

At that moment Ben appeared at the top of the stairs. “Good morning,” he called down to her. “What ….” He noticed the horrified look on his wife’s face immediately and followed her gaze. Swiftly, he leant over the banister and scooped up his youngest son. “I’ve got him,” he said and Marie sank down onto a chair gratefully.

 

“What on earth was he doing up there?” asked Ben, carrying the boy downstairs. “That was a dangerous place to let him climb.”

 

Marie turned on the man. “I let him climb?” she shouted. “Don’t be so stupid Ben! As if I’d let him climb up there! I can’t watch him every minute of the day for heavens sake!”

 

“All right,” said Ben soothingly. “All right. Calm down. He’s all right, so there’s no harm done.”

 

“No harm done?” she said angrily. “Don’t you see how serious this is now? He was about to fall and could have seriously hurt himself! Look at him … he’s not even afraid!”

 

Ben looked at the little boy in his arms. It was true. Joe grinned back at his father, seemingly no worse for wear at all after his escapade. “The problem is that he doesn’t know any fear,” he admitted. “Since the day this child found his feet he hasn’t realised that climbing up on things could be a worry.”

 

“Exactly!” agreed Marie. “Which is why he has to learn not to do it. Don’t you see that?”

 

Ben nodded. “Alright,” he said. “I’ll discipline him.” He looked sternly at Little Joe. “You are a naughty boy to climb up there,” he said, trying to look stern. “Papa is very cross with you Joe.”

 

Little Joe smiled at his father, not seeming to care. Ben frowned, then smacked the child twice on the leg. “Naughty boy,” he said.

 

Little Joe’s smile instantly turned into a frown and he reached over and smacked his father on the arm. “No mack Joe!” he said crossly.

 

Ben instantly upended his son and gave him three sharp swats to the backside before turning him up the right way again. “Naughty boy!” he said.

 

The little boy instantly began to howl indignantly. “No mack Joe!” he shouted at his father.

 

“Do you want another smack?” asked Ben angrily.

 

Joe put his hands over his small bottom. “No!” he shouted.

 

“Then be quiet,” said his father.

 

“Here …. Give him to me,” said Marie, reaching out for her son. She cuddled him in towards her and made soothing noises to him. 

 

“Don’t,” said Ben. “You’re letting him think that he can get away with it.”

 

“What happened?” asked Hoss as he and Adam came down the stairs together.

 

“Your brother climbed up on the outside of the banisters and nearly fell,” said Ben, taking Joe back from his mother again, much to the little boy’s displeasure. “Be quiet Joseph!” he said sternly to the sobbing child in his arms.

 

“He wouldn’t hurt himself,” said Adam as he sat down at the table. “He can’t hurt himself … Joe always bounces.” Hoss began to giggle at his brother’s remark, but stopped as he saw the look that his step-mother gave him to show that she wasn’t amused.

 

“Well he has to learn,” said Ben firmly, putting his youngest son back onto his chair. “Now you stay where you’re put young man!” he said, sitting down at his place at the table. “If you move again then you’ll get another smack!”

 

“No mack Joe!” the little boy said indignantly.

 

**********

 

Charlie reached up and pulled the little boy down from the top railing of the corral fence. “Hold on there young fellar,” he said, laughing. “That’s no place for you!” He strode over to the house with the child in his arms and knocked on the front door.

 

“Is this yours?” he asked, when Ben opened it. “I found it on the corral fence,” he added, laughing.

 

“Ben’s eyes widened as he reached out and grabbed his wriggling son from his foreman. “What?” he said. “How on earth did he get out there?”

 

“I’ve got no idea boss,” said Charlie, still chuckling. “But it sure seems like that boy can’t hardly wait to start working them horses!”  He walked away, chuckling to himself. 

 

“Thanks Charlie,” Ben called after him.

 

“What are you thanking Charlie for?” asked Marie, coming up behind her husband.

 

“It seems that our son escaped the house,” said Ben, turning towards her. “Charlie found him on the corral fence.”

 

“What?” Marie, hand went straight to her mouth and her eyes widened. “How did he get out there?”

 

“I’ve no idea,” said Ben. “I’ve been here in the study the whole time. Where were you?”

 

“I went upstairs to get my sewing basket,” she said. “I was only gone for a couple of minutes and Joe was playing happily on the floor.”

 

“He must have gone out of the kitchen door then,” said Ben, opening the front door again and peering outside. “It’s open.”  He gestured to Hop Sing who was in the henhouse. “Hop Sing must have left it open.”

 

“Ben this is getting serious,” said Marie. “He could have been trampled by one of the horses!”

 

“Horsies!” said Joe happily, clapping his small hands together. “Go ride horsies Papa!” 

 

“No,” said Ben firmly, shutting the door again. “I’ll talk to Hop Sing,” he said to Marie. “I’ll make sure that he knows to keep all the doors shut.”

 

“Go ride horsies Papa!” said Joe again, holding onto his father’s face and turning it towards his own.

 

“I said no,” said Ben firmly. “We’d better tell the boys as well when they get home from school,” he added to Marie. “We’ll have to remember from now on.” He put Joe down on the floor and the little boy immediately trotted around through the dining room on his way to the kitchen again. 

 

“Grab him Ben!” said Marie. “He’s going outside again to climb on that fence.”

 

Ben raced after the child, catching up with him just as he reached the open kitchen door. He scooped him up in his arms and shut the door firmly. Joe immediately pouted. “Go ride horsies Papa,” he said crossly.

 

“I said no Joseph and I meant it!” said Ben, putting him on the floor again. Joe ran over to the closed door and tried to reach the handle to open it. When he realised that he couldn’t, he turned and glared at his father. 

 

“Out!” he said.

 

“I said no!” said Ben. “Do you want a smack?”

 

Joe put his hands over his small bottom. “No mack Joe,” he said indignantly.

 

**********

 

“So from now on boys, it’s important that we always remember to close all the doors when we come in or out of the house,” said Maire at the supper table that night. “Otherwise your little brother might get it into his head to run outside again and there are all sorts of things out there that he could get hurt with.”

 

“Well you’d better include the barn door in that,” said Adam with his mouth full. “I found him in there the other day.”

 

“What?” said Marie. “You didn’t say anything about that before!”

 

Adam shrugged. “He wasn’t hurting nothing,” he said. “He just climbed up on the railing in one of the stalls. There was no horse in it though.”

 

“But there could have been!” said Marie anxiously. “He could have been trampled if he’d fallen!”

 

“But he wasn’t,” said Ben soothingly, putting his hand over hers where it lay on the table. “Don’t go borrowing trouble where there isn’t any Marie. “As long as we keep all the doors shut, then he can’t get into trouble climbing things outside can he?”

 

“Nah!” agree Hoss. “He’s got plenty ta climb in here iffen he wants to!”

 

“Unfortunately that’s true,” said Marie miserably. “Maybe I should just tie him to me?” she joked.

 

Little Joe clapped his hands and looked around at all of them with a huge smile on his face. “Joe mack!” he announced, and beat his spoon against the wooden table.

 

**********

 

“I’ll get my bonnet,” said Marie, putting Little Joe down on a hay-bale. “Watch your little brother please, Adam.”  

 

Adam looked up. “Sure,” he said and then bent over to look at his horse’s leg again. 

 

“How come ya got ta do that Adam?” asked Hoss, bending over and looking at the hoof in Adam’s hand intently.

 

“Horsie!” shouted Joe, clapping his hands. 

 

“Yes …. Horse,” said Hoss, giving his little brother a grin. “How come Adam?”

 

“I’m scraping it clean,” said Adam. “See? You put this in here and just run it along.”

 

“Horsie!” shouted Joe again. “Horsie!”

 

“Can I try?” asked Hoss.

 

“Alright, but be careful,” said Adam. “Here …. I’ll hold it for you. That’s right …. Just around the edge like that. Now the other side.”

 

“What are you two up to?” asked Ben, coming around the side of the barn with two horses for the buggy.

 

“I’m showing Hoss how to clean a hoof,” said Adam. 

 

“Where’s Marie?” asked Ben, turning the horses around and manoeuvring them back in towards the buggy.

 

“She went inside to get her bonnet,” said Adam absently. 

 

“Where’s Little Joe?” asked his father. “Did she take him inside with her?”

 

“No … he’s over …” Adam’s voice trailed away as he realised that his little brother wasn’t sitting on the hay-bale any more.

 

“Over where?” asked Ben with a frown. “Were you supposed to be watching him?”

 

“I was,” replied Adam. “He was there a minute ago.”

 

“I’m ready now Ben,” said Marie, coming out of the house adjusting her bonnet. “Where’s Little Joe?” she asked looking around.

 

“Mama!” called a little voice from up above and they all looked up to see the little boy standing in the open doorway of the loft. “Papa!”

 

Marie’s heart lurched. “Oh!” she cried, her hand springing to her mouth. She watched in horror as her precious son toppled slightly to one side as he grinned at them.

 

“Joseph keep still!” called Ben, his anxiety obvious from his tone of voice. “Keep still while Papa comes to get you!”

 

“I’ll get him,” said Adam and ran into the barn before anyone else could move. 

 

Little Joe held his arms out from his sides and giggled. “Catch Papa!” he shouted happily and launched himself off the edge of the loft. Marie closed her eyes in her terror as her small son fell to the ground and landed on the very same bale of hay on which he’d been sitting moments before. As he hit the bale, Adam appeared in the doorway to the loft looking down in dismay.

 

Ben ran forward and picked up his small son who had begun to scream as he hit the bale. “Shh!” he said soothingly, checking him all over for breaks. “Shh! Little one …. It’s alright now …. Papa’s got you.”

 

Marie knelt down beside him. “Is he alright?” she asked anxiously.

 

“I think he’s fine,” said Ben over the noise over their sobbing son. “Just winded himself.” He handed the little boy over to his mother who put him on her lap and began to rock him backwards and forwards. “Mama’s got you now darling. It’s all right,” she whispered.

 

Adam came out of the barn. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I was watching him. I only took my eyes off him for a minute.”

 

“That’s all it takes Adam,” said Ben. “You should know by now how quick he is.”

 

“Yes sir,” mumbled Adam, hanging his head.

 

“Well no harm done,” said Ben, putting his hand on the youngster’s shoulder. “Your brother is all right thank God.”

 

Little Joe sat up in his mother’s lap, the tears still sitting on his cheeks and glared at his father. “No catch Joe!” he said accusingly.

 

Ben bent down and looked at his small son sternly. “You are not to go up in that loft again! Do you hear me Joseph?”

 

Little Joe nodded his head vigorously. “Bad!” he said emphatically. 

 

“That’s right,” said Ben. “Very bad.” He pointed his finger at the small boy. “Joe is not to go up there again!”

 

Little Joe nodded his head again. “Bad!” he said and then cuddled into his mother’s chest.

 

**********

 

Ben leant against the rough fence and watched as Adam put the horse through his paces. “Good boy!” he shouted to his son.

 

“He’s doing good ain’t he Pa?” said Hoss who was sitting on the top rung of the fence beside his father and watching his brother proudly. “That new horse sure is a beauty.”

 

“He sure is son,” said Ben, proudly watching how his eldest son was handling the horse. The boy was a great rider considering that he’d never had much to do with horses until they settled here in Nevada a few years ago. 

 

“How is it going?” asked Marie, coming to stand beside her husband and stepson.

 

“He’s doing fine,” said Ben, reaching over to tickle Little Joe who was perched on his mother’s hip. “Just fine.” He reached over and picked up the little boy, flinging him into the air above his head as he’d done so many times before. To his surprise, however, Little Joe squealed …. Not with delight as he usually did, but with fright. “It’s alright,” said Ben as he took hold of the child again. “You’re OK Little Joe.”

 

Little Joe looked at his father, his eyes wide with fright. “Bad!” he said.

 

“What’s got into him?” asked Ben, puzzled. “He usually loves that.” He placed the little boy on the top rung of the fence and held onto him. “See Adam?” he said. “See Adam on the horse?”

 

Little Joe wriggled in his father’s grasp. “Down!” he said firmly. “Down Papa!”

 

“See the horse Joe?” said Hoss, beside him. “Adam is riding the horse!”

 

“Bad!” shouted the little boy, starting to cry. “Down Papa!”

 

Ben picked him off the fence and put him on the ground, where he happily looked through the bottom rung of the fence at his brother. “Horsie!” he said, smiling up at his father. 

 

“Well what is this all about?” asked Ben. “He always likes to sit up here with me.”

 

“I have a suspicion that our little son’s flight from the loft yesterday may have given more of a fright then we thought,” said Marie, patting the little boy on the head. “Maybe it’s made him scared of heights?”

 

“Hmm,” said Ben thoughtfully. “Well if it has, then it’s the first thing this child has ever been frightened of in his life.”

 

**********

 

the present …..

 

Joe clung to the side of the rock face desperately, head down and breathing shallowly as he lay there willing himself to move. He put his head up again and closed his eyes as he saw the sheer rock in front of and above him. It was no use! He should have known that this would happen … should have known that he’d never be able to get to the top of this place that had haunted his sleeping moments for weeks now. Eagle’s Nest! Why did the very name of it send a shiver down his spine? He just couldn’t understand why it affected him so much! He’d come so far, and now here he was stuck up here …. unable to go up and unable to go down. 

 

“Joseph!”

 

Joe turned his head quickly at the sound of his name. Could it possibly be? Was it really his father down there below him? The thought that the one man he trusted implicitly was here just when he needed him was almost too much to bear and he allowed a couple of tears to run down his cheeks as his emotions took hold of him.

 

“Joe listen to me!” the voice came again.

 

“Pa leave me alone!” Joe cried out, willing his father to help him, yet desperate to show that he wasn’t scared.

 

“Joe, listen to me,” he called. “Listen to me good. Back down real slow and easy. I’m right here below you.”

 

Joe struggled to catch his breath and answer his father. “I can’t!” he called back down to Ben. 

 

“Joe, you’ve gotta try,” shouted his father.

 

“Pa please …. I can’t!” Joe bit his lip and a rush of fear shot through him as he thought about moving even a little bit.

 

Ben frowned as he tried to understand what was causing his son’s anxiety. “Why Joe?”

 

“I’m afraid Pa!” shouted Joe. “I’m a grown man and I’m afraid and I don’t know why!”

 

“There’s nothing to be afraid of,” shouted back Ben.

 

“I know that!” shouted Joe, beginning to sob quietly to himself. “I’m not a kid any more P, but why am I acting like one? Do you know how many times I’ve come back to this mountain just to get my rifle? How many times I’ve stood in front of it because I’m afraid? ….. and I just don’t know why!” He lowered his head and felt the rough rock against his face.

 

Suddenly, a memory came to Ben …. a memory of a time long past and a small frightened boy. “Joe … Joe listen to me!” he shouted. “When you were five years old …. just a little kid … you ran off one day and had a whole bunch of people looking for you. And we combed this whole area and I came up upon you late that night, right up here at Eagle’s Nest. And I carried you down in my arms.”

 

“Pa, I’m not five years old anymore.”

 

“Joe …. the human mind is a funny thing. You know, man has his little fears. They get stored up in his mind and there’s no point in being afraid of anything. Especially now Joe, when I think maybe now you know why you might be afraid.”

 

“Maybe that makes sense to you Pa, but it doesn’t make any sense to me!” said Joe. “I know what I have to do and I’m going to do it! I’m going to do it by myself! Now please go home! I’m going to do it by myself Pa!” Joe tried to pull himself forward, but found that he still couldn’t move. “Why!” he said half to himself. “Oh, why can’t I do it?”

 

Ben watched his son, a great rush of compassion welling up in his heart for the youngster. He wanted more than anything at that moment to take Joe in his arms and comfort him as the little boy he’d once been. “Joe … I’m coming up to the top of Eagle’s Nest along side you,” he shouted.

 

“Pa I know you want to help me, but you’re only making it worse!” Joe called back down to him.

 

“I’m coming up alongside you Joe.”  Ben started to inch his way forward, the movement causing Joe to look back at him over his shoulder.

 

“Please go home Pa!” Joe shouted. “I know I can do it!”

 

Suddenly, an idea came to Ben as to how to help his son. He slid back down the rock-face towards the edge. “Joe … help me! Help me Joe!” he cried.

 

Joe turned quickly and saw to his horror that his father sliding down the rock. “Help me Joe!” Ben cried.

 

“Pa! Pa … hold on I’m coming!” Joe called down to his father in a panic, beginning to slide down towards him … his fear forgotten in his anxiety for his father.

 

“You won’t be able to reach me here,” called back Ben. “You need to get a long stick! The rifle Joe … that’ll do it! Get the rifle Joe!”

 

“Hold on Pa!” Joe climbed up to the top of the cliff and grabbed the rifle without thinking about it. He slid back down the cliff, inching his way towards his father … the only thought running through his brain that he had to get him back to safety. “Hold on Pa, I’m coming!”

 

Ben looked up and saw that his son had moved and that he was coming down towards him with the rifle in his hands. “Good boy Joe,” he muttered under his breath. “Good boy.”  He looked over his shoulder and realised that he’d actually slid further than he thought and his legs were in fact hanging over the edge of the rock. Ben hung on grimly as he watched his son bring the rifle down towards him. 

 

“Pa I’m coming!” Joe called as he slid down the rock. “I’m coming Pa!” As he reached his father, he held one end of the rifle down to him, grasping onto the other end firmly. “Pa hold on! I’ll try to reach you Pa. Pa …” 

 

Ben pulled himself up with a bit of difficulty while Joe clung desperately to the other end. As they both sat and caught their breath, Ben coughed a little. “Thanks Joe,” he muttered. “ Thank you.”

 

Joe looks up at the top of Eagle’s Nest, then at the rifle in his hand and then finally at his father. He was silent as he tried to digest what had just happened.

 

“Good thing this rifle was up there,” said Ben with a smile.

 

Joe looked at his father lovingly. “You really didn’t need me to help you, did you?” he said softly.

 

Ben didn’t answer his son’s question, but leant towards him instead and said, “You ready to go home now?”

 

“I am ready to go home,” Joe replied, the relief evident in his tone and together they slid down the rock towards their horses.

 

**********

 

Ben walked into the living room and stopped as he watched his youngest son staring into the fireplace. “Are you alright Joe?” he asked after a few moments.

 

Joe turned to face his father and smiled. “Yeah Pa, I’m fine.” There was silence for quite a while until Joe spoke again. “Pa? What you told me up there …. you know … about that night when you found me up there when I was a kid …. Do you really think that it had something to do with how I’ve been feeling?”

 

“Probably,” Ben said thoughtfully. “Who knows how our minds work? Little fears that are stored up for years can affect what we do and how we feel.”

 

“I don’t remember that night at all,” Joe said. “Why was I up there in the first place?”

 

Ben chuckled. “You’d run away,” he said. “You were in trouble for something or other.” He looked at his son fondly. “You were usually in trouble for one thing or another over the years.” Joe acknowledged his father’s remark with a wry smile and Ben put his hand up to his neck again to rub it while he recounted the events of that night …. 

 

**********

 

the past …..

 

“I beg your pardon!” Ben said sternly. “You will do as you’re told young man! Now go and apologize to Hop Sing immediately!”

 

Joe crossed his small arms over his chest and pouted at his father. “Ain’t gonna!” he said angrily.

 

Ben strode over to him, picked him up and swatted his backside three times before depositing him on his feet again. “Now you either go into that kitchen and apologise or you can go up to your room until you’re ready to!” he said, pointing his finger at the little boy.

 

Little Joe’s pout became ever more pronounced. “Ain’t gonna pologize!” he said firmly.

 

Ben gave him a small push towards the stairs. “Then upstairs with you until you are ready to!” he said sternly. “Go on!”

 

The little boy took a tentative step towards the stairs, then stopped and looked over his shoulder at his father. “Ain’t gonna ever pologize!” he shouted. “I’m gonna stay in my room forever and ever!”

 

“Suit yourself,” said Ben calmly. “Go!”  He watched as his small son climbed the stairs slowly, dragging each foot with as exaggerated slowness until he finally disappeared around the top of the staircase. Ben shook his head slowly and turned to walk into the kitchen. 

 

As soon as he’d disappeared, a small face appeared again at the top of the stairs, followed by a little body. Little Joe quickly ran down the stairs and out the front door, across the front yard and into the barn. He went straight over to his pony and picked up his small saddle, climbing up on the rungs of one of the stalls so that he could reach to put it on the pony’s back. “We’re running away fella,” he said in a soft voice to the animal. “Ain’t gonna stay here ever again and pologize for nuthin!” Within minutes he had the animal ready and was on his back, trotting out of the yard without looking back. “Come on fella,” he said, patting the pony gently as they rode around the back of the barn. “We’re gonna find Mama in heaven and live with her now. We ain’t gonna ever live with that mean old Pa ever again!”

 

The little boy and the pony disappeared around the back of the barn, headed towards the distant mountains. 

 

**********

 

Ben put his face in his hands for a moment, trying to still the fear that was creeping into his heart. He put his head up and looked at the moon above, noting that the sky was getting darker by the minute. He couldn’t believe that they hadn’t found him yet. Couldn’t believe that his little boy was out here …. somewhere. He could still feel the fear in the pit of his stomach that he’d first felt when he’d opened the child’s bedroom door earlier this afternoon and discovered that he wasn’t there. That boy …. When he found him …. But a nagging feeling kept springing into his mind…. What is they didn’t find him? What if his precious son that was the only thing he had left of Marie was lost to him forever? He didn’t know if he could live with himself if any harm came to his precious son.

 

“Pa?”

 

Ben turned to see Adam staring at him anxiously. “Yes son?” he said.

 

“I asked if you wanted me to come with you or Charlie?”

 

“Come with me son. Charlie has enough men with him.”

 

Adam nodded. “Bert went back to the house to check if he’s made it back there yet.”

 

Ben nodded without saying a word. Father and son trotted alongside each other in silence for a few moments until Adam spoke again. “Maybe we should light the lanterns now?” he said.

 

Ben nodded again and they stopped to light both lanterns that they were carrying. “He’ll be OK Pa,” said Adam. “We’ll find him.”

 

Ben tried to smile, but didn’t quite make it. “Yes,” he said simply, his heart hoping fiercely that this would be the case. “Of course we will.”

 

**********

 

The little boy huddled against the rock, put his finger in his mouth and began to suck on it. The air around him was becoming chilly and he shivered slightly as he pulled his coat tighter to his body in a vain attempt to keep warm. His eyes darted up to the sky again and he noted with a growing sense of apprehension that it was even darker than before. “I’m ready ta go home now .. “ he whispered aloud, but there was no one to hear his plaintive words. “I’m gonna pologise now I reckon,” he whispered and his words caught on a sob as he pictured his family at home probably having supper right about now. He began to sob quietly to himself, wishing that someone would come for him. 

 

He moved his legs slightly and sent a few small stones scuttling down the steep slope below him. He looked down and wished that he had the strength to follow them right down to the bottom of this rock, but he knew that he couldn’t. Earlier this afternoon it had seemed the right thing to do … the brave and adventurous thing to do … to climb this big rock so that he’d be able to see a longways away …. Maybe forever …. And then he’d know which way to go to find heaven. He looked up at the sky again … and thought about how high up it had seemed from down there. Now it still seemed a long way up and he knew in his small heart that he hadn’t reached heaven and his mother as he thought he would. His sniffles became fully-fledged sobs as the tears began to fall down his cheeks.

 

Little Joe wiped the tears away with his free hand, still sucking on the finger on his other hand furiously. He wished that there were someone here with him … someone who could tell him what to do. He couldn’t go up any more … for there was nowhere to go and he couldn’t go down because he was too scared. He looked to the side and shuddered as he saw the deep cliff face that had so terrified him before. He hadn’t known that he had climbed so high until he’d looked down that way and seen the rocks and the trees way below him and when he had, he’d stopped right where he was …. Unable to go higher and unable to move lower. He lowered his head and sobbed into his knees … a pitiful sound in the stillness of the increasing darkness around him. “Pa!” he sobbed. “I’m ready to pologize now Pa! Please come and get me now!”

 

**********

 

Adam stoped and grabbed his father’s arm. “Pa look! Over there!” 

 

Ben drew his horse to a halt and peered into the darkness, holding his lantern up to see better. “What is it?” he said. “I can’t see anything.”

 

“I saw a dark shape over there,” said Adam. “Listen … can you hear something?”

 

They both sat as still as they could and Ben’s heart lurched as he heard a faint whinny. “It’s coming from over there,” he said, spurring his horse forward. His heart lifted as a small form came into view. “It’s Joe’s pony,” he said over his shoulder to his son. “We’ve found him!” They pulled their horses to a halt and dismounted quickly, Ben checking the pony over at once. “He’s fine,” he said, looking around. “Joe? Little Joe? It’s Pa! Where are you?”

 

There was no reply, so Ben tried again. “Little Joe? Where are you son? It’s Pa and Adam come go get you!”

 

There was still no response and a cold hand of fear clutched Ben’s heart once more. “I’ll scout around and see if I can see him,” said Adam.

 

Ben nodded. “I’ll go this way,” he said. “You go on over there and we’ll meet back right here.” For the next fifteen minutes, both of them scoured behind the rocks and the bushes that surround the tall rock, but found nothing. 

 

“I don’t think he’s here Pa,” said Adam. “He must have wandered off somewhere.”

 

Ben shook his head. “He wouldn’t have left his pony here and gone off walking,” he said. “Unless ….” He lifted his head and stared up at the dark form of the rock above them. 

 

“You don’t think he climbed up there do you?” asked Adam. “He couldn’t have got far …. He’s too little.”

 

“I think it’s possible,” said Ben thoughtfully. “You know your little brother when he gets an idea into his head. He looked back at Joe’s pony. “I think he just might have.”

 

“But why? Why on earth would a little kid like him climb way up there?” persisted Adam. “It doesn’t make sense.”

 

“None of this makes sense,” said his father. “We’re dealing with a five year old son. Children think differently … who knows what is in his mind?” He handed the reins of his horse to Adam. “I’m going up there to check,” he said.

 

“Then I’m coming with you,” said Adam. 

 

Ben shook his head. “No son. There’s no point two of us going. It’s a long climb and it will be tricky in the dark. You go back and get Charlie and the others. If I come back down without Joe then we’ll get everyone to fan out around this area. He can’t have got far on foot.”  He nodded at Adam reassuringly. “Go on son. I’ll be back down again by the time you get back with the men.”

 

Adam nodded reluctantly. “Alright,” he said. “But if you’re not back down here then I’m coming up after you.”  He got on his horse and trotted away.

 

Ben lifted his lantern and looked around, before climbing up on the first rock and slowly making his way towards the far-distant summit. 

 

**********

 

The little boy’s tears were falling faster now and he wasn’t even bothering to wipe them away. “Pa! Pa!” he called out to no one in particular. “Pa!” 

 

Suddenly he lifted his head as he heard and answering cry. “Joe! Little Joe! Can you hear me! Are you there Little Joe? It’s Pa!”

 

He wiped his tears away and a smile appeared instantly on his face. “Pa! Pa!” He cried. “I’m up here!”

 

“Stay still Little Joe!” called his father. “Keep very still son! I’m coming to get you!”

 

Little Joe nodded in the darkness as if his father could see him. He sat as still as he could and listened to the faint noise of someone scrambling up the rock face below him and his little heart started thumping with excitement. He knew that if he wished it hard enough that his Pa would come and get him! His Pa could do anything! He hugged his knees in his excitement and then wiped his tears away. “I’m here Pa!” he called again. “I’m up here!”

 

“I’m coming son!” called his father again. “Just keep still and don’t move!”  

 

Little Joe nodded again obediently and kept as still as he could, still hugging his knees towards him. Suddenly in the darkness below him he made out a dark shadowy form and he gasped. “Pa!” he cried. “I see you Pa!”

 

“Just hold on a few more minutes and I’ll be there Little Joe,” Ben called out. “I’m coming son.”  He breathed heavily as he scrambled up the remaining few feet towards his little boy, for the climb had been taxing and he had done it as quickly as he could since he’d heard that first faint cry that told him that the child was up here. 

 

Finally he reached his son, and drew the trembling child into his arms quickly, hugging him to his chest. “Little Joe,” he breathed. “Oh Joseph!”  

 

The little boy sobbed into his father’s chest for several minutes, overcome with the relief that he was once more safe in the arms of the man he loved so much. Finally he raised his head. “I knew you’d come to get me Pa,” he said.

 

Ben stroked his son’s dirty curly hair and smiled down at him. “Of course I did,” he said soothingly. “Did you really think that your Pa would leave you up here all by yourself?”  He kissed him tenderly, his heart so full of emotion now that he had his precious child back safe again.

 

“I’ll polozie now Pa,” said Little Joe earnestly. “I promise I will!”

 

Ben smiled at him and smoothed his unruly locks. “We’ll talk about that when we get home son,” he said. “We’ll have a lot of thing to discuss later. For now, the main thing is to get you home. Come on, down we go.”

 

Little Joe drew away from his father. “No,” he said softly. “I don’t wanna go down there. “I’m scared.”

 

“There’s nothing to be scared of Joseph,” said Ben tenderly.

 

“But I might fall,” said the child. “It’s very high up.”

 

“You won’t fall,” Ben assured him. “See? Pa is going to hold you the whole way.”  He picked up the child and held him tightly to his chest. “You just close your eyes and we’ll be down there as soon as you know it,” he said encouragingly. “Here we go.”

 

Little Joe closed his eyes tightly and sucked on one of his fingers as he felt his father’s body slide down the rock face. He sobbed quietly to himself as they made their way downwards …. ever downwards.

 

**********

 

the present …..

 

Joe walked into the saloon and looked around, smiling warily when he saw Mitch sitting at a corner table staring at a glass of beer in his hand. He turned to make his way over to him, but was stoped by someone grabbing him by the sleeve. “Here’s the champ!” said Bert Cummings affably. “Ready to take me on champ? I’ve been waiting for you ta come …. I feel like a winner tonight.”

 

Joe shook the other’s man hand away. “Not now Bert,” he muttered. “Maybe later.”  He walked over to Mitch and stood in front of him. “Hi,” he said.

 

Mitch looked up. “Hi,” he said after a moment’s hesitation. “Come in to defend your title huh?”

 

“Actually I came to talk to you,” said Joe. 

 

“Well whatever it is you gotta say, I don’t wanna hear it,” said Mitch, taking a swallow of his beer. 

 

“Can we talk outside?” asked Joe, ignoring his friend’s remark.

 

Mitch looked at him with narrowed eyes. “I told you Joe … I don’t wanna hear it,” he said.

 

“I’ve come to apologize,” said Joe. “Please come outside Mitch. What I gotta say ….” He looked around at the packed saloon. “…I don’t want anyone else to hear.”

 

Mitch hesitated and then shrugged his shoulders. “Alright,” he said. “But make it quick.”  He followed Joe outside and round the corner of the building into the alleyway. “Well?” he said. “What?”

 

“I wanted to apologise to you for before,” said Joe.

 

Mitch shrugged. “So now you’ve apologised,” he said. “Thanks.”  He made to walk away, but Joe grabbed him by the sleeve to stop him.

 

“Wait Mitch,” he said. “There’s more.” Mitch shrugged, but made no attempt to move away further. “I wanted to explain why I beat you at arm-wrestling like that,” began Joe. “I was trying to prove something.”

 

“Yeah,” snarled Mitch. “That you were better than me. Well you proved it Joe. I hope that makes you happy.”

 

Joe shook his head. “No,” he said. “It makes me ashamed. I should never have taken out my insecurities on you Mitch. I’m sorry that I did.”

 

A frown flitted across Mitch’s face and for the first time he looked Joe directly in the eyes. “Insecurities?” he said, obviously puzzled. “What insecurities? What are you talking about?”

 

Joe took a deep breath before continuing. “I was scared Mitch,” he said. “I’ve been scared for days.”

 

“Scared of arm-wrestling?” asked Mitch, none the wiser to what Joe was getting at.

 

“No, not arm-wrestling,” replied Joe. “Eagle’s Nest.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Ever since I left my rifle up there I’ve been scared to go back up and get it,” said Joe. “I was worried that you could tell I was scared and I was ashamed of it. I guess that I arm-wrestled you to prove to myself that I wasn’t the coward that I was feeling.” He looked miserably at Mitch who simply stared back at him. “I needed to beat someone at something and because I felt that you … that you knew I was a coward … I picked you. I never meant to shame you in front of everyone Mitch. Honest I didn’t!”

 

“But you did,” replied Mitch.

 

Joe nodded. “I know … I was only thinking of myself … not you. I’m so sorry Mitch. If I could turn back the clock and never have had it happen, then I would. Please believe me.”

 

Mitch looked thoughtful for a moment. “You really scared of Eagle’s Nest?” he asked after a moment. 

 

Joe nodded. “Yeah … I guess so. I guess that I don’t like heights much at all and Eagle’s Nest … well, it just terrifies me.”

 

Mitch nodded slowly. “Well I guess I can’t stay mad at you Joe,” he said. “After all … who else are you gonna get to put up with you as a best friend?”  He grinned at the other young man and held out his hand. “Friends,” he said.

 

Joe sighed with relief as shook Mitch’s hand. “Friends,” he said, grinning at him. “How about you let me buy you a beer now friend?”

 

“I won’t say no,” said Mitch, putting his arm around Joe’s shoulders. “Lead on.”

 

The two young men entered the saloon together, and went straight to the bar. “Two beers thanks Charlie,” said Joe, leaning on the bar.

 

“Hold on there Cartwright,” said Bert behind them. “I want a chance at that championship!” 

 

Joe turned slowly and looked at Bert without saying a word. Finally he shook his head slowly. “Sorry Bert,” he said. “I already promised the first bout to Mitch here.” He pulled the surprised Mitch over to the nearest table and pushed him into chair before sitting down opposite him. “Come on Mitch,” he said. “Give it your best.”

 

Mitch looked at Joe, his eyes suddenly narrowed. “No,” he said. “I don’t …”

 

“Of course you do,” said Joe in a loud voice. “Come on Mitch … I said to give it your best.” He stared at his friend in silence until Mitch reluctantly took his hand and began to tense his muscles. There was silence in the saloon and everyone watched the two young men fighting it out, then finally the crowd broke into cheers as Joe’s arm hit the table. 

 

“We have a new champ again!” shouted Bert. “OK Mitch! I’m your first challenger.”  He pushed Joe out of his chair and sat down, putting his arm up on the table ready. Mitch looked up at Joe and smiled as Joe gave him a slight nod and went over to the bar to get their beers.

 

**********

 

Joe sat and stared into the fire flickering in front of him. 

 

“So how do things stand between you and Mitch now?” asked his father, coming to sit beside him on the sofa. “Did you make your peace with him?”

 

Joe nodded. “Yeah,” he said. “We’re OK now. Once I talked to him again he was OK with it all.” Joe’s eyes flickered over to the fire again. “I told him about …. You know … being … scared and all up there at Eagle’s Nest.”

 

“That would have been hard for you,” Ben said, bending his head so that he could see his son’s lowered face.

 

“It was,” Joe acknowledged. “But I had to do it.” He continued to stare into the fire. “Pa?”

 

“Yes son?”

 

“Don’t you think it’s strange that I don’t remember that time when I climbed Eagles’ Nest before … when I was a kid? I honestly don’t remember any of it.”

 

“That’s probably just as well, don’t you think?” said Ben. “We do tend to block unpleasant things in our lives and to you … well at five … it was probably more than you could handle.”

 

Joe made a wry face. “I’m sorry I was so much trouble to you,” he said.

 

Ben laughed. “Oh I coped,” he said. “You did a lot worse than that over the years.”  He smiled at his son tenderly. “You certainly kept me on my toes, that’s for sure.”

 

Joe smiled. “So you really think that might be why I froze up there today?” he said. “Why I’ve been so … well … scared of that place?”

 

“I’m sure of it,” said his father. “I’m proud of you son. You overcame your fear when you had to though and that’s what counts. Everyone is scared of something Joe. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It just your Achilles’ Heel.”

 

Joe gave his father a puzzled look. “What?” he said.

 

“Achilles’ Heel. Haven’t you ever heard that expression before?” Joe shook his head. “Achilles was an ancient Greek warrior,” explained his father. “The best fighter of his time …. Some even said he was invincible. Yet he was eventually killed in battle with an arrow through his heel … his one weak spot.”

 

Joe nodded thoughtfully. “So this fear of heights is my weak spot?” he said.

 

“So it would seem,” said his father. “Your Achilles Heel”

 

Joe nodded. “Hmm,” he said thoughtfully and then thought for a moment. “Come to think of it, I’ve never really liked heights that much. Remember the time I got stuck up on the top of that hay-baling hook in the barn. Now that was scary!”

 

“Well you weren’t always like that,” said Ben.

 

Joe gave his father a questioning look. “No?” he said.

 

Ben shook his head. “No,” he said. “I remember one time when you were about two. You’d been getting into trouble for climbing up on things …. furniture and the like … you always loved to climb on things and heights never seemed to worry you then. Well anyway … this one particular day we were getting ready to go to town and you disappeared. The next thing, I saw you standing at the entrance to the loft with your arms flung out from your side …..

 

The End