{"id":12734,"date":"2002-03-23T07:26:16","date_gmt":"2002-03-23T12:26:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12734"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:05:56","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:05:56","slug":"double-take-by-ginnyf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12734","title":{"rendered":"Double Take (by GinnyF)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 <\/strong>What Happened Before the Opening Scene.\u00a0 The writer has no idea how the ride-up would have actually been filmed.\u00a0 I imagine it was a lot more complicated than I depicted.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 K\u00a0 (2800 words)
\n<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Double Take<\/strong><\/p>\n

The caravan of trucks and cars that had wound its way along the narrow, rutted mountain road finally pulled into its destination. The Sierra Nevada Mountains provided a splendid backdrop for the wide meadow. Near by, Lake Tahoe sparkled blue under the early morning sun.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0Motors were barely shut off when men and women poured from the vehicles and truck doors were thrown open and equipment hauled out. People scurried around laying electrical cables, setting up huge lights, arranging cameras. Others were busy arranging more mundane items: folding chairs, tables, coffee urns, coolers, paper plates and cups, boxes of donuts and sweet rolls.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0Off to one side, a few men were unloading saddles, bridles, and assorted western riding tack. Nearby, four horses, restless from the long ride cooped up in their trailers, were being carefully unloaded.<\/em><\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

The horseman leaned back in his saddle and took in a lung full of the crisp mountain air. He was a large man, well suited to the big black gelding he rode. Morning was his favorite time of day.\u00a0 Usually, well fortified with an ample breakfast of flap jacks, sausages, eggs, biscuits, and plenty of coffee, he had made do today with a single cup of coffee, a couple of biscuits and an apple, which he was now munching.<\/p>\n

Skirting Lake Tahoe, the horse stopped in his tracks, twitching his ears and snickering. \u201cHey Chubb, what\u2019s the matter boy?\u201d The man spoke soothingly to the horse and stroked the gelding\u2019s neck. \u201cCome on, we\u2019ve got work to do. Don\u2019t you want ol\u2019 Hoss to win the bet he\u2019s got goin\u2019 with Adam and Joe over who finds the most strays this week? Well, you better. If I end up havin\u2019 to buy the beers this Saturday night at the Silver Dollar, you\u2019re going to be one sorry horse. Come on now.\u201d The man twitched the reins, but the horse wouldn\u2019t budge, except to prance nervously.<\/p>\n

Getting a little apprehensive himself, the man scanned the familiar landscape, but everything seemed as it should. He fed the horse the apple core, and just as he was about to urge the black forward more firmly, a strange glint of strong light coming from the direction of a meadow his older brother Adam and he had dubbed \u201cMoose Meadow\u201d as children, in honor of a moose they had spotted there, caught his eye. Dismounting, he tied Chubb behind a pile of boulders and stealthily, for a man his size, made his way to a vantage point in the top of the pile where he could see into the meadow without being seen by anyone there.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Four men stood in a group, listening to the instructions being given to them by a man holding a clip board and a stop watch. The man doing the talking was dressed in kaki trousers, a white dress shirt with rolled up sleeves, tennis shoes and a baseball cap. The four men doing the listening were garbed in clothing reminiscent of another time. The oldest of the four; a distinguished looking man with silver hair wore brown whip-cord trousers, blue shirt, fancy tan leather vest, and a cream-colored Stetson. Standing to his left, the youngest of the quartet wore a green corduroy waist-length jacket over his light brown shirt. His tan trousers clung to his lithe form like a glove. Dark brown curls peeked from under his pushed-back beige Stetson. A cigarette dangled James Dean like from his mouth. Flanking the silver-haired man on his right, and towering over him, the large framed man in the loose cream-colored shirt and plain brown leather vest stomped out the cigarette he had been smoking and taking off his high-crowned, ten-gallon hat, ran a hand through his thinning sandy brown hair. Standing a little behind the other three, the fourth man was dressed all in black, from his black Stetson to his black shirt, leather vest, trousers and boots. On his face, at odds with the cowboy attire, was a pair of black framed Ray-Ban sunglasses.\u00a0 All four men wore side arms from a century past.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOK, fellows. You all set to shoot the new opening ride up?\u201d The man with the clipboard looked at the other four in turn. \u201cLet\u2019s get started then. Oh, and Pernell…\u201d\u00a0 The man pointed to the black clad man’s face. “The Ray-Bans.”<\/em><\/p>\n

The four mounted the waiting horses: the silver-haired man, a placid buckskin; the black-garbed man, a spirited chestnut; the big man, a sturdy black; and the young curly-haired man, a flashy black and white pinto. Together they trotted to their assigned spots in the meadow. *<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>**********<\/p>\n

Hoss Cartwright\u2019s mouth dropped open and his blue eyes widened as he stared unbelieving and slack-jawed at the sight in Moose Meadow. Strange vehicles that reminded Hoss of his late friend Daniel Pettibone\u2019s \u201cpower wagons\u201d, only more elaborate set parked beside what looked like small houses on wheels. As Hoss watched, some of these \u201cpower wagons\u201d started with a roar and rolled down the rutted road. Even as shook up as Hoss was at the moment, he couldn\u2019t help but shake his head at the doubts people had about Daniel\u2019s invention and felt vindication of his faith in his friend. Apparently someone saw the potential in the \u201cpower wagon\u201d and built a whole passel of them. Too bad Daniel\u2019s widow and infant son wouldn\u2019t see any income from Daniel\u2019s successful idea. Scattered around was a bunch of strange looking equipment, the use of which Hoss couldn\u2019t even guess at. Oddly dressed men and women were scurrying busily around.<\/p>\n

Hoss’ attention shifted to what was going on in the meadow. Four men sat on horseback like they were waiting for something to happen. What in tarnation were Pa and Adam and Joe doing here with these people? Hoss\u2019s eyes widened till he thought they would pop out as he recognized the fourth man and horse in the meadow. Never mind what Pa, Adam, and Joe were doing there, how could him and Chubb be down there!? Hoss looked down behind the boulder; Chubb was tied to the tree where he had left him. He looked down at himself. He was dreaming. Of course. That was it. That had to be it. With his eyes closed he pinched the back of his hand. Ouch! Well that was real. Hoss tentatively opened his eyes and gazed back towards the meadow. There they still were!<\/p>\n

Before Hoss could do anything else, a man hollered something Hoss couldn\u2019t hear and pointed towards a row of metal and glass \u201csomethings\u201d attached to one of the little house\u2019s on wheels by long black cables. Suddenly, the whole meadow erupted in a blaze of white light, the likes of which Hoss had never seen. It was like looking into the sun. Hoss didn\u2019t wait to see what would happen next. Shouting \u201cOh lordy!\u201d, Hoss slid down the boulder he was perched on and leaped onto his horse in a move that even his little brother would envy, and rode hell for leather for the house.<\/p>\n

***********<\/p>\n

SLAM, CRASH! \u201cPa! Adam! Joe! Whoops!\u201d Hoss Cartwright burst through the heavy front door into the ranch house, tripped over the Indian print rug in front of the credenza, and landed in a heap at the feet of the family cook Hop-Sing.<\/p>\n

Having heard Hoss\u2019 uncharacteristically panicky shouting, Hop-Sing had run from the kitchen, not knowing what kind of trouble to expect. He stood above Hoss, clutching his meat clever in one hand and gesticulating with the other, muttering angrily in his native Cantonese.<\/p>\n

Hoss extracted himself from the rug and staggered to his feet, shaking his head to clear it.<\/p>\n

Hop-Sing continued in English, poking a finger in Hoss\u2019s face. \u201cWhat matter with you? Almost break door down! Yell! Make Hop-Sing almost chop finger off with clever! Mr. Cartwright not here. Went to town. Good thing for Mr. Hoss, Mr. Cartwright not here to hear all noise!\u00a0 Mr. Adam not here either.\u00a0 Little Joe in barn.\u201d<\/p>\n

Retrieving his ten-gallon hat from the floor, Hoss dashed back out the door, leaving Hop-Sing again muttering angrily in Cantonese. \u201cYell, bang door, make noise, scare Hop- Sing and Hop-Sing almost chop finger off. Hop-Sing go back China. Humph!\u201d<\/p>\n

“Dagone, that Hoss!”\u00a0 Joe Cartwright complained to his pinto, Cochise, as he saddled him.\u00a0 “Sneakining out of here before breakfast.\u00a0\u00a0 I just bet he high-tailed it to Moose Meadow this morning.\u00a0 Hank said there seemed to be a lot of strays over there.\u00a0 Thinks he’s gonna put one over on me, does he?”<\/p>\n

The paint gelding looked at Joe, flicked his tail, and snorted as if answering.<\/p>\n

Joe led his horse out of the barn just in time to see his brother Hoss barreling across the yard towards him yelling, “Joe! Boy, I\u2019m glad I caught one of you fellas before you both left!\u201d Hoss halted his flight inches from knocking Joe over, and bent over, hands on knees to catch his breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss! What\u2019s goin\u2019 on? Something happen to Pa?\u201d Joe asked with alarm, looking at is wild-eyed, red-faced older brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no, nothin\u2019 like that\u201d Hoss answered, vigorously shaking his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know what\u2019s goin\u2019 on, but something is!\u00a0\u00a0 Where’s Adam?\u00a0 Both you fellas gotta go to Moose Meadow with me and see this! You ain\u2019t gonna believe me otherwise. I don\u2019t even believe my own eyeballs!\u201d Hoss had recovered his breath and was pushing Joe onto Cochise.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, stop shoving! I’m coming!\u201d Joe glared at Hoss and sighing in exasperation, vaulted into his saddle. Hoss was mounted and waiting on Chubb. With Hoss leading the way, the brothers galloped out of the yard.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

\u201cYour crew is getting that new fence up faster than I thought they would, Red.\u00a0 Don\u2019t be surprised if there isn\u2019t a little extra in your pay envelope this week.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright broke off his conversation with the foreman of the fencing crew and turned to look at the riders approaching at a gallop.\u00a0 Squinting against the bright sunlight, he was surprised to see that the riders were his brothers.<\/p>\n

Adam and Red both jumped back out of the way as Hoss and Joe pulled up their horses only inches from the two men.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter with you two knuckleheads?\u201d\u00a0 Adam shouted as Cochise reared up seemingly right over him.<\/p>\n

Hoss jumped from his horse and grabbed Adam by the arms.\u00a0 \u201cCome on Adam!\u00a0 Mount up!\u00a0 I gotta show both of you!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss was practically babbling as he attempted to drag his older brother towards his sorrel, Sport.<\/p>\n

Adam dug his heels in. \u201cWhat the devil?\u00a0 Will you let go of me! What is wrong with you?\u00a0 Joe?\u00a0 What\u2019s going on?\u00a0 I thought you were at Moose Meadow!\u201d\u00a0 Adam escaped from his larger brother\u2019s clutches and was practically sputtering in anger as he glared from one brother to the other.<\/p>\n

Joe, still mounted, with one leg hooked over the saddle horn, pushed his hat back and shrugged. \u201cHey, don\u2019t look at me. I\u2019m just being drug \u00a0along. Our brother did the same thing to me back at the house. Practically threw me on my horse and insisted I come with him. I think going without breakfast just plum addled his brain. Maybe you ought to humor him. I don\u2019t think he\u2019s dangerous, though.\u201d<\/p>\n

Red, taking this all in with a big grin on his face, wiped it off quickly when Adam turned to him. \u201cGive me a report tonight on how the fencing is coming.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right. Let\u2019s go.\u201d Adam sighed, glanced at the sky as if beseeching God to spare him from loony younger brothers, mounted Sport and followed the brothers in question.<\/p>\n

Red shook his head and returned to his work crew, grinning to himself.\u00a0 There was never a dull moment when the Cartwright brothers were around.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

The brothers were almost to Moose Meadow when Hoss reigned in Chubb. \u201cWe better leave our horses here and go on foot the rest of the way. There\u2019s some mighty strange goin\u2019s on in the meadow and it might be a good idea to take them by surprise and get the drop on them before they hear us comin\u2019 and get the drop on us. They have metal boxes that could blind a fella!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Joe just sat their horses and stared first at each other, then at their brother, then back to each other. Joe\u2019s eyebrows were raised and Adam\u2019s forehead wrinkled as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Metal boxes that could blind people?!\u00a0 Poor Hoss was worse off than they thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, maybe we just should go back to the house and you can get something to eat and then lay down and rest.\u201d Adam reached over and patted Hoss\u2019 shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Hoss. You left awfully early this morning and didn\u2019t have much breakfast.\u00a0 Maybe we should go home like Adam said.\u201d\u00a0 Joe maneuvered Cochise so that Hoss was between him and Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cDadburn it!\u201d Hoss shook of Adam\u2019s hand. \u201cI knew you fellas wouldn\u2019t believe me unless I showed you!\u00a0 So I\u2019m going to show you!\u00a0 Now come on and be quiet!\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss slid from Chubb\u2019s back and quickly tied him to a bush. With a glare over his shoulder at his brothers he stalked off, leaving Adam and Joe no choice but to follow.<\/p>\n

***********<\/p>\n

Hoss was the first to reach the top of the rock formation where he had several hours earlier spied on the strange goings-on in Moose Meadow.\u00a0 He turned around to make sure his reluctant brothers were still following. Down below, Adam and Joe were toiling and grumbling their way up the hot boulders. \u201cShhhhh.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss hissed at them. \u201cThey\u2019ll hear you. I told you, we have to get the drop on them.\u00a0 They could be dangerous\u201d.<\/p>\n

Hoss reached down to give Adam a hand up while Joe scrambled past him and peered cautiously over the edge of the rock formation.<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, Hoss?\u00a0 Get the drop on who?\u201d Joe had his hat off scratching his head, a puzzled look on his face.<\/p>\n

Adam was now beside him, also looking into the meadow with a puzzled expression.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter with you two?\u201d Hoss\u2019s voice trailed off as he looked down into Moose Meadow at what his brothers were seeing. An empty meadow.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw all of that! Everything I told you fellows I saw! Dadgum it!\u00a0 I didn\u2019t fall asleep someplace and dream it! I saw it. With these two eyeballs!\u201d A very dejected and confused Hoss Cartwright glared at his brothers and pointed to his own blue eyes.<\/p>\n

The three brothers sat on the porch enjoying and after dinner cup of coffee.\u00a0 That is, two of the brothers were enjoying their coffee.\u00a0 The third just stared into his.<\/p>\n

Adam looked pained and pinched the bridge of his nose. \u201cWell, it\u2019s a good thing for you that Pa decided to stay into town tonight. You didn\u2019t have to explain all of this to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

They had gone over and over the subject of the strange occurrences in Moose Meadow on the ride home, while they ate dinner, and now while having their after dinner coffee.\u00a0 Adam and Joe had come to the conclusion, which Hoss hotly denied, that he had fallen asleep and dreamed it all. That could be the only explanation for the outlandish things Hoss had told them he had seen. Especially the part about him being on the rocks watching himself down there with the others.<\/p>\n

Hoss sighed and set his untouched coffee down. \u201cYeah, I guess you\u2019re right. I did get up pretty early this morning. The only other explanation I can come up with is that I\u2019m plumb crazy. I don\u2019t much like that explanation. But dadburn it, I sure can\u2019t remember stoppin\u2019 for a nap! Well, I don\u2019t know about you fellas, but I\u2019m goin\u2019 to bed.\u00a0 Goodnight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood idea. A good night\u2019s sleep will do you a world of good. Goodnight.\u201d\u00a0 Adam patted his brother\u2019s broad shoulder on its way past him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, goodnight, big brother. See you at breakfast,\u201d Joe added.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

A few hours later, the full moon shown down on the ranch house and it\u2019s sleeping inhabitants. The same moon illuminated Moose Meadow and the four-legged creatures that were its nighttime inhabitants. A deer sniffed curiously at a doughnut that was dropped that morning from a box marked \u201cKrispy Kreme Original Glazed Doughnuts\u201d.\u00a0 Nearby, moonlight glittered off of a pair of black rimmed Ray-Ban sunglasses which had been left behind by the black clad actor who was part of the cast of a popular Western.<\/em><\/p>\n

*****End*****<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 What Happened Before the Opening Scene.\u00a0 The writer has no idea how the ride-up would have actually been filmed.\u00a0 I imagine it was a lot more complicated than I depicted.<\/p>\n

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