{"id":13014,"date":"2016-06-05T19:20:29","date_gmt":"2016-06-05T23:20:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13014"},"modified":"2025-02-18T19:14:29","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T00:14:29","slug":"a-different-conversation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13014","title":{"rendered":"A Different Conversation (by AC1830)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 <\/strong>Imagine the scene in The Ride where Adam and Ben are by the fire having a serious conversation. \u00a0What if father and son discussed something totally different? \u00a0This came from a dialogue-only challenge.<\/p>\n

Rating = K\u00a0\u00a0 WC = 818<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Different Conversation<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cYou seem lost in thought.\u00a0 Is something on your mind, son, that you\u2019d like to talk about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I guess there is.\u00a0 Pa, do you think Hoss is ready to take over running the cattle part of the Ponderosa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean, Adam?\u00a0 He\u2019s already ramrodding the drives alongside you and hiring the drovers.\u00a0 What\u2019s left for him to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I was thinking about him bossing the drive this Fall.\u00a0 That\u2019s about the only thing he hasn\u2019t done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat will you do, ramrod?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I thought Joe could do that.\u00a0 I\u2019ll handle the remuda.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s quite a change from how we\u2019ve always done it, son.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know if Hoss and Joe are up to that.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know; I\u2019ll have to think about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, they need this challenge and I can assure you they are up to it.\u00a0 Besides I\u2019ll be there if they have problems or need help.\u00a0 They\u2019ve got to learn sometime and now\u2019s as good a time as any.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess you\u2019re right.\u00a0 Well, okay, let\u2019s see how this one goes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI get the feeling there\u2019s more?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, guess you know me too well.\u00a0 Um, I want to let Joe take over the books on this drive and have him take over more of the timber operations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, that\u2019s asking a lot of Joe in such a short amount of time.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think that\u2019s wise.\u00a0 No, he can do the books for the drive but let\u2019s wait on the timber operations until next Spring.\u00a0 You can show him about that over the winter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cActually, Pa, I\u2019ve already been working with him since last Fall on the timber operation.\u00a0 I\u2019ve even let him handle some of the contracts.\u00a0 Did you know he\u2019s as good a negotiator as I am? Maybe better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI find that hard to believe.\u00a0 You seem to know how to read everyone and get the price you want.\u00a0 When did Joe learn to do that?\u00a0 I feel there\u2019s something I\u2019m missing here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry Pa.\u00a0 I\u2019m not doing anything behind your back.\u00a0 Joe and I have had some opportunities to work on negotiations and I let him handle some of them.\u00a0 He\u2019s good, damn good.\u00a0 That last cattle contract for San Francisco\u2026he did that one.\u00a0 He needs more opportunities like that.\u00a0 That\u2019s why I want him to take over the timber contracts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, look at me.\u00a0 There\u2019s something going on here and it\u2019s not about your brothers doing more of the work.\u00a0 It seems to be about you doing less.\u00a0 What is it you\u2019re not telling me, son?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026Pa, I need to try new things.\u00a0 Joe and Hoss are ready to take on more responsibilities with the ranch.\u00a0 They can handle it.\u00a0 Hoss\u2019 heart is here, with the land and the animals, and Joe needs to be challenged.\u00a0 He\u2019s very bright and capable.\u00a0 He needs room to try his hand at running this ranch alongside you, to learn from you like I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I\u2019m planning to leave next winter, after Christmas.\u00a0 I have to try new things, see new places.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t know how to explain it.\u00a0 I\u2019ve helped you build the Ponderosa and I\u2019ve worked it most of my life.\u00a0 You\u2019ve let me use my building knowledge to make improvements but\u2026.I need something more, different, I don\u2019t know.\u00a0 Sometimes I feel I\u2019m using only ten percent of what I learned in college.\u00a0 I feel like Joe is ready to step up and do what I\u2019m doing but how can he as long as I\u2019m here.\u00a0 I\u2019m sorry Pa.\u00a0 I don\u2019t mean to sound ungrateful or disrespectful.\u00a0 I love it here, it\u2019s my home but I need more.\u00a0 Am I making any sense?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, son.\u00a0 You\u2019re making a lot of sense.\u00a0 I guess I\u2019ve seen this coming for some time.\u00a0 I know you\u2019ve been working with Joe and Hoss to teach them what you know, and I might add you\u2019ve done a fine job, too.\u00a0 I guess I was hoping I was wrong in seeing the signs.\u00a0 I was hoping this conversation wouldn\u2019t take place.\u00a0 You\u2019ve seen so much more than your brothers of this country because of our trip from the East. And I guess that put the wanderlust and curiosity into you.\u00a0 You\u2019ve always had a drive to keep learning and find new ways to do things.\u00a0 I really shouldn\u2019t be surprised by what you\u2019ve just told me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Pa, for understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you told Hoss and Joe yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019ll find the right time to tell them.\u00a0 It\u2019ll be hard on them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd on you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know son, you always have a home here.\u00a0 That won\u2019t ever change.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tags:\u00a0 Adam Cartwright,\u00a0APM,\u00a0Ben Cartwright,\u00a0Family<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

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

Summary:\u00a0 Imagine the scene in The Ride where Adam and Ben are by the fire having a serious conversation. \u00a0What if father and son discussed something totally different? \u00a0<\/p>\n

Rating = K\u00a0\u00a0 WC = 818<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8333,"featured_media":13015,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[8,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13014","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-short-stories","category-whi","wpcat-8-id","wpcat-27-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":2181,"today_views":1},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Ben-and-Adam-1.png?fit=629%2C435&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":636,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=636","url_meta":{"origin":13014,"position":0},"title":"Birds and Bees (by Terri)","author":"Terri","date":"December 25, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 With Adam's prompting, Ben decides to give his youngest son a talk on the facts of life. \u00a0 Rated: T \u00a0WC 1700","rel":"","context":"In "Humor"","block_context":{"text":"Humor","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/bird-bee.jpg?fit=981%2C981&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/bird-bee.jpg?fit=981%2C981&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/bird-bee.jpg?fit=981%2C981&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/bird-bee.jpg?fit=981%2C981&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13071,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13071","url_meta":{"origin":13014,"position":1},"title":"The Worst Thing (by BettyHT)","author":"BettyHT","date":"June 19, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 A story for Father's Day as the sons discuss Ben and the worst things he has ever done to them, and the conversation leads to an entirely different conclusion. 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