{"id":14144,"date":"2002-06-03T08:45:48","date_gmt":"2002-06-03T12:45:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14144"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:05:50","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:05:50","slug":"the-problem-with-ezra-by-krystyna","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14144","title":{"rendered":"The Problem with Ezra (by Krystyna)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary<\/strong>: Sometimes certain people are overlooked until a situation arises when they can not be ignored any longer, which really was the problem with Ezra.<\/p>\n

Rating: \u00a0G \u00a0(4,510 words)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Problem with Ezra<\/strong><\/p>\n

Joseph Cartwright stepped into the room with a slight smile on his face. A smile that was an indication of the warmth in the greeting he would give their guest but a smile which froze upon his face when his eyes beheld the scene before him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He glanced from one person to the next. From his father, to Roy and then onto the hapless young man upon whose shoulder the heavy hand of the law, in the form of Roy Coffee, now reclined. Joe heard, as though from a distance away, Roy\u2019s words<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCome along now, son, you\u2019d best come with me,\u201d and the inevitable sigh which followed the words, an indication of Roy\u2019s sorrow that such a situation had to be addressed in this manner.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The three men turned as though only now aware of Joe\u2019s presence. Ben sighed and raised his dark eyebrows, before lowering his head to stare down at the desk. Roy pursed his lips and then scowled as though he saw this intrusion a means to divert his modus operandi as the law, which at this present time, was being duly executed in the apparent arrest of Ezra. Ezra looked at Joe and his face lit up, his eyes shone and his lips parted in a wide generous smile<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHi Joe. Have a good day, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was as much a statement of fact as a question for Ezra lacked the ability to differentiate between the two. When Joe gave him a brief smile and then nodded Ezra seemed happy enough to accept that as a form of answer. Roy looked at Joe, then at Ben, then in his usual manner led Ezra from the room,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see you later, Joe?\u201d Ezra said with the same puppy like expression on his face and Joe nodded, frowned and then turned to his father.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Pa? What\u2019s going on here?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you think is going on here, Joseph?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe shook his head, his lips thinned and he pulled off his hat in a gesture meant to indicate his lack of patience. He glanced over his shoulder as the door closed with a sharp click, then looked once again at his father,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt looked to me as though Roy was arresting Ezra.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo? What if he were?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d Joe frowned and entered further into the study area of the main room.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cEzra stole the pistol from my desk.\u201d Ben said simply and gestured towards the article itself, resplendent in its box. This brought another snort of impatience from Joe who opened his mouth to speak only to be silenced by his father\u2019s raised hand, \u201cRoy and I came into the house and found him standing at the desk with the gun in his hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand?\u201d Joe frowned, \u201cThat doesn\u2019t mean he was stealing it. Why jump to conclusions without knowing the facts, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLook, Joe, the lock to the desk drawer was broken. No one knew the pistol was there except members of the family.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, obviously Ezra knew \u2026\u201d Joe paused, and swallowed a gulp, realising that by his own words he was condemning his friend. He lowered his head.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDid you tell him it was there? Did you tell him about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I didn\u2019t tell him, he must have known somehow else,\u201d the statement was made honestly, without guile, and Joe looked up at his father with his eyes anxious and concerned\u2026<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cVery well, but how would he have known about it? How would he? You know how impressive he is, and how he follows you around the place like your proverbial shadow. Are you sure that at sometime you never showed the pistol to him, perhaps, just for fun?\u201d Ben emphasised the words to add to the effect, to push home the point that what had happened had to be accounted for, but the young man just shook his head. \u201cJoe, this is the truth, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI swear it, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben nodded. There was nothing else to say now; Joe would never have made such a categorical statement had there been the least vestige of doubt about it. Ben sighed, placed a heavy hand on Joe\u2019s shoulder and looked him in the face,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLook, I don\u2019t mean to be so angry but the gun was a special gift, and to find it gone from the desk with the drawer smashed and then seeing Ezra fooling around with it \u2026\u201d he paused and looked into his son\u2019s face, then smiled, \u201cAll right, Joe, off you go. Don\u2019t worry about it any; we\u2019ll get to the bottom of it all.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Joe paused as he was about to leave the room, \u201cPa, Ezra isn\u2019t a bad man. You do know that, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSon, I\u2019ve known Ezra for some years now, I know he\u2019s not intentionally bad, but stealing isn\u2019t a good thing, and he was in the act of stealing something important to me. I thought he was trust worthy too, but this incident has proven me wrong there as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know how he got to know about the gun, Pa. I never even saw him come into the house, except when we were together. But I never showed him the pistol. Never even mentioned it to him. Fact is, I mostly forget you\u2019ve got it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not your problem, son, don\u2019t worry.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe nodded and left the house. But he couldn\u2019t switch off from worrying. Ezra was a good man, a little simple in the head perhaps, but he had never done anything wrong in his life. Of that, Joe was certain. Now here he was, caught in the act of stealing one of Ben\u2019s prize possessions.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was a ball and cap pistol that had been given him by Marie and had been used by one of her ancestors during the French Revolution. It was a beautiful thing too, nestling there in its cushion of red velvet in the black leather presentation case. Ben had always kept it in the bottom drawer of his desk. No one knew of its existence except the family and special friends who would be shown it and after their \u2018oohs and aaahs\u2019 of admiration it would be locked away again.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ezra. Poor simple minded Ezra. What on earth was he doing with it? How had he found it? Worse still, what had he planned to do with it?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He passed them as he walked to the stable. Roy and Ezra. Roy looked a little confused, and Ezra looked like he usually did, cheerful with a big grin on his face. He saw Joe and waved to him,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHi, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cEzra,\u201d Joe replied gruffly and walked on towards the stable. Poor Ezra. He had, no doubt, already forgotten all about the gun and the scene in the study. That was the trouble with Ezra. He forgot things which made it even more of a problem now as one was left to conjecture how he had come to know about the gun in the bottom drawer of Ben\u2019s desk.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben looked up to see Adam and Hoss peering down at him. He had not heard them as they had entered the house, and wondered if he had fallen asleep. He nodded and attempted to appear nonchalant, in case they had found him catnapping over his desk.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d he said, and smiled, looking from one to the other.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss and Adam glanced at one another; Adam narrowed his eyes, and jerked his thumb in the direction of the door,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe just saw Roy riding off with Ezra in tow,\u201d he said quietly, \u201cWhat\u2019s happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cRoy and I caught Ezra in here with Marie\u2019s pistol in his hands, he was trying to steal it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cEzra? Stealing? Hey, Pa, you been drinking that poteen agin?\u201d Hoss attempted to joke, but he knew it would have had to be serious for Ben to allow Roy to have Ezra actually arrested,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cStealing is stealing and the only way for Ezra to learn that it\u2019s wrong is to have him disciplined like anyone else who is caught stealing.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBut Ezra isn\u2019t just anyone, is he?\u201d Adam growled, \u201cPa, I think you\u2019ve been too heavy handed in the way you\u2019ve dealt with this matter. Getting Roy involved, having him arrested. That isn\u2019t fair. Did Ezra explain what he was doing with the gun?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he just gave it back to me and gave me that stupid smile of his, as though he had done nothing wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps, in his eyes, he hadn\u2019t,\u201d Hoss remarked, \u201cThings aren\u2019t the same for Ezra as they are for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam looked at his father, and with a shake of the head, left the house. He walked to the stable and found Joe sitting on the top rail of Cochise\u2019s stall, deep in concentration.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPa tell you what happened?\u201d Joe muttered, with a slight scowl on his face and Adam nodded, \u201cI can\u2019t understand it, Adam. Ezra would never steal. He\u2019s a bit simple in the head perhaps, but he would no more steal than he would lie, he just doesn\u2019t know how.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDo you remember Ezra from years ago, Joe, when we first knew him? Oh, he was a fine lad then, and he had a good family, God fearing and hard working. Then some Bannock Indians came by with a grudge against Winnemucca and the white settlers here, and set fire to anything that happened to be in their way. That included Silas and Winnies\u2019 home. Ezra was about ten years old then, and he was out in the woods, hunting, saw the Bannocks riding by and took cover. When he got home his parents were dead, and his home in ruins. He tried to save them.\u201d Adam\u2019s voice trailed away, and he looked down at his feet as he leaned against the corral fence, recalling the time when Ezra was just a normal kid running about, hunting and fishing with the other kids, Hoss and himself included.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe first time I ever realised Ezra was different was when we were in town, do you recall?\u201d Joe sighed, \u201cIt was just that part of town where the miners hang out, and someone came yelling \u201cFire\u201d, because one of the shanty huts was alight. Ezra started holding his head, and screaming, and running up and down, up and down. He scared the living daylights out of me more than if the whole town were on fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cFancy remembering that, Joe, you were only about four then.\u201d Adam pulled a bridle from the hook on the wall and began to polish it with a rag, \u201cYou see, Joe, for months Ezra kept going back to the ruins of his home looking for Silas and Winnie. He\u2019d scrabble about until his fingers were raw, and he\u2019d cry like a baby for them. Utter misery and despair sent him into a brain fever, and when he survived it, he was as he is today.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBut he seems happy. I mean, even now, he\u2019s happy. He thinks Roy\u2019s going to take him home for breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded and polished the bridle until it shone. He couldn\u2019t get his head around the way Ben had acted. Surely the old pistol wasn\u2019t so important? Surely this was a time for mercy not judgement? He sighed deeply, and his brow creased as he reconsidered the matter. Then he looked at Hoss,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s your turn.\u201d he said quietly, and his words drifted into a sigh yet again.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Hoss looked at his brother in surprise and his blue eyes opened to their widest,<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPa. It\u2019s your turn to go in and reason with him or, at least, to find out why he came down so heavily on Ezra.\u201d Joe said rather more impatiently than he intended, especially when he saw the crestfallen expression on Hoss\u2019 face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShucks, do I have to?\u201d Hoss asked, looking from Joe to Adam, who just pouted and shrugged, although he kept his eyes on Hoss\u2019 face with a penetrating stare that Hoss found really intimidating.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPa talks to you more easily when he\u2019s riled,\u201d Joe explained, regretting having said anything about Ben being riled as Hoss\u2019 mouth dropped open, \u201cWell, you know how to get him to open up and relax.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cS\u2019right,\u201d Adam nodded, \u201cYou\u2019re the right man for the job, and that\u2019s a fact.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou sure?\u201d Hoss asked, pleased at the compliment and forgetting that he had to face his father.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam and Joe both nodded emphatically. Hoss smiled and walked towards Chubb, and stretched out his hand to take down the bridle,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019re you doing?\u201d Joe cried, his voice rather shrill.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to the west side to check on the timber.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no, no.\u201d Joe protested, \u201cYou said you\u2019d go in and talk to Pa, remember?\u201d and he put out his hands as though he were prepared to physically stop Hoss from moving any further.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Hoss frowned, \u201cIf I recall right, it was you and Adam said I was going in to talk to Pa. I thought I\u2019d just go for a little ride first.\u201d he smiled at them pleasantly, and then pushed Joe to one side in the way a diner brushes aside a fly from their bowl of soup.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHoss,\u201d Adam stepped forward, \u201cThis matter of Ezra can\u2019t wait, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Roy\u2019s got him arrested and locked up. The poor guy must be scared stiff.\u201d Joe cried, his eyes looking at his big brother pleadingly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss sighed and shook his head, then put down the bridle,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, if you insist.\u201d he muttered, and after giving Chubb a gentle caress as he passed the stall, Hoss returned to the house.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBack already?\u201d Ben observed as his son entered the house and closed the door with a bang.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I didn\u2019t git to go anyplace. Adam and Joe said it was my turn to come in and talk to you, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh, really?\u201d Ben\u2019s dark eyes darkened, Hoss stepped back and ran his tongue over his lips nervously, \u201cWhat about?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNot what \u2026 who, to be exact\u201d Hoss perched himself on the edge of the desk and frowned, \u201cIt\u2019s about Ezra.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Ben sighed, and shook his head, \u201cIt would have to be, wouldn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For a moment Ben said nothing and Hoss wondered whether or not he was going to get a word out of him. Ben\u2019s temper could be unpredictable, but he knew that were his father to boiling there would have been shouting and yelling, as Joe had experienced, by now. He decided to wait out the time and was duly rewarded for his patience.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been thinking about Ezra, and I remembered how he came to know about the pistol. You see,\u201d Ben said quietly, looking intently into the blue eyes of his second son, \u201cEzra\u2019s family came and settled on a claim close by, well, you know all that, of course, and you also know what happened to the family. Ezra was not at home that day the Indians raided the settlements. You were very young, Hoss, perhaps you don\u2019t recall what Ezra was like in those days?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNot really,\u201d Hoss admitted, \u201che seemed a likeable kid, if I remember rightly. He was, I mean, he is about my age, but I don\u2019t recall him getting any schooling .\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHis parents were very reclusive, and taught him at home. Quite Puritanical in fact. A number of people disagreed with how strict they were with Ezra, but he seemed happy enough, a little wild perhaps, but always cheery.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat hasn\u2019t changed much then, he still is,\u201d Hoss smiled and nodded to himself as though the thought pleased him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cEzra had the habit of just arriving at people\u2019s houses. He didn\u2019t seem to realise closed doors meant knocking on them first to find out if anyone was home. It was the day the Bannocks came and burned down his home and killed his family that we found him here. I\u2019d been cleaning the pistol so it was not in the drawer. I recall day dreaming a little, wondering who exactly had owned it and how and where it had been used when I heard a crash from the kitchen. I hurried in to see what had happened and there was Marie, as white as a sheet picking up the remains of a broken plate from the floor. She had not seen or heard Ezra, but upon turning, there he was -\u201d Ben gave a shrug, and shook his head. \u201cHe was not odd then, as he is now, he just hadn\u2019t been taught that you couldn\u2019t go into people\u2019s houses and scare the living daylights out of them. He helped Marie collect up the pieces and apologised very politely. He was, in actuality, a very pleasant boy. Then he wandered into the study area and by the time I had placated Marie and returned to the study he was playing with the pistol.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWere you angry with him, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, of course not. I showed him how it was primed and how the ball had to go into the barrel. We had quite a discussion about it, and he was asking very intelligent questions. Then he said he had to go home, apologised again to Marie for being the cause of the broken plate, and said if she gave him the pieces he would repair it for her.\u201d Ben sighed heavily, \u201cI dread to think of the misery, the despair, he must have felt when he found what was left of his home. For a long time he would go back like a dog searching for his lost master, and he\u2019d claw at the dirt until his hands bled. Poor child.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Pa, all that doesn\u2019t explain why you got so angry with him today and had him arrested.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I guess it doesn\u2019t. I wasn\u2019t angry with him, Hoss. I was worried for him. He came here to find Joe, seems he has a fondness for Joe as you know, and because no one was here, he just wandered in. For some reason, in his mind, he must have gone back to that day when he was here and his parents were killed. He went into the kitchen and then came into the study. He forced open the drawer and took the gun from the case. When I found him he was talking wild nonsense, distressed beyond measure. Thankfully, Roy was with me, and we both tried to reason with him, but when he gets these strange fits it\u2019s very hard to control him. I think, in a way, he can\u2019t forgive himself for surviving, can\u2019t understand why his parents had to leave him behind.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBut-\u201d Hoss began, but Ben just smiled and stopped him with a gesture of the hand,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re wondering what happened next? Joe came in when Roy was taking Ezra, and jumped to the conclusion that the lad was under arrest. He has been apprehended, in a way,\u201d and here Ben smiled, \u201cBut not as you seem to think. Yes, I was angry, but not with Ezra, but at the assumption of you three turnip heads that I had had the boy arrested.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHow did you know Ezra had been in the kitchen, Pa?\u201d Hoss asked, frowning slightly now.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBecause there was a broken plate on the floor\u201d Ben said quietly and once again he sighed before putting his arm across Hoss\u2019 shoulders affectionately, \u201cPerhaps one day we\u2019ll understand how the mind really works and why it prompts us to do the things we do, but, it seems to me that when Ezra came here, he began to replicate the situation as it had been then. Maybe Hop Sing had broken the plate and overlooked picking it up or maybe Ezra broke a plate because a plate was broken that day, then he came in here, and took the gun. What would he have done next but to have returned to his home. Can you imagine if he had gone back there now? Roy and I had to break that pattern before he did that, Hoss. It wouldn\u2019t have been fair for the lad to go through all the confusion and fear he\u2019d have felt going to those ruins now.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTrust Joe to get things wrong,\u201d Hoss muttered and stuck his hands in his pockets and hunched his back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t entirely Joe\u2019s fault,\u201d Ben said, \u201cThere was a lot of yelling and shouting going on at the time, he had every reason to assume what he did, I just wish he had waited for an explanation before telling you both that I had got Ezra arrested.\u201d he smiled, chuckled a little and shook his head. \u201cYou boys will be the death of me yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He was still chuckling to himself as Hoss left the house to join his brothers in the stable.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The subject of Ezra was not raised again in front of Ben. Each one of his sons felt somewhat ashamed of being so quick to jump to the wrong conclusion on the basis of what Joe had seen. Ben, in turn, did not wish to comment on the subject and was grateful that nothing more was mentioned. If he had just one wish it may have been that things had been dealt with differently, but no one had the power to turn back the clock.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe rode into town a few days later and after doing the Ponderosa chores decided to call in and see Roy to find out any news about Ezra that Roy could tell him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He pushed open the door to the sheriff\u2019s office and looked around. The big office was unusually tidy, and the coffee pot was sending out welcoming smells of well ground coffee beans. Roy emerged from the area where the cells were, and looked up to see Joe standing there, holding his hat in his hands and gazing around like some star struck kid.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cGood thing there ain\u2019t no flies buzzing around,\u201d he remarked, \u201cElse you\u2019d be choking on more than one the way your mouth is so wide open.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe grinned, and stepped up to the desk, dropping his hat onto the neatly arranged desk.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Roy, I was just thinking how good that coffee smelled, and how tidy this place looked.\u201d he tilted his chair back and raised his eyebrows, \u201cHow come the transformation?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I got me a janitor.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cA whatta?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cA janitor. Leastways that\u2019s what Miss Jones calls him. Hey, Ezra\u2026\u201d he yelled, and almost immediately Ezra appeared from (and Joe\u2019s heart sunk) the cell block. He looked at Joe and a wide grin spread across his face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHi, thar, Joe. See what I\u2019ve done? I\u2019m working for Mr Roy now. I\u2019m doing work here, and I work for Mr Swenson at the Hardware store. Do you want a cup of coffee, Joe?\u201d his eyes beamed with the light of self respect and pride to such an extent that Joe felt a lump in his throat, and could only nod, look at Roy, and note with pleasure the pride on Roy\u2019s face as well.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The coffee was served promptly and tasted as good as it had smelled. Ezra put the pot back on the stove and looked at the clock,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI have to go now,\u201d he said quickly, in that strange not quite right way of his, \u201cI have to go and help Miss Jones clean the school house. Good bye, Joe.\u201d and he turned to Roy, \u201cGood bye Mr Roy.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cGood bye, Ezra,\u201d Roy said and smiled, receiving one of Ezra\u2019s wide smiles in return.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The door closed behind him, and Joe looked at Roy with questions in his eyes, and Roy smiled and nodded,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Jones suggested we tried to make Ezra feel useful around the place. She thought it would give him some self respect back if he had some responsibilities. Guess she was right. Fridays he goes and helps her clean the school house and then goes back to her place for supper. Mr and Mrs Cooper who run the Gents Outfitters are thinking of taking him in and keeping an eye on him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe nodded, and held his cup of coffee in his hands and thought of the sadnesses that had been Ezra\u2019s lot in life. In comparison his own life had been one of many blessings, for which he was truly grateful.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMy one wish for Ezra is that he would have had some happiness in life, Roy. I think he must be well on the way now to finding some.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI guess so, Joe.\u201d Roy replied, \u201cI hope so. He deserves every chance in life, and I hope he gets them.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe said nothing to that, but drank his coffee, and thought of the bright smile on Ezra\u2019s face and the light that now shone in his eyes. It was pleasant just to sit there, cradling his cup of coffee between his hands and watching Roy thumbing through some \u2018Wanted\u2019 posters, and thinking about Ezra. Sunlight streamed through the windows and every so often he became aware of Roy mumbling to himself as he read out the details on the posters. Joe smiled slightly to himself as he remembered the scene in Ben\u2019s study the morning they had found Ezra with that old gun. Well, it had all turned out for the best after all and he put down his cup, stood up and stretched to get the kinks out of his back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cGoing now, are you?\u201d Roy muttered without looking up from the papers in his hand.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Joe grinned, \u201cPa will be more than pleased to hear about Ezra, so will Adam and Hoss. Glad you didn\u2019t arrest him, Roy.\u201d and he laughed a little but Roy did not, he just nodded and pursed his lips so that the bristles of his moustaches struck out above his upper lip like those of a walrus,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh he was happy enough to bed down in the cells. I just didn\u2019t lock the door that was all.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI guess we should have helped him out a lot sooner, is that what you\u2019re saying?\u201d Joe picked up his hat, the laughter had faded now, and a concerned look settled upon his face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYep.\u201d Roy looked up at Joe and nodded, \u201cI guess we shoulda helped out a heap sooner, Joe. Weren\u2019t fair that Ezra had to be the victim of what had happened to his folks for so long.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe opened his mouth to protest but then closed it. Sometimes it was just too easy to overlook the victims, to plead ignorance of their plight. Sometimes there were just too many innocents expecting too much from too few. He nodded and placed his hat upon his head. At least now, he comforted himself, the problem of Ezra had been resolved.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The End<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary: Sometimes certain people are overlooked until a situation arises when they can not be ignored any longer, which really was the problem with Ezra.<\/p>\n

Rating: \u00a0G \u00a0(4,510 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":145,"featured_media":383,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","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":[23,1008],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14144","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-family","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-1008-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":926,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/coming-soon-9.jpg?fit=320%2C240&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":56971,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=56971","url_meta":{"origin":14144,"position":0},"title":"Junction (by JC)","author":"JC","date":"May 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: After an extended absence, Adam Cartwright is returning home to the Ponderosa, but an overnight stop in a California town leads to an unforeseeable delay. 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