Summary: \u00a0 Respect–young men want it but have to earn it.<\/p>\n
Rating: \u00a0K+ \u00a0 \u00a0Word Count: \u00a01,518<\/p>\n
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Respect<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Roy Coffee ushered his guest into the cell and hesitated before swinging the heavy door to a close.\u00a0 One corner of his mouth tugged down as he studied the key in his hand.\u00a0 Figure he\u2019ll abide by the honor system, <\/em>the sheriff thought.\u00a0 Roy dropped the ring of keys onto the corner of the desk then poured two cups of coffee into tin cups that had seen better days.\u00a0 Holding one cup through the bars, he cleared his throat.\u00a0 There was no acknowledgement from the young man in the cell so Roy set the spare cup down on his desk. Then he pulled over the chair and took a seat.<\/p>\n Leaning back, he studied Adam over a cup of coffee.\u00a0 His friend\u2019s eldest son stood at the cell window, the fingers of one hand curled around the bars, the thumb of his other hand hooked through a belt loop, fingers hanging loosely against his hip.\u00a0 All except one.\u00a0 The sheriff noted the tap of Adam\u2019s forefinger as if the young man were sending a message via Morse Code.\u00a0 As Adam shifted his weight, the sole of one boot scuffed against the floor, but the young man\u2019s back remained as tense as a bow string.<\/p>\n \u201cWanna talk about it, son?\u201d asked Roy.\u00a0 The chair squeaked as the sheriff settled in for a long, sad story.\u00a0 He sipped his coffee, squinting against the rising steam.<\/p>\n \u201cSooner or later you\u2019ll have to tell me what\u2019s eatin\u2019 at your craw.\u00a0 I figure sooner is the better option as I ain\u2019t gettin\u2019 any younger.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam heaved a sigh of magnificent proportion and bumped a fist against the wall a couple of times.<\/p>\n \u201cPa\u2019s right\u2014I let my education interfere with my thinking,\u201d said Adam.<\/p>\n Roy leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.\u00a0 \u201cEducation ain\u2019t a bad thing.\u00a0 You learned a lot of things at that college back East but law wasn\u2019t one of \u2018em.\u00a0 You should\u2019ve let Hiram take a look at the contract before you signed it.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam shook his head and then turned to lean his back against the wall.<\/p>\n \u201cTearin\u2019 up a contract and threatenin\u2019 to make Barney Fuller eat it won\u2019t change a thing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat clause was practically hidden in the contract.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNever let your pride interfere with your thinkin\u2019, son.\u201d\u00a0 Roy tapped a fingernail against the cup for a few seconds.\u00a0 \u201cI ain\u2019t sayin\u2019 you\u2019re right or wrong because I haven\u2019t read it and I ain\u2019t a lawyer, just a simple man who keeps this town neat and tidy by not lettin\u2019 folks get out of hand.\u00a0 I do know this\u2014losin\u2019 your temper and bustin\u2019 up the saloon ain\u2019t no way to earn a reputation that\u2019ll make men respect you.\u00a0 If you act like a wet-behind-the-ears boy, they\u2019ll treat you like a child, not a man.\u201d<\/p>\n A flush crept up Adam\u2019s neck and his cheeks turned bright red.\u00a0 He snorted and winced after rolling his eyes.<\/p>\n The sheriff let out a soft grunt as he got to his feet, the chair squeaking as if it, too, were feeling its age.\u00a0 Setting the cup on the desk, he headed for a small table with a pitcher and basin on it.\u00a0 After wringing the lukewarm water out of a small cloth, he wiped one hand on his trousers and took the cloth over to the cell.\u00a0 Offering it through the bars, he said, \u201cYou\u2019ll have a mighty impressive shiner come mornin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam took the cloth and sucked air through his teeth as he pressed the damp fabric against his eye.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He paced from one side of the cell to the other before sitting down on the cot, the redness slowly draining from his face.\u00a0 \u201cI shouldn\u2019t have bothered with college.\u00a0 I should\u2019ve learned the tricks of the business end of ranching from Pa.\u201d\u00a0 He picked at some lint on his trousers.\u00a0 \u201cPa wouldn\u2019t have made that kind of mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour pa ain\u2019t perfect; he\u2019s made his share of mistakes.\u00a0 But he\u2019s always owned up to \u2018em and kept his word.\u00a0 That\u2019s<\/em> what\u2019s made him one of the most respected men in these parts.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa probably won\u2019t let me represent the Ponderosa again,\u201d muttered Adam.<\/p>\n \u201cYou said the clause in question was about acts of God,\u201d said Roy.\u00a0 \u201cA lawyer would\u2019ve come up with anything God might have a hand in causin\u2019 and put it in the contract to protect himself.\u00a0 You figured that clause spoke for itself.\u00a0\u00a0 Ain\u2019t no way to prove the landslide that created that impasse was caused by Barney\u2019s crew so ol\u2019 Barney could keep money owed you for deliverin\u2019 Ponderosa steers to his timber camp on time.\u00a0 Barney\u2019s a sly fox when it comes to business, but I\u2019ve always known him to act within the bounds of the law.\u00a0 You high-tailin\u2019 it back to town, leavin\u2019 your own men behind, won\u2019t earn you a cent of respect from any man in this territory, especially<\/em> because you\u2019re Ben Cartwright\u2019s son.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam snorted and shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t want to live under Pa\u2019s shadow my whole life.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen make your own way.\u00a0 You\u2019ve got a good eye for horseflesh and there\u2019s plenty of mustangs roaming between here and California.\u201d\u00a0 Roy returned to the chair, sat down, and supported a boot on the opposite knee.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve also got a good mind for figures and could find work in a bank, balancing ledgers, but I don\u2019t think you\u2019re the kind of man who wants to be stuck behind a desk, dreamin\u2019 of cattle drives and breakin\u2019 horses.\u201d\u00a0 The sheriff crossed his arms and cocked his head, studying Adam for a moment.\u00a0 \u201cI stood at the same crossroad when I was about your age\u2014I could make a hardscrabble livin\u2019 on a piece of land that barely supported a few head of cattle, let alone a family, or I could become a lawman like my pa and keep a small corner of the world a civilized place for decent folks. \u00a0Either way, it was up to me to earn folks\u2019 respect through my own words and actions and not expect them to just give it to me because of who my pa was.\u00a0 You think on that, son.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy turned his chair as the door opened and he nodded curtly at Barney Fuller as the other man stepped into the office. \u00a0The sheriff straightened some loose papers on his desk and asked, \u201cYou gonna press charges after all?\u201d<\/p>\n Barney pulled a cigar from his vest pocket.\u00a0 His eyes briefly narrowed as smoke wafted in the air and he sniffed against the acrid odor of burning tobacco.\u00a0 Tucking his thumbs into his pockets, he studied the defiant young man sitting in the cell.\u00a0 Finally, Barney shook his head as he took the cigar from his lips.<\/p>\n \u201cI figure showing his face in town for the next few weeks will be harder than spending a night or two in your jail.\u201d\u00a0 Barney took a drag on the cigar then tapped it, letting ash gently drift to the unswept floor.<\/p>\n Barney reached into his pocket and withdrew a money clip.\u00a0 \u201cLet him out of the cell, sheriff.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam took a few tentative steps beyond the cell door and stood, eyes downcast, as if he were a schoolboy called to the front of the class for a paddling.\u00a0 The whispering sound of bills rubbing together caught Adam\u2019s ear and he raised his head, unsure whether to take the offered money.<\/p>\n \u201cGo on,\u201d said Barney, arm extended.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a quarter of what you would have earned if you\u2019d delivered the cattle on time, per our contract.\u00a0 I figure you did do your best, given the circumstances, and your men deserve to be paid.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam looked to Roy, then took the money at the sheriff\u2019s nod.<\/p>\n \u201cRespect is earned, not given, Adam,\u201d said Barney. \u201cRemember that.\u00a0 I have a great deal of respect and affection for your pa.\u00a0 You\u2019ve still got to prove yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n Barney extended his hand and Adam took it, giving the older man a firm handshake.<\/p>\n On his way out, Barney paused in the doorway and looked back, saying, \u201cUntil next time, Adam.\u201d Pointing at the younger man with his cigar, he said, \u201cIn the meantime, you might want to put a steak on that.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy noted how Adam fidgeted with the money between his fingers.\u00a0 \u201cPut it away and let\u2019s go over to the International House.\u00a0 I could use a good cup of coffee and I\u2019m sure the kitchen will be more than happy to let your supper sit on your eye for ten or fifteen minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n One corner of Adam\u2019s mouth quirked up in a smile as he followed the sheriff to the door.\u00a0 \u201cI suppose Pa will tan my hide when he hears the gossip.\u201d<\/p>\n The sheriff draped a fatherly arm around Adam\u2019s shoulders and said, \u201cShow him you\u2019re a man, son\u2014a man folks hereabout respect.\u201d<\/p>\n The End<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Written for the 2017 Ponderosa Paddlewheel Poker Tournament.<\/p>\n The words\/phrases dealt to me were:<\/p>\n Guest<\/p>\n Hidden<\/p>\n Flush<\/p>\n Over a cup of coffee<\/p>\n Impasse<\/p>\n <\/p>\n