{"id":25256,"date":"2019-12-25T12:04:40","date_gmt":"2019-12-25T17:04:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=25256"},"modified":"2025-12-25T11:47:54","modified_gmt":"2025-12-25T16:47:54","slug":"wrapping-the-present-by-djk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=25256","title":{"rendered":"Wrapping the Present (by DJK)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bonanza
\n~*~*~ Advent Calendar ~*~*~
\n* Day 4 *<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Summary: Summary:\u00a0 Pa volunteers Adam when the pastor needs someone to bring his Christmas vision to life.\u00a0 The result:\u00a0 two rebellious sons in need of some brotherly wisdom.<\/p>\n

Rating: K+
\nWord Count:\u00a0 1,660<\/p>\n

Wrapping the Present<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam heard the door to the barn open but did not turn from his observation of Sport calmly chewing oats. He merely listened to his brother\u2019s approach. Hoss, for his part, simply walked over and settled in place next to Adam, the sleeve of his coat rubbing against that of his brother\u2019s. They leaned against the side of the stall in silence for a minute or two.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know ya don\u2019t have to<\/em> do it. You being twenty-two and all.\u201d Hoss\u2019s voice was unruffled except for the slight stress on the words have to<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t have to. I could just spend the entire holiday season in Pa\u2019s bad books.\u201d Adam turned his eyes toward his brother\u2019s profile. \u201cIs that what you\u2019d choose?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI ain\u2019t you, and I wouldn\u2019t have no choice. Truth is, though, you\u2019ve always been more willing than me to spend time there when ya felt there was a point to be made.\u201d Hoss turned his head, so that his eyes met his brother\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a point to be made. Pa needs to realize that the time has passed when he can make obligations in my name. Give me business orders, of course, but this has nothing to with business.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe ain\u2019t thinking on it as giving an order.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sounded like one to me!\u201d Adam turned his gaze back toward his horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not what\u2019s making ya mad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing treated like a child is so what\u2019s making me mad.\u201d Adam\u2019s hand slapped the wood of the stall. \u201cHe used the exact same tone with me as he used with Little Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe. You\u2019re both his sons.\u201d Hoss stood, turned, and then leaned back against the stall. \u201cYa really hate the thought so much? I truly don\u2019t think Pa thought you would.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam closed his eyes and then spit the bitterness in his mouth into the straw at his feet. \u201cHate\u2026\u201d Adam paused, shrugged, and turned to face Hoss. \u201cHate<\/em>\u2019s a strong word.\u201d He sighed. \u201cI have no desire to spend my Sunday afternoons between now and Christmas trying to corral a handful of boys from the age of six to thirteen into the pastor\u2019s vision of a boys\u2019 choir, most of whom will have the same view of their participation as our baby brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSome folks like to sing, even some rowdy youngins.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will end badly, Hoss.\u201d There was a profound surety in Adam\u2019s pronouncement.<\/p>\n

\u201cFolks ain\u2019t gonna expect perfection even if you do. Most there are gonna hear angels just \u2018cause it\u2019s their boys singing. Ya won\u2019t need to be embarrassed if it don\u2019t sound like the choirs ya heard back East.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know people won\u2019t be critical.\u201d Adam chewed the corner of his lip.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re thinking it will go bad between you and Little Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss rubbed the palm of his hand against the cloth of his pants. \u201cCould be.\u201d The admission came soft as a whisper. \u201cStill.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s teeth clenched, and he exhaled through his nose slowly. \u201cMaybe if I explained \u2026\u201d Adam shook his head. \u201cHe\u2019d just explain how he\u2019ll handle Joe.\u201d Adam snorted. \u201cTruth is by now it\u2019s a matter of pride; he won\u2019t see any reason as good enough for me to go back on his agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa is a prideful man.\u201d Hoss gave Adam a glance that declared that Ben Cartwright was not the only man in the family with a large portion of pride. Then he dropped his eyes and kicked the straw at his feet. His pride in you and two things ya do best is what has him so eager for you to do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyebrow rose in query.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour way with music. Pa\u2019s always been mighty proud of that; maybe \u2018cause it had to come from the Stoddards through your mother; the rest of the Cartwrights not being really blest in that way.\u201d Hoss saw Adam\u2019s eyes soften at the mention of his mother.<\/p>\n

Adam sighed. \u201cYou said two things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss smiled. \u201cYou\u2019re pretty good at getting\u2019 folks, especially youngins, to understand things, and sometimes you can get folks to do things a body would be doubtful of.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam tugged his left ear. \u201cFlattery will get you nowhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNowhere?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam gave a dismissive wave of his hand. \u201cThe rehearsals will be chaos. Little Joe will fight me because he can\u2019t fight Pa. I shall inevitably lose my temper, more than once, no doubt. I shall become the bane of every boy in the church, and probably most of their mothers especially if I actually throttle one of them\u2026\u201d Hoss\u2019s chuckle interrupted Adam\u2019s tirade. \u201cYou think all that is funny?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou do realize that the final result of what will surely end in catastrophe is that I\u2019ll retire to Bedlam.\u201d Adam pointed his finger and stabbed it into Hoss\u2019s chest. \u201cIf I do, I shall drag you there with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss smiled. \u201cIf you have to run off back East, I might not mind going to see some of them places you visited.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes rolled. \u201cI have only visited Bedlam on this side of the Mississippi.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBedlam\u2019s in the territory?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, actually it\u2019s in London.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEngland? You ain\u2019t never been to England.\u201d Confusion was clear on Hoss\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cBedlam is\u2026 oh, never mind!\u201d Adam took two steps toward the door of the barn and then stopped.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re gonna do it then.\u201d It was a statement not a question.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou knew I would when you came out here. You\u2019re not so bad at getting certain<\/em> folks to do what they don\u2019t want yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou would have done it even if I never said a word.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose.\u201d Adam turned to face his brother and raised his eyebrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou would have done it, but\u2026 You know Old Ned told me something once.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOld Ned told all of us many things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYea, he did. Sometimes we even listened. This one time, though, he told me about giving folks presents that can\u2019t be bought or made even. Your doing this for Pa will be a gift. You\u2019ve never been stingy with gifts, Big Brother, \u2018specially not that kind.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes dropped, and the toe of his boot stirred the bits of straw on the dirt floor. \u201cThen why did you come out here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOld Ned said those presents were best when wrapped up in smiles and good feelings. You\u2019ve helped me wrap lots of Christmas presents up pretty. I thought it was time I helped you wrap up one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam gazed at his brother as a smile spread across his face. The smile slowly changed into a smirk. \u201cThat is not the only way you\u2019re going to help me. You are going to be at every rehearsal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoing what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGuarding the back door.\u00a0\u00a0 I can\u2019t afford for any of them to escape; I\u2019ll need every voice that I can commandeer. Besides, Little Joe shall surely need your protection at some point.\u201d Adam\u2019s eyes travelled from the top of his sixteen-year-old brother\u2019s head to the tip of his boots. It was a long gaze as the boy had grown quite tall while Adam was at college. \u201cIt would seem that you\u2019ve grown up enough to provide him some.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss straightened to his full height. \u201cGlad ya noticed.\u201d His grin widened. \u201cAnd I still got a ways more to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam grinned back. \u201cI\u2019ll always be the oldest, Little Brother!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*** On Christmas Eve\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Hoss slipped through the crowd to wait at the back of the church knowing it would be sometime before Adam could detach himself from the admiring congratulations of the congregation. Pa would be awhile too as he was in the midst of agreeing with each and every other parent in the building as to the glory that was the boys\u2019 choir.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss!\u201d Little Joe slid into the open spot next to his brother. \u201cHow did we do?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss reached out and tousled his little brother\u2019s curls. \u201cMighty fine, Punkin, just plain glorious. That\u2019s what Pa called it: glorious.<\/em><\/p>\n

Little Joe ducked his head away from his brother\u2019s hand but smiled broadly. \u201cI guess we did do alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMore than alright. Don\u2019t see why you or Adam wasted any worry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe gave him a slantwise glance. \u201cYou didn\u2019t worry none?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnliest worry I had was that with Pa\u2019s chest swelling so with pride, one of his buttons would pop off and fly right into somebody\u2019s eye.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss!\u201d The boy slapped his brother\u2019s forearm; Hoss gave no discernible reaction. \u201cPa liked it then?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s chin guided Little Joe\u2019s eyes to their father. \u201cIt\u2019s plain enough for a blind man to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe grinned and then rubbed the plank floor with his toe. \u201cWe could probably be even better next year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNext year? You thinking about next year with all\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe gave Hoss a shove which moved the older boy not at all. \u201cIt weren\u2019t so bad, I guess. Adam wasn\u2019t \u2026 well, he was bossy some but not as bossy as he can be, and he didn\u2019t let the pastor\u2019s wife make us wear them sissy bib collars, so\u2026\u201d Little Joe recognized the hand that had come to rest on his shoulder and stopped for breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you\u2019d be willing?\u201d Adam\u2019s voice was gently teasing.<\/p>\n

Little Joe leaned his head back against Adam\u2019s chest. \u201cWell, I guess we could do it \u2026 for Pa, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam squeezed Joe\u2019s shoulder as he caught Hoss\u2019s eyes with his own. \u201cYea, we could do it for Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe found himself the meat in the sandwich as Hoss threw his arm around Adam\u2019s shoulders. With one mind, the brothers turned to walk over and retrieve their pa. After all, the church ladies had hot cider, cookies, and cakes waiting in the vestibule.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Merry Christmas to you all!<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Link to the 2019 Advent Calendar – December 5th:<\/p>\n

The Christmas Poem by PSW<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tags: Old Ned<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary: Summary: Pa volunteers Adam when the pastor needs someone to bring his Christmas vision to life. The result: two rebellious sons in need of some brotherly wisdom. <\/p>\n

Rating: K+
\nWord Count: 1,660<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":143,"featured_media":25241,"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_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23,1008,30,40],"tags":[1062,1098],"class_list":["post-25256","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-family","category-prequels","category-challenges","tag-advent-calendar","tag-christmas","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-1008-id","wpcat-30-id","wpcat-40-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1464,"today_views":1},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/advent.jpg?fit=480%2C413&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":49968,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=49968","url_meta":{"origin":25256,"position":0},"title":"Trimming the Tree (by DJK)","author":"DJK","date":"December 25, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 No one signed up for the fourth, so this day was opened to all members in the Forums to try their hand at writing poetry for the season. 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Rating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 \u00a0(30 words)","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\/11\/Advent.jpg?fit=791%2C680&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Advent.jpg?fit=791%2C680&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Advent.jpg?fit=791%2C680&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Advent.jpg?fit=791%2C680&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":61188,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=61188","url_meta":{"origin":25256,"position":3},"title":"Timber! 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