{"id":25365,"date":"2019-12-18T12:18:33","date_gmt":"2019-12-18T17:18:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=25365"},"modified":"2026-07-29T12:30:48","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T16:30:48","slug":"good-intentions-and-unplanned-consequences-by-cheaux","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=25365","title":{"rendered":"Good Intentions and Unplanned Consequences (by Cheaux)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bonanza<\/span><\/strong>
\n~*~*~ Advent Calendar ~*~*~<\/span><\/strong>
\n* Day 18 *<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Summary:\u00a0 As with all intentions — some good, some not so good — there are always consequences.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 G
\nWord Count:\u00a0 2,225<\/p>\n

Good Intentions and Unplanned Consequences<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Cartwright brothers finished eating their steaks and signaled Cosmo for another round of beers.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Adam, you called this meeting,\u201d said Joe. \u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou heard the news at church this morning. The roof on the storage room of the Emporium collapsed yesterday under the weight of snow and ice from the last storm.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDurn shame Sam Whitford didn\u2019t listen to you when you told him those rafters had dry rot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAgreed, Hoss, but that\u2019s beside the point now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is the point?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to rebuild it,\u201d Joe interjected.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can and I will, but\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014you want our help,\u201d Joe finished.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know you got it, Adam,\u201d said Hoss. \u201cWhatever you need.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was hoping you\u2019d say that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked at Hoss and raised his eyebrows. The thing with their oldest brother, as they both had learned from bitter experience, was you could never assume you knew what he was thinking.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you have in mind?\u201d he asked, warily. Although he liked cold weather in principle, he was not keen to be hammering up high in the biting wind with no gloves on.<\/p>\n

\u201cSam and Mary were in the storeroom when the roof came down. They are both in bad shape. Doc Martin says they\u2019ll survive, but their recovery will take weeks if not months. Roy contacted Mary\u2019s sister in Ely, but she won\u2019t get here until New Years at the earliest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir kids are going to be alone for Christmas, is that it?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, and most of the suitable families on the Comstock have too many mouths to feed already or have gone down the hill.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa wouldn\u2019t object if they stayed with us until their aunt arrives,\u201d said Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he wouldn\u2019t, but he won\u2019t be back from Placerville until Christmas Eve, and\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014and Hop Sing is in San Francisco,\u201d Hoss said, frowning.<\/p>\n

\u201cExactly. While I\u2019m rebuilding the roof, who is going to make sure Janey and David are bathed and fed and entertained until Pa gets home?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss and I can take care of them just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike you did with the Clark twins last year? I seem to recall your exact words were \u2018I can\u2019t cook and watch the kids and keep the piglets out of the living room all at the same time.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s eyes narrowed. \u201cWe\u2019re older and wiser now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMight be kinda fun having a couple of young\u2019uns around for Christmas,\u201d Hoss said, lightly.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust remember, I will be busy replacing that roof. Until Pa gets home, it\u2019s just going to be the two of you to cook and clean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd decorate,\u201d Joe added. \u201cCan\u2019t have presents under the tree if we don\u2019t have a tree, right Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDarn tootin\u2019!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow wait a minute. We\u2019re all going to have our hands full just doing\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014aw, come on, Adam. It\u2019s Christmas. Don\u2019t be a Scrooge.\u201d<\/p>\n

When they were younger, Adam had learned the hard way that to obtain his brothers\u2019 full cooperation he had to introduce some element of fun to the task at hand. \u201cAll right. A tree . . . and presents . . . but keep it simple.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd reindeer. Don\u2019t forget about the reindeer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reindeer? Joe thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe kids are five,\u201d Hoss said. \u201cThey still believe. We can\u2019t disappoint them. You remember.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sighed, drumming his fingers on the table as he looked from brother to brother. Joe had been about the same age as the Whitford kids when his mother died. That Christmas he and Hoss had gone to great lengths to make sure Santa made an appearance on Christmas Eve along with an elf and . . . reindeer. The look on Hoss\u2019s face said he had no choice, so he relented.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReindeer and all?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. Only Joe will have to do it, not me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe sat up straighter in his chair, warning bells sounding in his head. \u201cWait a minute . . . what reindeer? . . . and what does it have to do with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRigging harnesses with sleigh bells up on the roof to give the illusion of reindeer,\u201d Adam said. \u201cAnchor the harnesses to the chimney, then drop the rope over the edge of the roof so we can pull it to jingle the bells.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe just stared.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, and one other thing. You do this dressed as an elf.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAn elf,\u201d Joe stated flatly. \u201cI suppose it has to be me because you\u2019re too tall to be an elf?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Hoss is too\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cCareful short shanks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014wide. I was gonna say wide. Give me some credit here, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Adam said again.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I\u2019m just right, is that it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat about sums it up, baby bear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat,\u201d Joe said, draining his mug. \u201cReduced to a fairy tale.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s hope there is a happily ever after,\u201d mumbled Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you say?\u201d Joe asked sharply.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Surprisingly, things proceeded smoothly over the next few days while Adam was in town re-roofing the storage room. The kids were teary but fairly well-behaved considering their world had been turned upside down. Joe did a good job cooking, bathing and dressing them. Hoss fixed up the toboggan so the kids could go sledding. Each night the brothers took turns reading bedtime stories and singing songs. Before they knew it, it was Christmas Eve. Pa still wasn\u2019t home but\u2014hoping he would get there by night fall\u2014they all went into the woods to harvest a tree.<\/p>\n

When Adam left for town to finish up the last of the work on the Emporium roof, Hoss, Joe and the kids popped corn and made paper garlands to decorate the tree that now stood between the hearth and the staircase.<\/p>\n

The snow started mid-afternoon. Big fluffy flakes that delighted Janey and David as they twirled in the yard with their heads tilted back, tongues sticking out. There wasn\u2019t enough snow on the ground to make snow angels, but, with a twinkle in his eye, Joe fired the first salvo and the snowball fight was on!<\/p>\n

Wet and tired, the four piled into the kitchen and enjoyed hot chocolate with marshmallows while Joe put together a light supper.<\/p>\n

When the dishes were done, Hoss tugged on Joe\u2019s arm and pointed out the window. Dark clouds swirled above, and the ceiling was dropping. \u201cYou\u2019d better get started on our little project. Wind\u2019s picking up,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cTuck the kids in and then come help me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI found the elf suit in the attic and put it in your room. You\u2019d better put it on before you go outside.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy? And don\u2019t say \u2018cause Adam said so.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss glanced over his shoulder to make sure Janey and David weren\u2019t around. \u201cIn case they see you, they\u2019ll think you\u2019re one of Santa\u2019s elves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stared at Hoss for a long while. A niggling thought tickled the back of his memory. \u201cYou\u2019d better have something stronger than hot chocolate ready when I get finished,\u201d he muttered.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The kids were nestled snug in their beds and sound asleep when Hoss heard a muffled scream.<\/p>\n

He ran to the window at the end of the hallway and flung open the sash to see what was the matter. Green feet appeared suspended in space twisting in the wind.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe!\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Hoss shut the window, checked that the kids were still asleep, and hurried outside. Joe was hanging from the roof trussed up in tangled rope and swaying to and fro.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, this is a fine mess you\u2019ve gotten us into,\u201d Hoss said, nose to nose with his brother once he stopped swinging.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean \u2018I\u2019ve gotten us into\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re the brains, I\u2019m just the brawn. Isn\u2019t that what you always tell me, little brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not my fault there were exposed nails on the roof that snagged the rope.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot my doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStop sidetracking the issue and cut me down,\u201d Joe spit out.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with your knife?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy hands are twisted up in the rope and I can\u2019t reach it, that\u2019s what\u2019s wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes you think I can reach mine?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause you\u2019re not hanging upside down and freezing your ass off like I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t got it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean \u2018you don\u2019t got it\u2019? You always carry your knife.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe blew air through his puffed out red cheeks. \u201cI\u2019m not even going to ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good, \u2018cause I ain\u2019t gonna tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUse my knife then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure. Which bootie is it in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not wearing boots.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m talking about them there green, jingle bell booties on your feet, little brother,\u201d Hoss said waving his hands in the air.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell where is it then? Ain\u2019t no pockets in that green tunic that I can see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s in my tights.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn your . . . oh no, Joseph. I ain\u2019t rootin\u2019 around inside your tights.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to root. It\u2019s at the front under the waistband. Just put two fingers in there and pull it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss made a face but reached up and was poking gingerly under the waistband when the nail\u2014which had snagged the rope that caused Joe to slip on the icy shingles and fall of the roof\u2014bent. Joe jerked downwards suddenly.<\/p>\n

\u201cHEY! THAT IS NOT MY KNIFE!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t get your britch\u2014\u201c Hoss\u2019s shout was interrupted as the nail worked itself completely loose and Joe, the harnesses, rope, snow and icicles fell on top of him . . . just as a horse entered the yard.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat in tarnation!\u201d<\/p>\n

Pa was home.<\/p>\n

Adam rode in behind him. Aghast at the spectacle before him, he first ascertained whether his brothers were hurt and then began to speak.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf all the bird-brained\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot now, Adam, help me get your brothers inside before they catch pneumonia.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Recriminations passed back and forth for nearly an hour before their father called a halt. The brothers sat sullenly in front of the fire drinking their brandies.<\/p>\n

Ben made a production of lighting his pipe, all the while thinking how he could respond without adding to his sons\u2019 already bruised egos. After all, their intentions were good\u2014as they often were\u2014like when Joe and Hoss robbed that bank to keep it from closing its doors and defrauding investors, or when Adam played Cyrano to Hank Myers\u2019 Christian. Good intentions and unplanned consequences.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoys, it is always the person not in the predicament who knows what ought to have been done in it and would unquestionably have done it too. That doesn\u2019t mean Adam would have fared any better than you had he been the one up on the roof, Joseph, or you, Hoss, had he been on the ground in your stead.\u201d<\/p>\n

His three sons sipped in silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd a twenty-year-old plan has as much merit today as it did then, Adam, Now, how about we all get some shut eye before those children hear reindeer and wake us up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Pa, we didn\u2019t fin\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHush! Or in the morning there will be coal in the stockings of three naughty little boys who don\u2019t believe in Santa.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam was on the edge of sleep when his door opened. No knock, so of course it was Joe. He turned over and was about to utter what passed for profanity in the Cartwright household when Joe plunked down on the end of the bed and tucked his bare feet under the extra quilt there. Illuminated by the glow from the fireplace, the expression on his brother\u2019s face both mystified and concerned him. He waited.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss said I had to wear that stupid elf outfit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid he tell you why?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018In case you\u2019re seen they\u2019ll think you\u2019re one of Santa\u2019s elves.\u2019\u201d Joe looked daggers at Adam. \u201cMade me angry.\u201d<\/p>\n

So it wasn\u2019t the costume that upset his brother, it was being seen. Curious, Adam asked, \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe rose from the bed and crossed to the window. The storm had passed, and stars were visible in the obsidian sky. He stood there a long time before speaking.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Christmas Eve after Mama died I heard sleigh bells and saw an elf tiptoeing down the stairs. I believed. I knew Mama had sent him. Years later, of course, I found out Santa wasn\u2019t real. But deep in my soul, I held onto that special memory, believing with all my heart what I saw and heard was true. Until today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, I\u2019m so sorry. I don\u2019t know what to say beyond that. It wasn\u2019t our intention to ruin that memory for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know. You and Hoss just wanted to make it special for the kids. I get it.\u201d Joe turned from the window and returned to the foot of the bed. \u201cI\u2019m sure Pa will figure out some way for them to hear the sleigh bells. Although . . .\u201d the corner of his mouth turned up, \u201c. . . he\u2019ll never fit in those tights.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would be something to see, wouldn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

When he reached the door, Joe turned and said, \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Astonished and not sure he heard correctly, Adam repeated, \u201cThank you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor caring enough about me back then to make that first Christmas Eve without her special.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never stopped caring.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope not. Maybe there\u2019s a little bit of Santa Claus in all of us if we care enough. Good night, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood night, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And to all a good night.<\/p>\n

Link to 2019 Advent Calendar – December 19:<\/p>\n

Christmas Decorations by Sibylle<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary: As with all intentions — some good, some not so good — there are always consquences.<\/p>\n

Rating: G
\nWord Count: 2,225<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"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_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[1009,23,40],"tags":[1062],"class_list":["post-25365","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-brothers","category-drama","category-challenges","tag-advent-calendar","wpcat-1009-id","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-40-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/advent.jpg?fit=480%2C413&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25365"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25365\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/25241"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25365"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25365"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}