{"id":3500,"date":"2010-10-30T14:45:06","date_gmt":"2010-10-30T18:45:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3500"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:23:39","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:23:39","slug":"just-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3500","title":{"rendered":"Just A&#8230;. (by freyakendra)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In my \u201c<strong><em>Just a<\/em><\/strong>\u2026.\u201d stories, the characters conspire plots on behalf of fanfic writers and readers. These are silly dalliances showing that our boys know who we are, what we do to them and what we want them to do.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>PAGE 2:\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3500&amp;page=2\"><strong>Just a Little Disagreement<\/strong><\/a>: Adam comes home with a black eye and a poor excuse for how he got it, so his family helps him produce a better plot.***For the results of their efforts, see the dramatic story, \u201c<a title=\"The Dawson Gang\" href=\"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3114\"><strong><em>The Dawson Gang<\/em><\/strong>.<\/a>\u201d<\/li>\n<li>PAGE 3:<a href=\"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3500&amp;page=3\"><strong> Just a Poker Game<\/strong><\/a>: Joe comes home late from a poker game without a story worth telling, so Adam helps him concoct a plot intense enough to satisfy SJS fans everywhere.***For the results, see the dramatic story, \u201c<a title=\"Loser Take All\" href=\"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3502\"><strong><em>Loser Take All<\/em><\/strong>.<\/a>\u201d<\/li>\n<li>PAGE 4: <a href=\"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3500&amp;page=4\">Old Reviews<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Rated: K+ \u00a0WC \u00a04600<\/p>\n<p>To reach the stories, click on the links above. \u00a0At the end of each section are links to the next.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/SAS-Stories.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-responsive aligncenter wp-image-5753 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/SAS-Stories.jpg?resize=613%2C480&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"SAS Stories\" width=\"613\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/SAS-Stories.jpg?w=613&amp;ssl=1 613w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/SAS-Stories.jpg?resize=192%2C150&amp;ssl=1 192w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/SAS-Stories.jpg?resize=300%2C235&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/SAS-Stories.jpg?resize=511%2C400&amp;ssl=1 511w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 613px) 100vw, 613px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Just a Little Disagreement<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">XxXxX<\/p>\n<p>His jacket casually flung over his shoulder, Adam&#8217;s steps were quick and light as he made his way from the barn to the house. He was even whistling.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;What&#8217;s got you so cheerful, brother?&#8221; Joe called out from the porch without taking his eyes from the game of checkers he was playing against Hoss.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a beautiful day.&#8221; Adam stepped up to join them. &#8220;Why wouldn&#8217;t anyone be cheerful on a day like this?&#8221; He patted Joe on the shoulder and then watched for Hoss to make his move.<\/p>\n<p>But Hoss&#8217;s attention shifted away from the game to focus on Adam. &#8220;What in tarnation happened to your eye?&#8221; he said, his hand hovering above one of his checkers.<\/p>\n<p>Joe swung around to see that Adam&#8217;s left eye was black, blue, and all kinds of red. It was also swollen nearly shut.<\/p>\n<p>Adam shrugged. &#8220;Just a little disagreement.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Just a little disagreement?&#8221; Joe shot to his feet, his body tensing with rage. &#8220;That looks like a lot more than a little disagreement. Who did it, Adam?&#8221; His hands clenched into rock-hard fists.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Calm down, Joe. Jim Dawson and I just got into a little argument. It was nothing. We even laughed about it afterward and had a few beers.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Adam?&#8221; Pa&#8217;s voice drew his eldest son&#8217;s attention toward the front door. &#8220;What is wrong with you?&#8221; The Cartwright patriarch appeared torn between concern and anger.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Nothing&#8217;s wrong, Pa. It&#8217;s a beautiful day. Isn&#8217;t that enough?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Adam,&#8221; Pa stepped forward, his shoulders sagging in apparent despair. &#8220;This it not you, son. Not you at all.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;What?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;He&#8217;s right, Adam,&#8221; Hoss added. &#8220;Everything you said just now, those should be Joe&#8217;s lines, not yours.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;What are you talking about?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s out of character, older brother,&#8221; Joe said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Out of character?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;They&#8217;re right, son.&#8221; Pa placed his hand on Adam&#8217;s shoulder. &#8220;You are supposed to be the logical, level-headed one. You&#8217;re not supposed to get into petty arguments and fist fights over some frivolous nonsense. That&#8217;s Joe&#8217;s job.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s not a job, Pa.&#8221; Adam shook his head, incredulous. &#8220;What has gotten into all of you?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Not us,&#8221; Joe said. &#8220;You. What&#8217;s gotten into <em>you<\/em>, brother?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Nothing. It&#8217;s just \u2026 why, you know, Joe. Everyone needs to let off a little steam now and then.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Not you, Adam.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Of course, me. Why wouldn&#8217;t I need to let off a little steam?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We&#8217;ve already told you, son,&#8221; Pa said in a gentle, fatherly tone. &#8220;It&#8217;s out of character. It&#8217;s your cool manner, your calm, level-headed approach, your brooding nature and your inner turmoil they want to see.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;They?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You know,&#8221; Hoss shrugged. &#8220;<em>Them<\/em>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Them?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Brother, brother, brother.&#8221; Joe wrapped his arm around Adam&#8217;s shoulders and swung him around to look out over the expanse of the Ponderosa. Joe&#8217;s other arm swept outward in an all-encompassing gesture. &#8220;You know perfectly well that all of this is here specifically for them. All of it, the ranch, the horses, but more importantly, us.&#8221; Joe tapped his hand against his brother&#8217;s chest.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Joe\u2026.&#8221; Adam&#8217;s brows pulled downward and his eyes narrowed. &#8220;Just who are <em>they<\/em>? Who is this <em>&#8216;them&#8217;<\/em>?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The writers, of course. And the readers. You know. <em>Them<\/em>. The fan fic folks.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Fan fic folks?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Come on, Adam,&#8221; Hoss rose slowly, concern in his gaze. &#8220;Now you&#8217;re scarin&#8217; me. How could you forget the fan fic folks?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Adam sighed. His shoulders sagging, he shook his head slowly. &#8220;I haven&#8217;t forgotten,&#8221; he said then, his tone one of resignation. &#8220;I just\u2026.&#8221; He sighed again. &#8220;I guess I just wanted to take a little vacation. You know, see how the other half lives.&#8221; He winked at Joe.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;What?&#8221; Joe asked, clearly confused. An instant later, he just as clearly picked up on exactly what Adam was saying. &#8220;You mean like a role-reversal, don&#8217;t you?&#8221; Smiling, Joe considered that for a moment. Then, &#8220;Nah,&#8221; he said, his brows pulling together and his lip curling in distaste. &#8220;I could never do you. I&#8217;ve got too much hot blood running through my veins.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Adam looked to Hoss and raised an eyebrow.<\/p>\n<p>Hoss looked like he had just swallowed a minnow. Whole. He curled his nose, seeming slightly ill from the experience. &#8220;Me neither,&#8221; he said then, shaking his head. &#8220;I just don&#8217;t know how I could ever wrap my head around all them books of yours.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Sighing again, Adam turned to Pa.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Well, don&#8217;t look at me, son. We&#8217;re already very much alike. And besides, you could never pull off my experienced wisdom, the advice I provide based on all my years on this Earth, facing all the adventures and troubles I&#8217;ve endured in my life.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Adam draped his jacket across the back of a chair and sat down. &#8220;All right,&#8221; he surrendered. &#8220;What do you want me to do?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Joe placed a hand on Adam&#8217;s shoulder. &#8220;Well, older brother, it&#8217;s about that eye.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;What about it?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You have to have a better explanation, something that&#8217;s going to get me all pissed off and\u2014&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Pissed off?&#8221; Adam said. &#8220;What do you mean by &#8216;pissed off&#8217;?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Riled. Mad. Angry.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Then why not just say &#8216;riled,&#8217; &#8216;mad,&#8217; or &#8216;angry&#8217;?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m trying to get with the times, brother. I figure our dialogue has been getting a little old fashioned.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;There is nothing old fashioned,&#8221; Pa said authoritatively, &#8220;about properly speaking the English language.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;What about Hoss?&#8221; Joe asked. &#8220;He doesn&#8217;t use proper English.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I ain&#8217;t got to,&#8221; Hoss said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s not what Freyakendra&#8217;s mother would say,&#8221; Joe pointed out.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Who?&#8221; Hoss asked.<\/p>\n<p>Joe rolled his eyes. &#8220;Oh, come on, Hoss. You know her. She&#8217;s the one who had all three of you worried to high Heaven because you thought I was dead or dying in that fic she wrote, you know, &#8216;Beyond the Ballad.'&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Oh,&#8221; Hoss chewed his lip, clearly not relishing the memory. &#8220;Yeah. Sorry, ma&#8217;am,&#8221; he said, looking up at nothing. &#8220;I guess I didn&#8217;t recognize you.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You didn&#8217;t want to recognize her is more like it,&#8221; Joe said. &#8220;Although I don&#8217;t know why, since I was the one doing all the real suffering.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t you give me that,&#8221; Hoss complained. &#8220;You were too out of your head to even know you were sufferin&#8217;. And besides that, we suffered plenty by watching your sufferin&#8217;.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Joe patted him on the back. &#8220;I know you did. And I was touched, brother. I really was.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Yeah, you&#8217;re touched all right,&#8221; Hoss grumbled.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Boys!&#8221; Pa shouted. &#8220;That&#8217;s enough! We&#8217;ve gotten too far off track here. Now, where were we?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Dialogue,&#8221; Adam answered.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s right,&#8221; Joe confirmed. &#8220;Hoss said he ain&#8217;t got to speak proper English. And I was trying to say he shouldn&#8217;t say ain&#8217;t all the time. It sets a bad example.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;For who?&#8221; Hoss asked.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Whom,&#8221; Adam corrected.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;For kids,&#8221; Joe answered. &#8220;Kids like Freyakendra. She used to say &#8216;ain&#8217;t&#8217; on account of the fact we say it all the time. But her mother was always telling her &#8216;ain&#8217;t fell in the paint so it ain&#8217;t no word!'&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Hoss smiled. &#8220;Hey, I kind&#8217;a like that!&#8221; An instant later, he was puzzled. &#8220;Freyakendra&#8217;s a kid?&#8221; he asked, confused. &#8220;I thought she was a growed woman.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;She is,&#8221; Joe said. &#8220;A woman, that is. But she was a kid back when we were first on the air.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In the air? You mean like a bird?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Joe rolled his eyes. &#8220;Don&#8217;t be so thick. You know what I mean. On the air, as in on TV. Television. That big box with rabbit ears people used to sit around and watch at night.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Rabbit ears?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Antennas! Come on, Hoss! Stop messing with everything I&#8217;m sayin&#8217;!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Uh, Joe?&#8221; Adam said.<\/p>\n<p>Joe turned back to his oldest brother.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;TV&#8217;s aren&#8217;t big boxes anymore. And they don&#8217;t need rabbit ears or antennas. In fact, from an engineering standpoint I find the latest plasma screen TVs pretty fascinating. I&#8217;m thinking about getting one for myself.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Doggone it, Adam!&#8221; Joe complained. &#8220;Don&#8217;t you go messin&#8217; with me, too! You know you can&#8217;t get a plasma screen TV! It wouldn&#8217;t be, you know, historically accurate.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Adam raised both eyebrows. &#8220;I hate to tell you this, little brother, but there are a lot of things around here that are not exactly historically accurate.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;They&#8217;re a lot more accurate than plasma screen TVs! Besides, if I can&#8217;t get an iPhone, you can&#8217;t get a plasma screen TV!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Boys!&#8221; Pa shouted. &#8220;Stop all this nonsense talk about things that don&#8217;t even exist!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Hey, Pa?&#8221; Hoss called out. &#8220;Can&#8217;t I say ain&#8217;t no more?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Of course, Hoss!&#8221; Pa shouted even louder than before. He pointed a scolding finger to his middle son. &#8220;You <em>must<\/em> say &#8216;ain&#8217;t&#8217; in order to stay in character. And Joseph,&#8221; Pa said, aiming that finger at Joe now. &#8220;You must <em>not<\/em> use contemporary slang like &#8216;pissed off&#8217; because that would be out of both character and setting.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Pa took a deep breath, and then turned slowly toward Adam. &#8220;As for you, son, you are <em>not<\/em> to start acting like Little Joe. Do you hear me?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Adam glanced at Joe and shrugged. &#8220;I don&#8217;t see why I shouldn&#8217;t. After all, he gets a lot more girls than I do.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Joe&#8217;s bottom lip started quivering. &#8220;B-but, Adam\u2026.&#8221; He sounded truly forlorn. &#8220;Th-they all die on me. It&#8217;s horrible!&#8221; A tear spilled down his cheek.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Yeah, well,&#8221; Hoss said, pursing his lips. &#8220;I reckon I got a much better reason why Adam shouldn&#8217;t go actin&#8217; like Little Joe.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;What reason is that?&#8221; Adam asked.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Ain&#8217;t you seen all that hurt those fan fic folks like to put him through? You really want to get shot, stabbed, beat up, hog tied and have pneumonia all at once, like Joe does when folks like Lisamarie and Southplains get a hold a&#8217; him?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t forget Freyakendra, Hoss,&#8221; Pa said. &#8220;After all, she did send Joe to Purgatory.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Not really, Pa,&#8221; Hoss corrected. &#8220;She just made him think that&#8217;s where he was.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Yes.&#8221; Pa said coldly. &#8220;It was utterly shameful, the way she made Little Joe wish he could die. Utterly, utterly shameful.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Southplains did worse,&#8221; Hoss challenged. &#8220;It wasn&#8217;t just wishin&#8217; with her. She sent Joe straight to Heaven in that Heroes story of hers, &#8216;least for a minute. How else could he a&#8217; had a chat with his ma?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;So Southplains sent him to Heaven,&#8221; Adam said, &#8220;and Freyakendra made him wish he could die. Big deal. Lisamarie beat the tar out of him and then made him pull the trigger on himself!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You do not need to remind me of what Lisamarie did!&#8221; Pa said angrily. &#8220;I still have nightmares about that Forged of Fire story of hers!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;<em>Y-you<\/em> have nightmares?&#8221; Joe asked, looking mighty pale.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;My point is,&#8221; Adam said then, &#8220;we should be thankful for stories like the ones those ladies write. Joe himself said that&#8217;s why we&#8217;re here. Joe, you should be particularly thankful for fan fic folks like Southplains and Lisamarie. Those ladies add a great deal of finesse to the way they make you suffer. They don&#8217;t just arbitrarily select a whole bunch of wounds and illnesses from that checklist of theirs, and make it look like Joe was thrown in the blender\u2014&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Tsk, tsk, Adam!&#8221; Pa scolded. &#8220;What did I say about things that don&#8217;t exist?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Th-they have a checklist?&#8221; Joe was looking worse by the minute.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We are dealing with people who do live among things like blenders, Pa,&#8221; Adam said, ignoring Joe&#8217;s ever-sickening expression. &#8220;Sometimes, for their sake, we do need to speak their own language. What I&#8217;m trying to say is at least they don&#8217;t do Blender Joe stories. They have more class than that. They&#8217;re more into Timex Joe.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;T-timex Joe?&#8221; Joe was starting to look a bit like he&#8217;d swallowed Hoss&#8217;s minnow while standing in the path of a stampede of buffalos ridden by Indians taking aim with both arrows and rifles.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You take a lickin&#8217; and keep on tickin&#8217;.&#8221; Adam winked. &#8220;Those ladies might do two or three things to you, maybe four on a good day, but they won&#8217;t throw the whole gamut at you all at once.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Hoss grinned. &#8220;You mean they&#8217;ll do the combo platter, but not the all you can eat buffet.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Adam grinned right back at him. &#8220;Yeah. Like that.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;So,&#8221; Hoss said, &#8220;ain&#8217;t that still a good reason for you not to act like Joe?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Adam&#8217;s grin died. &#8220;Yeah,&#8221; he admitted, drawing out the word into one extra long syllable. &#8220;I suppose it is a good reason at that.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Good,&#8221; Pa said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Good, what?&#8221; Joe asked.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Good, Adam won&#8217;t start acting like Joe, Hoss won&#8217;t stop saying ain&#8217;t, and you, young man, will not start talking like it&#8217;s the twenty-first century. The moment any of you does these things it will turn into complete anarchy around here. And then where would we be?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;TV Land?&#8221; Joe suggested.<\/p>\n<p>Pa glared at him. &#8220;<em>Now<\/em>,&#8221; Pa went on, &#8220;since it appears I am the only one who still happens to have some wits about him, I suppose it&#8217;s up to me to get us back to where we belong. Adam, it started with that black eye of yours. You must be more Adam-like about the whole thing, from the explanation itself to your response. Do you understand what I&#8217;m saying?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Adam sighed heavily. &#8220;Yes, Pa. I understand.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Pa nodded. &#8220;No whistling. No cheerful spirits.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s right, Adam,&#8221; Joe concurred. &#8220;Your little disagreement with Jim Dawson has to have an edge to it, like \u2026 maybe like you were defending someone.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Yeah,&#8221; Hoss smiled. &#8220;Like you were defending a lady&#8217;s honor, like one of them knights of the round table.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;No, no, no,&#8221; Pa disagreed. &#8220;We don&#8217;t want to confuse any of the fan fic folk who like to remember that you, yourself were the errant knight. And besides, it could come off as too much of a Mary Sue.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Joe smiled. &#8220;Hey! I know Mary Sue! She&#8217;s that hot chick down at\u2014&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Joseph! Mind your language! I told you to stay with <em>this<\/em> century!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Joe bowed his head, sheepishly. &#8220;Yes, Pa.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Now,&#8221; Pa went on, rubbing his chin in consideration. &#8220;I think it would be much better, Adam, if you were defending one of us.&#8221; He pointed a finger into the air.<\/p>\n<p>Adam nodded. &#8220;Joe,&#8221; he decided instantly.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Me?&#8221; Joe&#8217;s eyebrows shot up.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Yes. You. I was defending you. Freyakendra, Lisamarie and Southplains would all like that. So would all the various and sundry JAM, SJS and SAS advocates out there.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Very well.&#8221; Pa nodded. &#8220;Jim Dawson said something against Joe, and you stood up for him.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Hey, I got it!&#8221; Joe sounded excited. &#8220;Jim Dawson could be one of the Dawson gang. That would add a whole &#8216;nother dimension to the story.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Adam nodded again. &#8220;That&#8217;s right. And you stole his girl.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Joe turned serious. &#8220;Only I didn&#8217;t steal her. I just encouraged her to recognize he was no good. She deserved better.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Someone like you, of course.&#8221; Adam rolled his eyes,<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Of course.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;So,&#8221; Pa said. &#8220;Do we all have the story straight now?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Yes, Pa,&#8221; Adam said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Yeah, Pa,&#8221; Hoss said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Absolutely!&#8221; Joe grinned.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Jim Dawson lost his girl to Joe,&#8221; Pa said, still holding up that one finger. Next, he held up a second finger. &#8220;He saw Adam at the Bucket of Blood and picked a fight.&#8221; Pa held up a third finger. &#8220;Adam won the fight, but the war has only just begun. Now the Dawson gang is out for blood, and all of us, but particularly Joe and Adam,&#8221; Pa held up his last finger and finally his thumb, &#8220;are directly in their line of fire.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;That sounds like the story, all right,&#8221; Hoss said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; Adam sighed. &#8220;That would be the story.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I can feel my blood boiling already!&#8221; Joe added with that impetuous grin of his.<\/p>\n<p>Adam shook his head, giving his youngest brother a lop-sided smile. &#8220;Just don&#8217;t spill any of it too soon, Joe. I get mine first, and <em>then<\/em> you get yours.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Joe winked at him.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Very well,&#8221; Pa said, seeming none too pleased. &#8220;Now, let&#8217;s start over, from the very beginning. Adam, get back on your horse. Don&#8217;t bother to stable him this time, because you&#8217;re in too much of a hurry to warn us all about the Dawson gang.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>A few moments later, Adam rode up to the house at a gallop.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Pa!&#8221; he called out. &#8220;Joe!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He jumped from his horse, stumbling when he hit the ground.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Adam!&#8221; Pa cried out in concern.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s the Dawson gang, Pa,&#8221; Adam said, breathlessly. &#8220;They&#8217;re\u2026.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Adam&#8217;s words died away as he passed out, falling into Hoss&#8217;s arms\u2026.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">XxXxX<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>~end~<\/em><\/p>\n<p>*If you\u2019d like to see the dramatic version inspired by this story, check out \u201c<strong><em>The Dawson Gang<\/em><\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Just A&#8230; Series<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3114&amp;page=3\">The Dawson Gang<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3500&amp;page=3\">Just A Poker Game<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3502\">Loser Take All<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>Just A&#8230; Series<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3500\">Just A Little Disagreement<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3114\">The Dawson Gang<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3500&amp;page=3\">Just A Poker Game<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3502\">Loser Take All<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/adam-joe-c.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-responsive aligncenter wp-image-3721 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/adam-joe-c.jpg?resize=245%2C230&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"adam-joe-c\" width=\"245\" height=\"230\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/adam-joe-c.jpg?w=245&amp;ssl=1 245w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/adam-joe-c.jpg?resize=160%2C150&amp;ssl=1 160w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/adam-joe-c.jpg?resize=24%2C24&amp;ssl=1 24w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 245px) 100vw, 245px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0<strong>Just a Poker Game<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">XxXxX<\/p>\n<p>Adam was finding it increasingly difficult to focus on the words in his book. Sleep pulled at him with as much nagging insistence as Hop Sing had ever displayed when dinner was ready for the table but the family was not. Adam&#8217;s eyelids were drooping and his shoulders sagging deeper into the red leather chair beside the fireplace. He was just about ready to give in when he heard a horse outside.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Well, it&#8217;s about time,&#8221; he muttered to himself, suddenly fully awake.<\/p>\n<p>A few minutes later, his eyes locked on the same page he&#8217;d been re-reading over and over again since he&#8217;d heard what could only be his wayward, younger brother&#8217;s return, Adam glimpsed the front door creeping open through his peripheral vision.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s about time,&#8221; he repeated loud enough for the newcomer to hear him.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Adam?&#8221; Joe&#8217;s voice sounded weak.<\/p>\n<p>Concerned, Adam closed his book and rose, giving Joe his full attention. &#8220;What&#8217;s wrong?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Wrong?&#8221; Joe asked wearily. He seemed to be having trouble with the buckle on his gun belt. &#8220;Nothing&#8217;s wrong. I&#8217;m tired.&#8221; Placing the belt on the bureau beside the door, he ran a hand through his hair and yawned.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Joe?&#8221; Adam asked warily, approaching his brother with slow, deliberate steps. &#8220;What happened?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;What do you mean \u2018what happened?&#8217; Nothing happened. The poker game ran late; that&#8217;s all.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Um-hmm,&#8221; Adam nodded as his gaze slid to the grandfather clock. &#8220;It&#8217;s nearly two in the morning. What happened?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Why do you keep asking me \u2018what happened?&#8217; It was just a poker game.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;No it wasn&#8217;t. It&#8217;s never \u2018just a poker game.&#8217; Something happened. Now out with it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I played poker. I won money. I lost money. I won money again. I lost money again&#8230;. Adam. It was a poker game. Nothing happened.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Sighing heavily, Adam placed his book on the bureau beside Joe&#8217;s gun belt, and then closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. A moment later, rediscovering his resolve, he crossed his arms in front of him and stared at Joe with all the determination he could muster at two in the morning. Finally, he shook his head slowly from side to side. &#8220;That is never going to cut it and you know it. Something happened. Something had to happen. If nothing happened, there&#8217;s no story; and they will never accept that. They expect a story, and it&#8217;s up to us to give them one. Now, let&#8217;s try this again. What happened?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Joe&#8217;s eyebrow&#8217;s shot up in surprise. &#8220;Th-they? Who-who&#8217;re they?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You know perfectly well who they are. The readers. The fans. The fan fic folks.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;F-fan fic folks?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Yes, Joe. The fan fic folks.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Y-you know about the fan fic folks?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Well I am the reader in the family. As a reader I see it as my obligation to know what other readers out there are reading. And when they&#8217;re reading about us, I happen to take a particular interest. So yes, Joe. I know about the fan fic folks.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Joe gave him an awkward smile and sagged against the door behind him, seeming defeated; although Adam couldn&#8217;t for the life of him figure out why.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I-I didn&#8217;t know you knew.&#8221; Joe sounded defensive. &#8220;I mean, if I knew you knew, I&#8217;d&#8211;&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You&#8217;d what?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I-I don&#8217;t know. I guess I&#8217;d have &#8230; played along?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Ah-ha!&#8221; Adam pointed upward. &#8220;Now, tell me, what is it those fan fic folks like to read?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Another awkward smile had Joe squirming nervously before him. &#8220;S-suffering. P-pain. Anguish.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Yes, Joe,&#8221; Adam nodded. &#8220;Suffering, pain and anguish. They want to see us shot, stabbed, beaten to a bloody pulp, and maybe even all at once.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Not always,&#8221; Joe seemed to gain confidence in a new idea. &#8220;They also like humor. Comedy&#8217;s good.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Why are you still wearing your jacket?&#8221; Adam asked then.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;M-my jacket?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You know. The one you&#8217;re always wearing when you get shot, stabbed or beaten to a bloody pulp. How many times have you been shot wearing that, anyway?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Joe shrugged. &#8220;I lost count.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Yeah. Me too. Good thing you have a warehouse full of those things. Otherwise by now it would be a tattered, blood-stained mess. But look at that. Still looks brand new.&#8221; Adam rubbed his fingers across the crisp fabric.<\/p>\n<p>Joe slapped his brother&#8217;s hand away from him. &#8220;As new as that black shirt you&#8217;re wearing.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Touch\u00e9.&#8221; Adam smiled.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;So,&#8221; Adam went on. &#8220;You&#8217;re wearing the jacket you always wear when you get&#8211;&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Sh-shot,&#8221; Joe interrupted, &#8220;stabbed or-or beaten to a bloody pulp. But Adam, can&#8217;t we just take one night off? I really am tired.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Tired? You can&#8217;t get tired! You&#8217;re Peter Pan. You&#8217;re the Highlander&#8211;&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re not supposed to know about the Highlander, Adam.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Why not?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We went off the air long before Duncan McCloud came on. The air, that is.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Off the air? Joe, we&#8217;ve never been off the air! Not once in over fifty years have we ever been off the air! And for that, we&#8217;re even more immortal than Duncan McCloud!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Joe cocked his head, considering Adam&#8217;s proclamation. Finally, he nodded.<\/p>\n<p>Adam wrapped his arm around Joe&#8217;s shoulders. &#8220;You and me, we are forever young and no matter how many times we seem to cheat death, we always come out of it without even a scratch. Do you know why?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Wh-why?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Because of them.&#8221; Adam pointed outward, in an arbitrary direction.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The-the fan fic folks?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You bet. As long as they&#8217;re out there, that warehouse will never run out of green jackets, and you, little brother, will always be whole, hale, young and ruggedly handsome. Not quite as ruggedly handsome as your older brother, but ruggedly handsome, nonetheless.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Hey!&#8221; Joe complained. &#8220;Who&#8217;s the one with all the girlfriends?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;All the dead or dying girlfriends, you mean?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Joe shrugged yet again. &#8220;Okay. So I&#8217;ve had a long string of bad luck&#8211;&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;An eternal string, you mean.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;But that doesn&#8217;t change the fact that I am more ruggedly handsome than you.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The point is this: They are out there. They expect more from us than a boring, all night poker game. Now what are we going to do about that?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;S-start over?&#8221; Joe&#8217;s tone grew weak yet again.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Exactly! Now, where were we?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Y-you were asking me what &#8230; what happened.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Okay. So, what happened?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I-I won,&#8221; Joe spat out the words just as he fell into his brother&#8217;s arms.<\/p>\n<p>Adam sagged against his brother&#8217;s weight, anchoring his feet and wrapping his arms around Joe to keep him from falling to the floor. &#8220;Joe!&#8221; he cried out, feeling something warm, wet and sticky beneath his fingers. &#8220;God, Joe!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Little Joe had been shot in the back.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Pa! Hoss!&#8221; Adam shouted as he carried Joe to the settee, his own blood running cold&#8230;.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">XxXxX<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>~end~<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em>*If you\u2019d like to see the dramatic version inspired by this story, check out \u201c<strong><em>Loser Take All<\/em><\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Just A&#8230; Series<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3502\">Loser Take All<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>Old Reviews<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><em>Just a Little Disagreement\u2026.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Reviewer: sklamb Signed starstarstarstarhalf-star<\/p>\n<p>Date: 26 Jun 2012 09:01 pm Title: Just a Little Disagreement<\/p>\n<p>Oh, gosh, I&#8217;d forgotten how much I enjoyed this farrago! Light and breezy and so much fun! Thank you so much!<\/p>\n<p><em>Author&#8217;s Response:\u00a0 Thanks! It was definitely a fun one to write!:)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Reviewer: jojay Anonymous<\/p>\n<p>Date: 02 Nov 2010 09:12 am Title: Just a Little Disagreement<\/p>\n<p>More! More!\u00a0\u00a0 More!<\/p>\n<p><em>Author&#8217;s Response:\u00a0 Another VERY DELAYED reply! But I do want to thank you for this! \ud83d\ude42<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Reviewer: rh2006fan Signed starstarstarstarhalf-star<\/p>\n<p>Date: 14 Oct 2010 03:01 am Title: Just a Little Disagreement<\/p>\n<p>Awesome!! Hilarious with them going out of character and Pa having to take the reins \ud83d\ude42 LOL Adam laughing about a black eye!!<\/p>\n<p><em>Author&#8217;s Response:\u00a0 I am so very sorry to have delayed my response by well over a year, but I wanted to thank you for reviewing! Better late than never, right?;) Thanks again!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Reviewer: Laurie Anonymous starstarstarstarstar<\/p>\n<p>Date: 02 Oct 2010 10:59 pm Title: Just a Little Disagreement<\/p>\n<p>fun story, would like to see a serious story of what happens after Adam passes out, thanks<\/p>\n<p><em>Author&#8217;s Response:\u00a0 Being well over a year late in responding, you know by now that the serious story DID happen, and was posted here as &#8220;The Dawson Gang.&#8221; Thank you so very much for the review, and I do apologize for being so late in responding!! \ud83d\ude42<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><em>Just a Poker Game<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Reviewer: frasrgrl Signed starstarstarstarstar<\/p>\n<p>Date: 31 Oct 2013 12:14 am Title: Just a Poker Game<\/p>\n<p>Perfect, fun silliness. It was a hoot. And I&#8217;m glad, very much so, that you made it into more.<\/p>\n<p>Reviewer: Cheaux Signed starstarstarstarstar<\/p>\n<p>Date: 09 Mar 2013 10:23 pm Title: Just a Poker Game<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;d never seen this before Freya! Very good (and funny!).\u00a0\u00a0 Now . . . just what in the heck did you title the &#8220;real&#8221; story begun in the last three paragraphs? Huh? Well . . .?<\/p>\n<p><em>Author&#8217;s Response:\u00a0 Thanks, Cheaux! Sadly&#8230;this one never emerged into a full grown stor, like &#8220;Just a Disagreement&#8221; did. But ya&#8217; never know! \ud83d\ude09<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Reviewer: Alley May Signed<\/p>\n<p>Date: 04 Jun 2012 02:16 am Title: Just a Poker Game<\/p>\n<p>Don&#8217;t worry if your late to read this review that doesn&#8217;t stop me from enjoying your story, by the way &#8220;Brilliant!&#8221; &#8220;I hope you do more soon.&#8221; Great Story!<\/p>\n<p><em>Author&#8217;s Response:\u00a0 I&#8217;m glad you enjoyed it so much! \ud83d\ude00 I don&#8217;t do &#8220;silly&#8221; often, but it sure was a fun change of pace! (And there will be a new &#8220;silly&#8221; one coming up at some point! It&#8217;s sort of a long term, infrequently updated WIP at the forums called &#8220;He Had a Bad Day.&#8221; Whenever it&#8217;s eventually finished, I&#8217;ll post it here. \ud83d\ude09<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Reviewer: Annie K Cowgirl Signed starstarstarstarstar<\/p>\n<p>Date: 02 Mar 2011 07:10 pm Title: Just a Poker Game<\/p>\n<p>I loooooooooooove it! Please write some more like this:)<\/p>\n<p><em>Author&#8217;s Response:\u00a0 So sorry for my VERY LATE reply, but thank you very much for reviewing this! \ud83d\ude00 It was fun to write!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Reviewer: jojay Anonymous<\/p>\n<p>Date: 30 Oct 2010 09:53 pm Title: Just a Poker Game<\/p>\n<p>That was great&#8230;. thank goodness for the fan fic folks!<\/p>\n<p><em>Author&#8217;s Response:\u00a0 I am over a year late in replying to this&#8230;.Nigh on a year and a half&#8230;But I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate the review! Thank you! I&#8217;m glad you enjoyed this! \ud83d\ude42<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Summary:  In my \u201cJust a\u2026.\u201d stories, the characters conspire plots on behalf of fanfic writers and readers. These are silly dalliances showing that our boys know who we are, what we do to them and what we want them to do.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>PAGE 2:\u00a0 Just a Little Disagreement: Adam comes home with a black eye and a poor excuse for how he got it, so his family helps him produce a better plot.***For the results of their efforts, see the dramatic story, \u201cThe Dawson Gang.\u201d<br \/>\nPAGE 3: Just a Poker Game: Joe comes home late from a poker game without a story worth telling, so Adam helps him concoct a plot intense enough to satisfy SJS fans everywhere.***For the results, see the dramatic story, \u201cLoser Take All.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rated: K+ \u00a0WC \u00a04600<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":3723,"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,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[23,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3500","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-humor","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-4-id"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Enter_Mark_Twain3-b.jpg?fit=802%2C518&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3500","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\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3500"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3500\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3723"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3500"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3500"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3500"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}