Summary: Hop Sing\u2019s choice to stay with the Cartwrights is challenged by his first winter at the Ponderosa
\nWritten for day 12 of the 2021 Advent Calendar.
\nRating: G
\nWord Count: 1326<\/p>\n
In Absentia Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n In Absentia<\/a> <\/p>\n Bonanza Homesick<\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/b>Part 5 in Belle\u2019s \u201cIn Absentia\u201d universe<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Burdened with his parcel of freshly baked bread and cookies, Hop Sing tread as carefully as possible on the snowy path from the ranch house to the bunkhouse.\u00a0\u00a0Even so, he slid and stumbled, nearly falling several times. The path had been shoveled and swept clear daily since the snows had begun to fall. Consequently, there was a wall of snow on either side of the path a couple feet high.\u00a0\u00a0Hop Sing couldn\u2019t (wouldn\u2019t) imagine how much higher the snow would get before the demon winter was over.<\/p>\n The sun was high overhead, glowing brightly in the brilliant blue sky, offering no warmth.\u00a0\u00a0Instead, its beams reflected off the white landscape in a painful glare of light that brought streaming tears to his eyes.\u00a0\u00a0Hop Sing had never particularly enjoyed Portland\u2019s cold rains, but winter in the Sierra Nevada was downright frightening. He yearned for the more rational winter sun of his youth.<\/p>\n Finally, Hop Sing reached the bunkhouse with his parcel and dignity intact.\u00a0\u00a0Jeb had been watching him through the window. As soon as Hop Sing got to the door, Jeb hustled him inside, relieving him of the parcel. Before he could object, Jeb and Shorty had hung his coat on a peg near the stove and seated him in an upholstered chair. Shorty had tucked a quilt from his bunk across Hop Sing\u2019s lap while Jeb poured a cup of steaming coffee. It was all done with so cheerfully that he was happy to accept their hospitality.<\/p>\n As always when he was in the bunkhouse, Hop Sing was struck with its warmth and cheer.\u00a0\u00a0Alongside the old upholstered chair, there was a rocking chair and two wooden chairs around a small table.\u00a0\u00a0A large braided rug was underfoot and smaller versions were scattered around the room.\u00a0\u00a0A generous cupboard held provisions and table ware. The curtains were parted to take advantage of the sun light.\u00a0\u00a0When Hop Sing shifted in the chair, a sun beam fell across his eyes blinding him until Shorty twitched the curtain closed a bit.\u00a0\u00a0When Hop Sing\u00a0\u00a0shook his fist angrily, the ranch hands laughed kindly at the gesture.<\/p>\n \u201cNot enjoying the winter?\u201d Jeb asked him.\u00a0\u00a0A loaf of warm bread was cut, and a slice, spread thick with butter, was offered and accepted.<\/p>\n \u201cNevada sun is treacherous,\u201d Hop Sing complained.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cAll light, no heat.\u201d<\/p>\n Shorty chuckled. \u201cCome summer time, there\u2019ll be light and heat. You\u2019ll be thinkin\u2019 pretty fondly of the snow then.\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing wasn\u2019t ready to be comforted. \u201cMaybe not stay \u2018til summer. Maybe go back to China.\u201d<\/p>\n Jeb shot a glance toward Shorrty.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cOf course, that\u2019d be up to you. I know a family here that\u2019d miss you terrible. You miss China a lot?\u201d<\/p>\n He had to consider that question for a moment.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cSometimes, miss very much.\u00a0\u00a0Sometimes, not at all.\u00a0\u00a0Good reasons to leave.\u00a0\u00a0Honorable father, Hop Ling, and honorable mother in California.\u00a0\u00a0Maybe better there with them.\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing was ashamed.\u00a0\u00a0He\u2019d never voiced these feelings.\u00a0\u00a0The Cartwrights had been good, even affectionate toward him.\u00a0\u00a0It had been\u00a0his<\/i>\u00a0choice to follow them to the Ponderosa after the showdown with Ezra Grady.\u00a0\u00a0Could he make a home here?\u00a0\u00a0He wasn\u2019t at all sure. Perhaps these men could help him decide.<\/p>\n \u201cYou stayed here, with boys for seven years.\u00a0\u00a0This was home, then?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, not then,\u201d Shorty answered. \u201cMe and Jeb had worked lots of ranches,\u00a0\u00a0moved around a lot, like all cowboys.\u00a0\u00a0We was here the summer that Missus Cartwright died, thrown from her horse in the yard out there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBad time,\u201d Jeb interrupted. \u201cBen took it real hard. Kinda lost himself for bit.\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing understood \u2013 Mister Ben was a man with a big heart to wound.<\/p>\n \u201cAnyways, Adam sorta stepped in and bossed the place \u2018til Ben felt better.\u00a0\u00a0Then, little sprout took a notion and wandered off from the ranch.\u00a0\u00a0Ben snapped out of his grief, just like that. Organized the search and found Little Joe at Eagle\u2019s Nest.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou gotta ask him to tell you about it, Hop Sing,\u201d said Jeb. \u201cIt\u2019s a good story.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot long after, Ben took a notion to go up to Monterrey.\u00a0\u00a0Can\u2019t remember why.\u00a0\u00a0We was the only ranch hands left here. Jeb\u2019d hurt his back and wasn\u2019t fit to ride out. When Mr. Cartwright asked us to stay \u2018til he got back, it seemed like a good plan.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExcept he didn\u2019t come back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNope, didn\u2019t come back\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou stayed with boys?\u201d Hop Sing confirmed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat kind of men would we be to leave Adam and two little ones here to fend for themselves?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot much Christmas that year,\u201d Jeb remarked.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cWe moved into the big house to conserve fire wood and keep an eye on things.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAdam and me went and cut a little tree and drug it back to the house.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI whittled a few toys for Hoss and Joe. Nothin\u2019 special.\u00a0\u00a0Whistles and animals. We got by.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJeb, remember when Cap Stoddard got here?\u00a0\u00a0Woo, didn\u2019t he stir up the dust?\u00a0\u00a0Got things settled a bit. Put some food on the table and fixed it so the boys could make a go of the place.\u00a0\u00a0Stayed a year, didn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLittle more than a year, I recollect.\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing would have to hear more about the remarkable Captain Stoddard another time.\u00a0\u00a0At the moment, he had another puzzle to unravel.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy did you stay here, all these years?\u00a0\u00a0Boys not your boys, ranch not your home.\u201d<\/p>\n For the first time, Shorty seemed a bit riled. \u201cThese are good boys that didn\u2019t deserve nothin\u2019 that happened to \u2018em.\u00a0\u00a0If you\u2019d a seen them, I know you wouldn\u2019t have left them either.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThose young\u2019uns don\u2019t have a bitter bone in their bodies.\u201d Jeb added,\u00a0\u00a0\u201cLose their ma and pa in the same year?\u00a0\u00a0Lots of kids would go wrong.\u00a0\u00a0Not these three.\u00a0\u00a0All those years they worked and made do. Tried to live up to the example their pa always set.\u00a0\u00a0They done right by him, let me tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cForgive me, please. I did not mean to give offense.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe know you didn\u2019t mean nothin\u2019, Hop Sing. Want some more coffee?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Ponderosa is home as long as we\u2019re needed. It\u2019s been a good place for us, hasn\u2019t it, Shorty?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYep.\u00a0\u00a0Long time past, we was thinkin\u2019 of finding a little piece of land to work ourselves.\u00a0\u00a0Doesn\u2019t seem very important these days. Got more of a home and family here than we\u2019d ever had in our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing hid a smile.\u00a0\u00a0He knew that Mister Ben held a deed to a pretty parcel of land that he would present at Christmas to these men.\u00a0\u00a0They could take possession any time they were ready.<\/p>\n \u201cMust go now. Many thanks for hospitality.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0The two kind men encouraged him to stay a bit, but Hop Sing was firm.\u00a0\u00a0He had a great deal of work to do and a great deal to think about.<\/p>\n Bundled back into his coat, Jeb wrapped the scarf around Hop Sing\u2019s head to shield his eyes from the glare.<\/p>\n \u201cYou still thinkin\u2019 about going to California?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMuch to think about. Many thanks. Come to big house for supper tonight. Have baked a pie and boys wish to play checkers with you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, don\u2019t that sound fine. We\u2019ll be there.\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing faced the icy path back to the ranch house with a lighter heart. He supposed he could become accustomed to this treacherous sun here in the mountains. He began planning an important letter to his father.\u00a0\u00a0If Hop Sing was making a home in Nevada territory, perhaps his father could be persuaded to do the same.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The End Character: Hop Sing<\/p>\n Prompt: Yearning for the sun<\/p>\n
\nRestitution
\n<\/a>All Through the Night <\/a>
\nSignificance<\/a>
\nHomesick<\/a><\/p>\n
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\n~*~*~ Advent Calendar ~*~*~
\n* Day 12 *<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n
\nMerry Christmas<\/p>\n