{"id":39432,"date":"2022-08-17T16:26:30","date_gmt":"2022-08-17T20:26:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=39432"},"modified":"2025-09-25T15:38:01","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T19:38:01","slug":"diversions-by-vcls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=39432","title":{"rendered":"Diversions (by Belle)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0\u00a0di-ver-sion\u00a0\u00a0noun\u00a0 <\/em>1. an instance of turning something aside from its course.\u00a0 2. an activity that diverts the mind from tedious or serious concerns; a recreation or pastime.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>Rating:\u00a0 K+<\/p>\n

Word Count: 6673<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

It was a fact that if a man didn\u2019t care for summers hot enough to cook the blood from his very bones, Virginia City was, perhaps, not the ideal location. It was also a fact that a man born in the locale should have long been accustomed to the climate.\u00a0 Some might say that man should have already figured out that feeling ornery and out-of-sorts because of the weather was a poor use of time. The way Joe saw it, those folks could keep their opinions to themselves.<\/p>\n

It was one of those days when rain was a threat that should have been a promise. There might be sporadic streaks of lightning illuminating the dark clouds clustered around distant mountain tops, but in town there were only gusts of hot wind lifting the dust and muck of C Street high enough to coat the back of Little Joe Cartwright\u2019s neck with grit.<\/p>\n

Sweat dripped and spread from his neck down under the tan shirt making his back itch like no one\u2019s business.\u00a0 Rolling his shoulders in frustration, he looked around for something to ease his general level of aggravation at the world. Fortuitously, quite a big target stepped out of the mercantile with a large sack of grain balanced on each meaty shoulder.<\/p>\n

Hoss heaved the grain sacks into the back of the wagon hard enough to nearly shake Joe off the wagon seat.\u00a0 Maybe big brother was a feeling a touch out-of-sorts himself. He sure didn\u2019t look his usual sunny self.<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s shirt was sweat-soaked and clung to his chest and arms. Fat drops of stinging moisture rolled down his forehead into the blue eyes. Giving up on all pretense of not seeming affected by the heat, Hoss leaned over the side of the wagon, dropped his head onto his arms and breathed hard.<\/p>\n

Not one to let an opportunity pass him by, Joe hopped lightly down from the rig, giving Hoss\u2019s ribs an affectionate pat. After sliding the big man\u2019s hat off his head, he fanned the back of his brother\u2019s neck vigorously for a few moments- so vigorously the tall white hat slipped right through Joe\u2019s fingers and fell to the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, brother\u201d Joe said, \u201cI\u2019ll just brush this off.\u201d\u00a0 Poor old Hoss, too overheated for a proper response, grunted in response.<\/p>\n

Quietly, quietly (and Little Joe could be very quiet when properly motivated), he stepped over to the horse trough and dragged Hoss\u2019s hat through the water. He lifted the hat, heavy now with less than pristine water, and tossed the contents over the unsuspecting man\u2019s neck and head.<\/p>\n

The resulting howl was a satisfying diversion. Joe laughed until he had to sit down, still giggling and clutching his aching sides.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, you think that\u2019s funny, do ya?\u201d\u00a0 Joe didn\u2019t have to actually answer to assure Hoss and the crowd gathered to watch the fun, that yes, he did think it\u2019d been funny.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s see how you like it.\u201d Before Joe had a chance to make a run for it, he was grabbed and tossed over Hoss\u2019s shoulder like one of those blasted sacks of grain. It didn\u2019t take much imagination to figure out what brother had in mind.\u00a0 Joe\u2019s squirming and hollerin\u2019 didn\u2019t do a bit of good.\u00a0 He found himself tossed into that same horse trough \u2013 clothes, hat, boots, and gun belt soaked through \u2013 to the general amusement and applause of the crowd.<\/p>\n

At least he was cooler.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you two clowns are through making spectacles of yourselves, the stagecoach has just pulled up. Think you can make yourself presentable, Joseph?\u201d\u00a0 Adam wasn\u2019t fooling anyone. He\u2019d enjoyed the \u201cspectacle\u201d as much as anyone.<\/p>\n

Could he make himself presentable? Guess it depended on your definition of presentable. Suppose he had to give it the old Cartwright try.\u00a0 Squeezing handfuls of his hair eliminated some of the moisture. He even took a couple of minutes to dump the water out of his boots for all the good it did.\u00a0 He still made squelching noises with every step.<\/p>\n

By the time he made it to the stage, his brothers had found the package Pa had sent them for and a couple of old friends to boot.<\/p>\n

One of his favorite people in the world, Constance Milner, was there\u2014in dusty, creased traveling clothes yet busily fussing over Hoss, patting his shoulder and trying to smooth his thin, damp hair back to respectability. Her abundant blond hair, coiled neatly under her bonnet, might now be more streaked with gray than gold, but in his mind\u2019s eye, she would always be the prettiest and liveliest of his mother\u2019s friends.<\/p>\n

She and Joe had known each other his entire life. More than happy to preserve Marie Cartwright\u2019s memory and step in to help as needed, \u201cAunt\u201d Connie had been a sympathetic port in many a childhood storm for all three brothers. Adam had even been the best man at her son, Riley\u2019s, wedding.<\/p>\n

After influenza swept through the area, all four Cartwrights had been pallbearers at the funerals of Riley and his young wife, Catherine.<\/p>\n

Riley\u2019s only child, Jude, was nearby, rattling off a long-winded story into Adam\u2019s willing ear.<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Joe, darling!\u201d\u00a0 Connie\u2019s gimlet eye took in his sorry state, and she wheeled around to chastise the person responsible for his condition.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam Cartwright! Where were you when your brothers got into such a state?\u00a0 Look at poor Joe, soaked to the skin and filthy besides.\u00a0 I taught you better than that.\u00a0 These two scamps are your responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

Connie slapped Adam\u2019s shoulder with her fan while he helplessly shrugged at the rebuke.\u00a0 There was no use arguing with Connie when she had a head full of steam.\u00a0 \u201cNow, don\u2019t pout, sweetheart. I\u2019m sure you do the best you can. They\u2019re a handful, I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, come here, and give me a hug.\u00a0 Careful, dear, don\u2019t ruin my dress.\u201d Joe obliged his favorite lady of a certain age while taking enormous pleasure in making faces over her shoulder at Adam, who reciprocated by mouthing dire threats of retaliation.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrams! Grams!\u201d Jude hated to see anyone else (even Cartwrights) monopolizing his grandmother\u2019s attention. \u201cAin\u2019t it time to see Grandpa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHush, child. Virginia City is loud enough without you adding to the noise. Jude, stop pulling at grandmother\u2019s sleeve; yes, it\u2019s time to go see your grandfather.\u00a0 Hoss, dear, would you grab up that yellow and black trunk?\u00a0 Thank you, you always were the sweetest boy. Now, how did Oren look the last time you all saw him?\u201d<\/p>\n

How did Oren look?\u00a0 Joe wasn\u2019t sure about his brothers, but the last time he\u2019d seen Oren Milner was months ago when they\u2019d all put Connie and Jude on the stagecoach to visit Jude\u2019s other grandma in St. Louis.<\/p>\n

\u201cAunt Connie, I can\u2019t remember the last time I saw him. Why ain\u2019t Oren here to meet you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose your paths just haven\u2019t crossed, Hoss. I didn\u2019t telegram him that we were coming.\u00a0 I wanted it to be a surprise. He just loves surprises!\u201d<\/p>\n

Aunt Connie knew her husband better than anyone else, Joe supposed. Connie loved surprises, no doubt, but he would have guessed that Uncle Oren didn\u2019t like surprises at all.\u00a0 Unexpected situations seemed to unsettle him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you intend to get home, Aunt Connie?\u201d Trust Adam to be practical.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was planning on renting a rig.\u201d That wouldn\u2019t do at all.\u00a0 No Cartwright worthy of the name was going to allow an honorary aunt to drive herself and a seven-year-old boy down those dusty trails home to a man that wasn\u2019t even expecting her. Nope, Joe and his brothers had Connie and Jude (along with their trunk) in the wagon and pointed toward home before she could think of a good reason not to go along with them.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and my cousin, Len, he\u2019s sixteen-years-old, he was showing me how to do leatherwork.\u00a0 He says I got a talent for it . . . look here at this piece . . . I braided it myself mostly . . . do you think I got a talent? Len gave me a whole pouch of leather pieces so I can make more stuff\u2014woah, that was a big bump. We\u2019re almost there, aren\u2019t we?\u201d<\/p>\n

The good thing about having a conversation with Jude was that a feller didn\u2019t have to say much to hold up his end of the talk. A \u201cyup\u201d here and there, and maybe throwing in a \u201cya don\u2019t say\u201d kept the little guy going without hardly stopping to take a breath. It left Hoss plenty of time to slap the reins, keep the wagon on the road, and enjoy the day.<\/p>\n

If the heat hadn\u2019t been so oppressive, the journey to Connie and Oren\u2019s farm would have been perfectly pleasant. After all, their day\u2019s chores were accomplished, and they had the unexpected diversion of spending time with their dear friends.<\/p>\n

The conversation was lively, between Connie\u2019s expert storytelling and little Jude\u2019s unintentional witticisms, the miles flew by. The entire party was looking forward to a joyful reunion with Oren, and the closer they got the more eager everyone became.<\/p>\n

They\u2019d just come up on the farmhouse, pretty as a picture with flower boxes overflowing with blooms wilted from the heat and chickens pecking away at the grass in front of the house, when Hoss felt a little something tickling the back of his throat. Something sweet-sour and not at all pleasant.\u00a0 A side glance at the young\u2019un confirmed that Jude was busy jawing at Little Joe, who was riding alongside the wagon. Aunt Connie looked about ready to jump down from the wagon before the wheels even stopped moving, her face alight with excitement at the prospect of seeing her Oren.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d His brother glanced at him, concern etched over his face. Maybe Adam smelled it, too. Bringing his horse over to Hoss\u2019s side of the wagon, Adam leaned in to speak in a soft voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you keep Connie and Jude here while Joe and I check it out?\u201d Hoss gave a yank on the reins, slowing the wagon to a smooth stop.\u00a0 A quick word from Adam had Joe trotting alongside him and up to the porch.\u00a0 They both dismounted and went into the house, calling for Oren.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss?\u201d Connie\u2019s eyes weren\u2019t eager and tender now; they were shining with terror. The handkerchief she pressed over her mouth and nose suggested she\u2019d picked up on what had likely happened. She had young Jude\u2019s wrist in a firm grip, preventing him from leaving her side. The three of them watched Joe step back out onto the porch.\u00a0 Hoss knew it was bad news just from the way his brother moved, head drooped down to his chest, sleeve swiped across his mouth and nose.<\/p>\n

When Joe caught their eyes, he gave a solemn shake of his head. That\u2019s all it took to make poor Connie sigh and fall weakly into Hoss\u2019s arms.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Things had gone all fuzzy and dark. Then, she was back \u2013 out of the wagon now and lying under that redbud tree Oren had planted the year Riley was born.\u00a0 She hadn\u2019t been out too long; she was certain.\u00a0 Long enough for Jude to fall into a tizzy.\u00a0 He was pressed against Little Joe\u2019s shoulder while Hoss wiped a wet cloth against her face and Adam patted her hand.<\/p>\n

Thinking of dear Riley always did make her heart clench, and now Oren . . . Connie squeezed her eyes shut again and prayed to the Holy Mother to give her strength to withstand this new pain.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m all right,\u201d she said. Saints above, she barely heard her own voice. Tried again. \u201cI\u2019m all right.\u201d That was better, stronger.\u00a0 Hoss and Adam helped her to sit up while she sipped at the water fetched by Little Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me.\u201d And so they did. Adam and Joe had found Oren in bed, clad in his nightshirt with his rosary clasped in his hands and a carved wooden box at hand. The boys thought he might have been dead for a day or two. \u00a0Oren must have had a feeling about what was coming, she reckoned. If only she had sent word that they were coming home, maybe he could have held on a little longer, maybe he could have passed away in her arms rather than all alone . . .<\/p>\n

She came back quicker this time. Poor Jude was sobbing hard now. She\u2019d probably scared him\u00a0\u00a0 . . . thought he going to lose his grandma, too.<\/p>\n

What was Adam saying to her?\u00a0 It was so hard to concentrate.<\/p>\n

\u201cConnie, Hoss and Little Joe are going to take you and Jude to the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no, no! We can\u2019t leave him. We can\u2019t leave Oren. I need to take care of him . . .\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShhhh. It\u2019s all right. The house isn\u2019t in a fit state for you and Jude right now.\u00a0 I\u2019ll stay right here with Oren until Pa and Hop Sing get here. We\u2019ll take care of everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

She understood Adam was right, but, oh, she didn\u2019t like it one bit.\u00a0 She should sit with Oren until the priest came.\u00a0 But, she could trust the Cartwright boys, and honestly, she didn\u2019t have the strength to fuss about it.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I need . . .\u00a0 the carved box you said Oren had near him . . . we need a priest . . .\u00a0 Oren has a plot for us in the Silver Terrace cemetery, next to . . . Riley and Catherine.<\/p>\n

That was all she could manage, and it had to be enough.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Ritual accompanies death. Lord knows, Adam was familiar with it. Seemed the people you cared about were hardly there any time at all before it was time to say good-bye.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d figured out long ago that attending to practical things helped \u2013 provided grief-stricken folks with a diversion. So, when Connie had gone mute with grief, Adam had taken charge.\u00a0 He\u2019d retrieved the items Connie had requested.\u00a0 He\u2019d helped Hoss get Connie and Jude into the wagon and started them toward the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

Little Joe had been sent to Virginia City to fetch the priest and whatever else might be required.\u00a0 Oren and Connie weren\u2019t the sort for a few words said over a rustic grave. She wanted Oren to have a funeral mass at St. Mary\u2019s and be buried in the Catholic part of the Silver Terrace. Adam could help that happen.<\/p>\n

He figured he\u2019d see Pa and Hop Sing coming along soon.\u00a0 Maybe Hop Sing could think of some way to freshen the air in the house. Adam had every window wide open, and he\u2019d borrowed some of Connie\u2019s cologne to sprinkle on the handkerchief he tied around his face whenever he went inside.<\/p>\n

While he waited for help to arrive, he fed and watered the animals.\u00a0 They\u2019d suffered a just a little from the unintentional neglect.\u00a0 He pumped water and brought it inside to use later. As twilight started to descend, he tied that perfumed cloth around his face so that he could light a lantern near Oren.<\/p>\n

As the bright, heated day softened to a warm moonlit night, Adam sat down on the porch steps and watched the stars appear.\u00a0 If he shed a few tears for the dear old man who\u2019d been part of their lives since his boyhood, well, no one was there to see.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

It had been one of the longest nights he could remember. Hoss had gotten Connie and Jude to the Ponderosa just as Hop Sing had supper laid out. Telling Pa about Oren had been hard, those two had been friends since before Little Joe was born. But Pa always knew what to do and when to do it.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t the time to sit and grieve.\u00a0 It was time to take care of Oren, Connie and Jude.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing was a whirlwind of decisive action when things got rough.\u00a0 Hoss\u2019d explained as best he knew how about the condition of the farmhouse and Oren\u2019s body and Hop Sing had taken care of the rest.\u00a0 One of the hands had unloaded the wagon, and then loaded it back up with the supplies Hop Sing had chosen.\u00a0 He and Pa had rattled out of the yard not much more than an hour after hearing the sorry news.<\/p>\n

Feeding everyone helped a little. Maybe no one had much appetite, but that didn\u2019t mean they didn\u2019t need food. Bringing in their luggage gave them a sense of order.\u00a0 Placing Connie and Oren\u2019s carved box carefully on Pa\u2019s desk provided comfort.<\/p>\n

By the time, Hoss had settled Connie and Jude in the guest room (they couldn\u2019t bear to be apart), he was shaking with the kind of emotion that keeps a feller up all night even when his body begs for sleep.<\/p>\n

So, Hoss put that emotion to good use. He made some strong coffee, cleaned up the dishes and kitchen, lit lamps in the family room and porch, and pulled the blue velvet chair to face the front door.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d be ready to greet and comfort his family members as they straggled in through this long night.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

It was well into the afternoon before Joe stumbled out of bed, bleary-eyed and sweating from the heat of his bedroom. His growling stomach reminded him that the sandwich Hoss had made for him in the wee hours of the morning was long gone.<\/p>\n

Of all people, Connie met him at the foot of the stairs, with a pot of coffee in her hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I heard you stirring around,\u201d she told him quietly as she shooed him toward the front porch.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t want to wake up Hop Sing. He and your pa didn\u2019t make it back until the gray of dawn\u201d<\/p>\n

Outside on the porch sat Jude and Hoss at a table loaded with fried potatoes, ham and biscuits.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you cook all of this?\u201d Joe was amazed . . . and grateful and a little ashamed of himself for being amazed and grateful. \u201cWe should be taking care of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Connie waved off his concern. \u201cYou all have done nothing but take care of\u00a0 me and Jude since we rolled into town yesterday.\u00a0 It\u2019s the least I can do.\u201d She sighed as she dropped into her own chair. \u201cBesides, it helps a little to bustle around.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe couldn\u2019t think of a thing to say to ease the tension. Luckily for all of them, Hoss had it well in hand.\u00a0 He asked Jude about his cousins, what sort of animals they had, and by the way, when did he lose that tooth? The story of the loose tooth, a long string and a slammed door had them all laughing hard.<\/p>\n

It all felt so easy and natural that Joe forgot why they were sitting together, and when he remembered, he began to feel a little ashamed again. What was he doing laughing and enjoying himself when they had just lost Oren?<\/p>\n

He\u2019d forgotten how deeply Connie understood him.\u00a0 It always seemed like she could see right through to his heart.\u00a0 She let Joe finish his food in silence, and she fussed at Hoss and Jude until they swore they couldn\u2019t eat another bite.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Jude, you may be excused.\u00a0 Can you find something quiet to do outside?\u201d The little boy showed her the pouch of leather pieces and scampered over to the bench under the big pine in the yard.<\/p>\n

Joe watched her stacking up the dirty dishes to take inside. He knew she was going to tell him how disappointed she was in his behavior.\u00a0 He thought Hoss might be a little worried, too.\u00a0 His brother was worrying at a little jagged piece of wood sticking out of the table and avoiding Connie\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoys, having Oren . . . Riley and Catherine . . . Marie \u201c she reached out and grasped Joe\u2019s hand, \u201cin my life was such a blessing.\u00a0 To have known them and loved them, what more could I ask?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI just wish,\u201d Joe said, \u201cit could have been longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo do I, and I won\u2019t pretend that my heart doesn\u2019t ache and my tears aren\u2019t ready to spill. But . . .\u201d and she took hold of Hoss\u2019s hand as well, \u201cthat doesn\u2019t mean I don\u2019t want to remember the good times and the fun. Do you remember what Oren used to say about tears and laughter?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss remembered first, \u201cHe said, that laughter and tears were two sides of the same coin.\u00a0 You can laugh until you cry, and cry until you laugh.\u201d Hoss nudged Joe\u2019s shoulder gently. \u201cAnd Oren always said a sincere man shouldn\u2019t be ashamed of his laughter or his tears.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Connie said. \u201cHe wouldn\u2019t want anyone to pussyfoot around all down cast\u00a0 . . .\u00a0 just . . . because he wasn\u2019t here to share in the joke . . . because . . . believe me . . . boys . . . he\u2019s here laughing with us . . . and crying with us . . . just like always . . . I don\u2019t need to see him to know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe gathered his favorite aunt into his arms while Hoss patted her back.\u00a0 They all had a good cry and felt better afterwards for it.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe! Hoss! Look what I brung for you!\u201d Jude dashed onto the porch, nearly\u00a0 knocking over a chair in his excitement.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Brought\u2019, not \u2018brung,\u2019 child.\u201d Connie corrected him, \u201cWhat have you got there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI made \u2019em. One for Hoss and one for Joe. Look.\u201d\u00a0 Jude thrust two lumps of braided leather out for inspection.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Jude, those . . . look mighty fine. Don\u2019t they, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never saw anything like \u2019em.\u201d Joe glanced at his brother for help. Hoss shrugged, seemed he didn\u2019t know what they were looking at, either.<\/p>\n

Jude\u2019s face was alight with pleasure. \u201cI made \u2019em because you all have been so nice, and I love you.\u00a0 I got more for your pa, Adam, and Hop Sing.\u00a0 You can keep \u2019em in your pocket in case you get in trouble and need them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike, like a rabbit\u2019s foot? For luck?\u201d Hoss, bless him, was trying to figure out where the boy was coming from.<\/p>\n

\u201cNah, a rabbit\u2019s foot is for kid\u2019s stuff. This is for real help, you know, like when things are going bad, and you\u2019re praying hard to make things right.\u00a0 Like the feller I\u2019m named after.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSaint Jude,\u201d Connie said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, him.\u201d Jude must have noticed how puzzled Joe was because he leapt right into an explanation. \u201cJude was a good friend of Jesus, and he\u2019s in Heaven with him.\u00a0 He hears real good, especially when people say his name. \u00a0And when they ask for a miracle, sometimes that\u2019s what they get.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSaint Jude sends a miracle?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNoooo,\u201d Young Jude must have thought Joe was incredibly thick not to catch on to his meaning. The boy sighed, \u201cHe goes over and asks Jesus for a miracle. He might say, my friend has been having a bad time and don\u2019t know what to do.\u00a0 Then, Jesus thinks about it, and lots of times sends a miracle because St. Jude asked him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay.\u201d Joe accepted the leatherwork and tucked it into his pocket. \u201cI\u2019ll remember that in case I ever need a miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n

It must have been the right thing to say because Jude absolutely beamed. After giving Joe and Hoss quick hugs, he started to the front door.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you dare, young man!\u201d Connie stopped the boy in his tracks.\u00a0 Apparently, she could read Jude\u2019s mind as well. \u201cMr. Cartwright and the others are tryin\u2019 to rest. You can give them their gifts at supper. Go see if you can help out in the barn.\u201d<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Connie sat down carefully in Ben\u2019s leather desk chair- a bit shy of borrowing the place she was so accustomed to seeing Ben command.\u00a0 The boys had insisted, though, just like they\u2019d insisted on clearing the table and doing the washing up.<\/p>\n

She placed the carved wooden box in front of her and opened it with shaking hands. This was, perhaps, the last thing Oren had touched before he died.\u00a0 What had been on his mind?<\/p>\n

Oh, darling man . . . even in his last hours, he\u2019d thought of her and Jude. On top lay the photograph made in Carson City when Jude was just a baby. Riley was so handsome . . . looked just like his daddy. You could really see it with the two of them posed side by side. Catherine had held Jude so carefully; she looked awestruck and besotted at the same time as if she couldn\u2019t believe this infant wrapped in yards of linen and lace was really hers to keep. Connie could remember that day so clearly, and she could almost feel Oren\u2019s hand on her shoulder now, just as it was in the photograph.\u00a0 It would be so easy to get lost in memories when she really needed to look through this box.<\/p>\n

Beneath the photograph was a copy of Oren\u2019s will \u2013 a glance told her it was the same document she was familiar with so she put it aside for the time being. Tucked inside the same envelope was a copy of the receipt for their plots in the Silver Terrace Cemetery along with a short note on the sort of coffin he preferred. That man always did make her smile with his organized ways. She sure would miss it.<\/p>\n

At the bottom of the box was something she didn\u2019t expect at all.\u00a0 Oren had gathered up an assortment of lead soldiers that had been Riley\u2019s and put them all in a new leather pouch along with \u2013<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing\u2019s up and done chased us out of his kitchen.\u201d Hoss told her.\u00a0 She hadn\u2019t heard the two boys come into the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope he got a bit of rest,\u201d Connie said. \u201cBoys, do you remember seeing something like this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHah! That looks like one of those \u2018treasure\u2019 maps that Oren would draw for us when we were young\u2019uns.\u00a0 See that, Joe, a map with an \u2018X\u2019 on it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Connie smiled at their excitement. Oren had loved children, and he\u2019d loved to feed their imaginations.\u00a0 Treasure maps were something of a specialty of his. He\u2019d draw a map and hide a little something \u2013 toys or a book \u2013 for the children to find.\u00a0 He\u2019d done it for Riley and Adam, and then for Hoss and Joe.<\/p>\n

The last time they had talked about it, Oren had feared Jude was too small for treasure hunting. It looked like he\u2019d changed his mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs this a new map?\u201d Joe asked, \u201cDo you think it\u2019s for Jude?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure of it. See . . . here\u2019s a bag full of Riley\u2019s old toy soldiers. Oren had been saving them to give to Jude . . .\u00a0 on a special occasion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oh, getting choked up now wouldn\u2019t do.\u00a0 She took a moment to breathe and compose herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere does the map start?\u201d Joe had loved those excursions. Connie could tell he was excited on Jude\u2019s behalf. Rather than trying to explain, she merely handed the map to Joe and Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, Hoss, the starting point is \u2018Marie\u2019s Place.\u2019\u00a0 That\u2019s what he used to call the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s the map tell ya to find the treasure?\u201d She had to smile. Hoss was getting into the spirit of the game \u2013 so much so that he snatched the map from his little brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks to me like \u201cX\u201d marks a spot somewhere around Drifter Creek. Funny how close this is to the Ponderosa. I\u2019d have figured he\u2019d make the treasure close to your place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Connie knew now just what Oren had in mind. \u201cI think he counted on you boys to take over this tradition with Jude, and this was a good way to get started.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAunt Connie, can me and Hoss have this map and the bag? So we can plan the treasure hunt for Jude?\u201d<\/p>\n

Connie never could resist Joe\u2019s puppy dog eyes.\u00a0 She surrendered the items gladly, confident that her Cartwright boys would honor Oren\u2019s wishes.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Joe tugged at Hoss\u2019s elbow until they were both back on the front porch.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got an idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have the energy for your shenanigans today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on,\u201d Joe said, \u201cthis is for Jude.\u00a0 Let\u2019s take this map and go hide the treasure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYa mean, now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, that way when everyone comes back here for the wake, you and me can take Jude out and let him find his Grandpa\u2019s last gift.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph, take a look at the sky. It\u2019s gonna start raining any time now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to do it now! The funeral\u2019s tomorrow afternoon, and there won\u2019t be time to do it otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can do it first thing in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t. We\u2019ll never be able to slip away from Jude in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. It\u2019s a bad idea.\u00a0 We can do the treasure hunt some other time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFine,\u201d Joe huffed at him. \u201cIt\u2019ll be your fault when poor little Jude is cryin\u2019 and depressed during the wake.\u00a0 Nothing else to think about except his poor old grandpa is gone.\u00a0 Nothing else to do than let ladies come up and pinch his cheek.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cC\u2019mon . . .\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOr . . . we can take him to find the treasure, and he\u2019ll have a nice warm memory of his Grandpa Oren planning this for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, all right. Let\u2019s get a move on so we can be back before the storm.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew you\u2019d see the light. Don\u2019t worry, I\u2019ve got just the spot, and it ain\u2019t too far away.\u201d<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Hoss knew this had been a bad idea. Why couldn\u2019t he have just told Joseph, \u201cNo\u201d when the kid came up with this hare-brained idea. Oh, right, he had said, \u201cno.\u201d\u00a0 He even said it several times.\u00a0 Problem was, at some point, he\u2019d said \u201cyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe hadn\u2019t noticed yet, but a powerful storm was just about to kick their butts. By the time they\u2019d reached the place Joe had decided would be the treasure spot, it\u2019d been raining for a quarter of an hour. Just a light rain, mind you. In a lot of ways, it felt good to have fresh air and a cool rain blowing across their faces. The horses liked it, too. Their ears perked up, and they were stepping a bit livelier.<\/p>\n

The thing was, Hoss had started seeing flashes of lightning in the western sky, maybe two to three minutes apart. The sky had gotten a lot darker too, like it was almost twilight\u2014though Hoss knew that wasn\u2019t so.\u00a0 When the wind picked up strong, he decided to put a stop to things.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, hold up, we need to find some sort of shelter. We\u2019re fixin\u2019 to be in the middle of a bad storm. Don\u2019t know about you, but I don\u2019t aim to be a lightning rod.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe obediently pulled up, but Hoss could tell he didn\u2019t understand how serious things were getting.\u00a0 Rather than scouting out some place to ride out the coming storm, he slid off Cochise\u2019s back, grabbed that little pouch of lead solders, and jogged downhill toward a little ravine.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo . . . Joe, come back here right now.\u201d That kid didn\u2019t have a lick of sense.\u00a0 Apparently, he\u2019d had seen the right spot, a depression under the roots of a big ol\u2019 pine tree. He tucked the little pouch under the tree and came trudging back, whistling a tune like there was all the time in the world.<\/p>\n

Something in the air changed right about then, and Hoss witnessed firsthand what he\u2019d only heard his father tell stories about.<\/p>\n

To his amazement, there was a blue-violet glow around the brim of his brother\u2019s hat, especially bright and even crackling sparks at the point of the crown. To his horror, Hoss saw the same glow lighting up the tips of the horses\u2019 ears.\u00a0 He knew what this was, just couldn\u2019t remember what was it called . . .\u00a0 St Elmo\u2019s Fire. Lightning!!<\/p>\n

Hoss was off his horse faster than he could blink.\u00a0 He gave both horses hard swats on the rump to get them moving anywhere their native wisdom would take them.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Joe was staring at him with wide, unbelieving eyes. Hoss figured his own hat must be glowing, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cDown, boy! Throw off that gun belt and crouch down like I showed you to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss didn\u2019t waste any time following his own instructions. His gun belt was on the ground before he\u2019d finished talking. Thank God, Joe had finally snapped to attention. He\u2019d shed his belt and was crouched down, face tucked down on his knees, arms wrapped around himself\u2014the only part of him touching the ground was his boots. Good, that was good.<\/p>\n

The sky was flashing with bolts of fire too numerous to count. Rain pelted the ground as Hoss lowered himself into the crouch.\u00a0 Too bad he wasn\u2019t as skinny and limber as his brother. It was a little hard to stay low and small like that, balanced without touching the ground or anything else with his hands. When the hair on his arm started to stand up, Hoss knew it was gonna be close.<\/p>\n

When the lightning stuck, it hit a lone pine tree about two hundred yards from them, turning the timber into a Roman candle of fire. The explosion of heat, fuel and water was deafening, throwing dirt and debris in a wide circle.<\/p>\n

Hoss had been prepared to see the strike; he\u2019d forgotten about the sound. When that blast came, it startled him so bad, he slipped in the mud and fell flat on his back-arms thrown wide open.<\/p>\n

That turned out to be about the worst thing that could have happened. Almost as soon as he hit the ground, he tasted metal and felt an enormous punch down low on his back.\u00a0 His whole body felt tight, his ears were ringing like nobody\u2019s business, and he saw nothing but white light until he saw nothing at all.<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

The rain was pounding down, hitting the ground so hard the soil was being churned into mud.<\/p>\n

Lord, that strike had been close. Joe had had his eyes shut the whole time, and when the bolt of lightning hit the tree, he\u2019d missed the show. When the explosion had come, he\u2019d squeezed his eyes closed so tight, they were still aching.<\/p>\n

At first, he couldn\u2019t see anything through the onslaught of rain but a cloud of smoky haze around the burned tree. Luckily, the rain was putting out the fire.\u00a0 A blessing for sure, the heat had dried up the forest something awful. It wouldn\u2019t have been the first time that lightning had started a big fire.<\/p>\n

It took him too long to find Hoss. Funny how it never occurred to Joe to be afraid for his brother. After all, the lightning hadn\u2019t hurt him<\/em> at all. But when he saw Hoss unmoving on that muddy ground, arms flung wide open, he got real scared, real fast.<\/p>\n

It was hard to stand up; his legs wouldn\u2019t seem to hold him he was shaking so hard. He scrambled over to his brother\u2019s side and shook those big shoulders just as hard as he knew how. He shouted his name and even slapped the full cheeks. It did no good.<\/p>\n

Hoss was gone.<\/p>\n

Panic stole his breath. Remorse sent him to his knees.\u00a0 Grief covered his face with tears. Through it all, he stared at his brother\u2019s corpse\u2014sightless eyes open and unblinking despite the downpour, skin gray with death.<\/p>\n

Why? Why!?!<\/em> \u00a0He couldn\u2019t have listened to reason. Nope, just had to charge ahead and take Hoss with him. But . . . dear Lord, how could he have known?\u00a0 He\u2019d only wanted to create a little distraction, a little break from everything.\u00a0 This . . . shouldn\u2019t have happened.\u00a0 If he could only go back and make things right. Stupid, stupid. There was no making this all right, nothing would ever make anything all right again. What could he do . . .?<\/p>\n

The godawful rain was making such a mess, splattering Hoss\u2019s dear face with mud. Joe dug into his pocket to pull out his handkerchief. The least he could do was wipe the mud away. When all Joe came up with was the lump of braided leather, he wanted to scream with frustration.<\/p>\n

Dear God, what did it matter? The very worst of worst things had happened. It would take a miracle, and Joe hadn\u2019t thought to put a miracle in his pocket. Except . . .<\/p>\n

Joe crawled over and covered Hoss\u2019s cold body as best he could \u2013protecting him from the downpour, even though it probably didn\u2019t matter.\u00a0 He let the rain pelt down on his own head and back while he prayed harder than he\u2019d ever prayed before, \u201cPlease, please, please . . .\u201d<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

The rain slackened to little drips and drops, like it tends to do. Summer squalls were known to blow through in a few minutes. The air felt cooler, and the sunlight burst through the clouds bright enough to sparkle in the shallow puddles.<\/p>\n

Hoss hurt all over, and he didn\u2019t mind admitting to it.\u00a0 His eyes were full of grit, he was laying all sprawled out in the mud, and for some reason Joe was sprawled on top of him, muttering and crying at the same time.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe,\u201d he wheezed and then coughed, \u201cJoe, are you hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stopped his muttering and pushed up so he could look Hoss in the face. \u201cWhat did you say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI said,\u201d Hoss put some volume into his voice this time. He knew that a lightning strike could damage a man\u2019s hearing. \u201cAre you hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n

What Joe did then convinced Hoss that his little brother must have taken a knock to the head in the storm. Joe took Hoss\u2019s face between his hands and started kissing his cheeks and his forehead. It was embarrassing, and Hoss didn\u2019t know what to make of it. Finally, he caught hold of Joe and pushed him back a mite.<\/p>\n

\u201cCut it out! I ain\u2019t that kind of a girl! What\u2019s got into you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead of explaining, Little Joe hopped up and threw his arms wide and with his face turned to the sky, he shouted, \u201cThank you!\u201d<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Jude was taking his role of treasure hunter real serious. He\u2019d turned that map every which way and studied it with a serious eye until Hoss had shown him how to orient the map to the terrain. When Jude felt like he understood, he pointed his team of treasure hunters in the likely direction, and the three of them set off for adventure.<\/p>\n

With very little coaching, Jude managed to follow the trail shown in the map.\u00a0 The young-un was gonna be good at this someday. The three of them made it to Drifter\u2019s Creek without any trouble, and when Joe lowered the little boy to the ground, he shot off like a fox after a rabbit.<\/p>\n

\u201cJude, hang on there! That ground is wet as all get out, and you\u2019re liable to slip.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looked like Hoss was a prophet \u2018cause Jude hit a thick patch of slippery mud and slid down that hillside on his backside.\u00a0 By the time, Hoss and Joe caught up with him, the child was cryin\u2019 and holding onto his ankle.<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t take Hoss long to check him over; the little guy\u2019s ankle wasn\u2019t broken, probably not even sprained.\u00a0 More than likely, Jude was just a little unsettled by the unexpected turn of events, as anyone would be.<\/p>\n

His waterworks shut off right quick when Joe nudged him and pointed toward the edge of the pouch which could just be seen in a hole underneath a big pine tree.<\/p>\n

Jude\u2019s face was sticky with mud and tears, but he was laughing with joy at finding his treasure. When he poured those little soldiers out in Hoss\u2019s hand, Jude saw right off that they had been his pa\u2019s toys. If they all got a little watery over that\u2014well, it was nothing to be ashamed of. It was just two sides of the same coin.<\/p>\n

The End<\/p>\n

Author\u2019s Note:<\/p>\n

Written for the 2022 Ponderosa Paddlewheel Poker Tournament.\u00a0\u00a0 The game was Five Card Draw and the words and\/or phrases I was dealt were:<\/p>\n

lightning
\nleatherwork
\nphotograph
\nbones
\na map with an \u2018X\u2019<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary:\u00a0\u00a0di-ver-sion\u00a0\u00a0noun\u00a0 1. an instance of turning something aside from its course.\u00a0 2. an activity that diverts the mind from tedious or serious concerns; a recreation or pastime.
\nRating:\u00a0 K+
\nWord Count: 6673<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":23242,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[158],"class_list":["post-39432","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-challenges","tag-pppt","wpcat-40-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1087,"today_views":2},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Ponderosa-Paddlewheel-boat.jpg?fit=225%2C225&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7576,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7576","url_meta":{"origin":39432,"position":0},"title":"Just A Quick Trip (by DJK)","author":"DJK","date":"May 9, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0Adam\u2019s quick trip to the necessary results in trouble. 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