{"id":64,"date":"2009-08-01T06:14:12","date_gmt":"2009-08-01T10:14:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=64"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:13:23","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:13:23","slug":"a-wolf-in-sheeps-clothing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=64","title":{"rendered":"A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (by the Giggly Sisters)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong> Did Adam really shoot Joe by accident in My Brother’s Keeper? Or was there something more sinister going on? the Giggly Sisters investigate.<\/p>\n

Rated: <\/strong> K+ (1,575 words)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright was having<\/strong> an enjoyable day at home, catching up on the accounts in the funny wee cubbyhole he glorified with the name of \u201coffice\u201d. This was a rather small, cramped space, with a window that moved from the side wall to the back wall with alarming (and rather tedious) regularity, but at least it was always placed inconveniently high. The office did have one major point in its favor: it meant that Ben could keep a close and fatherly eye upon his three sons.<\/p>\n

At the moment, the house was quiet, except for Hop Sing banging some pots and pans in the kitchen, to the accompaniment of The Eton Boating Song, in his fetching counter-tenor voice. It was safe to assume that Adam was also outside; for had he been within earshot there was no doubt that he would have attempted to accompany the diminutive factotum of the Ponderosa, despite the fact that he\u2019d only ever learned two songs in six entire seasons of the show. Ben felt it would be too soon if he never heard either Early One Morning or Sweet Betsy from Pike ever again. Even if they were sung in tune this time and without melodramatic facial expressions.<\/p>\n

Obviously, Hoss was outside too, for it was difficult to miss someone of his second son\u2019s stalwart stature. That only left Joseph. Ben looked carefully around the living room, for Joe was small enough to tuck himself away quite neatly, but there was no sign of the telltale sticky-out ears. It actually looked as he were about to have a peaceful day! Even the Giggly Sisters and their pet bear, Paw, were nowhere to be seen. Of course, they were probably with Joe: they usually were.<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s reveries were rudely interrupted by a loud gunshot, close to the house, followed by an indignant \u201cYou did that on purpose!\u201d<\/p>\n

Heaving a sigh, Ben stood up and checked his reflection in the glass of the framed map of the Ponderosa. Yup, he was wearing his mid-grey, softly curled wig, which allowed him to exude responsibility and moral rectitude, while at the same time extending a fatherly compassion.<\/p>\n

Paw came scurrying through the door, all four feet scrambling wildly on the wooden floor, followed closely by Adam, Joe and the girls.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did no such thing!\u201d Adam stated firmly. \u201cIt was an accident, pure and simple.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s voice did that agitated squeak that played havoc with the recording engineer\u2019s hearing, although pipistrelle bats found it perfectly delightful. \u201cYou tried to shoot me!\u201d<\/p>\n

“Again!” the redhead said firmly.<\/p>\n

“Accidentally-on-purpose!” the blonde stated with equal conviction.<\/p>\n

Adam glared at them and just managed to resist the temptation to throw his hat onto the ground, as he had done in The Savage. \u201cWhen will you stop going on about that?\u201d<\/p>\n

“Perhaps if you could give us a full explanation of what actually happened in My Brother\u2019s Keeper?” Ben suggested, extending his hands in supplication. He\u2019d always felt Adam’s story was a little lacking in vital details. Like what had actually happened.<\/p>\n

\u201cI already told you,\u201d Adam replied, sulkily. \u201cI thought Joe was a wolf.\u201d Even to his ears, this explanation lacked a little something. Conviction that was it! It lacked conviction.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, excuse me,\u201d said the redhead, \u201cbut even my eight year old daughter knows the difference between Joe and a wolf, even if she does have a toy wolf called Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

At this, the men of the Ponderosa exchanged glances. They were never quite sure if the redhead was serious about her children, but it was one of those things that it was better not to enquire into too deeply. Joe was quite flattered to think that Elen (whose name was spelt the Welsh way, just to confuse the world) would name her wolf after him. The blonde whispered into one sticky-out ear that she had suggested the name. Joe was even more flattered.<\/p>\n

Seeing that no one believed what he was saying, Adam made another attempt to clear things up. \u201cI saw the wolf and shot at it. Joe just got in the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe was behind the wolf,\u201d the redhead stated with the certainty of one who has watched said episode several dozen (ok, hundred!) times. \u201cI saw him perfectly clearly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs plain as the nose on your face,\u201d agreed the blonde. \u201cTry again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bullet ricocheted,\u201d Adam said, in desperation. \u201cIt must have! I\u2019m an excellent shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then draping your arm over his wounded shoulder,\u201d said the redhead reproachfully. She shook her radiant curls, and Adam wondered how come they were a different color of red than they had been when she first arrived at the ranch. \u201cYou cruel brute!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd making him wear your custard-colored coat!\u201d added the blonde. \u201cHe was obviously warm enough without it before, since he didn\u2019t have a coat.\u201d She looked at Joe lovingly. \u201cHow come you always have on a thinner coat than everyone else?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m tough,\u201d Joe said, and struck a pose that made the sisters clutch each other for support. \u201cBut I hated wearing that coat. He didn\u2019t even put my arms in the sleeves properly. And then the way I was thumped down on the seat of that buggy! Absolutely no consideration of the fact you\u2019d just shot me, seen me half-mauled to death by a wolf and then kept me out all night!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shot Adam a stern look. \u201cYou know I don\u2019t like Joe being out after dark,\u201d he intoned solemnly.<\/p>\n

Adam was feeling incredibly persecuted. \u201cI did my best under what can only be described as trying circumstances. And we were jolly lucky to have the Reardons to help us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked skeptical, but happy at the same time. The scriptwriters didn\u2019t normally write such complex emotions for him, so he was determined to make the most of this opportunity. \u201cI thought they were plumb weird,\u201d he said. \u201cMind you, I was so upset I even called Shortshanks here \u2018Mike\u2019!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were very helpful,\u201d Adam responded angrily, conscious that he had spent inordinate amounts of time with prissy-mouthed Sheila Reardon and her proselytizing father Emmet.<\/p>\n

\u201cPity they couldn\u2019t do a realistic Irish accent,\u201d interjected the blonde acerbically. \u201cWhere was the father supposed to be from?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s hardly the point!\u201d Adam protested. \u201cThey even helped me remove the bullet from Joe\u2019s shoulder.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss took a firm grip off Adam\u2019s own shoulder and regarded his brother seriously. \u201cStill, there weren\u2019t no reason to remove that there bullet with the potato peeler and the sugar tongs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou squirmed in agony!\u201d the redhead said tenderly. \u201cAnguished tossing of the head, frantic little movements of your legs!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember.\u201d Joe\u2019s brow furrowed at the memory. \u201cBut by that point, my back was giving me gip, because me dear brothers chucked me down on the bed from a great height. It was almost as bad as lying on that hideously uncomfortable sofa. Mind you, at least it\u2019s long enough so that my feet don\u2019t hang off the edge!\u201d He felt a small, furry paw edge its way into his hand and picked up Paw for a consoling cuddle.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still maintain Sheila was a great asset,\u201d Adam said stoutly. He wondered if he should get a bit more exercise. \u201cShe helped immensely with nursing Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

His younger brother grew pale and clutched Paw convulsively. \u201cYou\u2019re not telling me that you let her \u2026 that she \u2026 aw, please Adam, no?\u201d<\/p>\n

A slow smile crept over Adam\u2019s face. \u201cShe was invaluable. A real trooper.\u201d<\/p>\n

The blonde felt it was time to move the subject on to less controversial subjects.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy did you call out \u2018Joseph\u2019 when you got home?\u201d she asked curiously. \u201cYou knew he was dangerously ill, so what did you expect him to do \u2013 bounce out of bed and run downstairs?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben patted her on the knee, knowing that she was just having her little joke. Such a lovely young girl and so fond of dear Joseph. Although he did wonder if it was entirely proper to have a bear as a pet. How could he tell her he\u2019d burst through the door and then forgotten his lines?<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d he hedged, \u201che was bound to have had some of Doc Hickman\u2019s Marvelous Medicine TM, and I thought he might be up and about again.\u201d Ben heaved an inward sigh of relief; another nasty moment nearly averted.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wonder what exactly was in that medicine,\u201d the redhead mused. \u201cHe could patent it and make a lot of money.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, my dear, you know doctors,\u201d Ben said, patronizingly.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly too well,\u201d sighed the redhead, whose family seemed to use more than their share of the National Health\u2019s resources, but still never were completely well. \u201cBut I\u2019d still like to know what it was.\u201d She looked at Hoss, who had gone for the medicine, but he was in the middle of a snack, and she knew better than to disturb him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll tell you what it was,\u201d Joe stated firmly. The girls did so love it when he came over all-masterful. \u201cIt was disgusting, that was what it was!\u201d<\/p>\n

Everyone laughed and no one noticed the small, secretive smile that edged onto Adam\u2019s saturnine face. There was no doubt that he certainly harbored very deep feelings towards his baby brother \u2026<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary: Did Adam really shoot Joe by accident in My Brother’s Keeper? Or was there something more sinister going on? the Giggly Sisters investigate.<\/p>\n

Rated: K+ (1,575 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":1264,"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_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-64","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-humor","wpcat-4-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":937,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Bonanza24.jpg?fit=526%2C372&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1617,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=1617","url_meta":{"origin":64,"position":0},"title":"Trick or Treat (by the Giggly Sisters)","author":"The Giggly Sisters","date":"August 20, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Introducing the redhead\u2019s children as guest stars in this Giggly Sister Special for Halloween. 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