Summary: T<\/b>his story takes place the evening after Adam\u2019s first day filling in for Miss Scott in the episode Right is the Fourth R. While that story took a very serious turn, I thought it might be fun to examine how Adam would deal with the antics of youngsters after living in a household of adults for so many years. After facing a day of student illness, crazy questions, a black eye and a crush by a young student, Adam has to confess some shortcomings and learn a few lessons from his family.<\/p>\n
Rating: \u00a0K+ \u00a03,700<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A Little Home Schooling<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The early dusk of autumn was already settling in as Ben pushed through the door and hurriedly disposed of his gun, hat and jacket. \u201cAdam?\u201d he hollered in greeting when he didn\u2019t see his eldest son. Sport was in the barn when he\u2019d settled Buck in for the night, so he knew Adam was already home, and was anxious to hear about his first day teaching in Virginia City.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cUp here, Pa,\u201d wafted down from the upper floor.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben made his way to Adam\u2019s room, finding him with his chair tipped back\u2014feet resting on the corner of his weathered desk.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019re you doing?\u201d Ben strode across the room and rested his hands on the black-shirted shoulders while peering over to see what Adam was looking at.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cChecking notebooks, Pa. I had the students do some arithmetic problems and writing exercises so I can figure out where their skill levels lie.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThat seems wise,\u201d Ben offered and then asked, \u201cHow did it go today?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam\u2019s right brow rose and his mouth twitched as a possible answer was readied, but he finally just sighed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cRough day?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMore like puzzling.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHow so, son?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell, aside from breaking up the two fights at recess, re-braiding Millie\u2019s hair when it kept falling in her face so she couldn\u2019t see her slate, wiping runny noses and sending Jarvis Johnson home after he emptied his stomach onto his desk in one horrendous eruption\u2026 there were the other things.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSuch as?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam sighed again as he thought about releasing the information that was weighing on his mind. He wondered if his father could understand, but decided he needed to solicit another adult\u2019s point of view. \u201cThere\u2019s one girl, Emily, who got teary-eyed, and lowered her head if I so much as looked at her. Pa, I didn\u2019t do anything to make her afraid of me, yet she seemed terrified!\u201d A moment later, Adam clarified. \u201cWell, maybe one thing. But that couldn\u2019t be enough to affect her actions for the whole day.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben\u2019s voice was wary. \u201cWhat one thing?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam turned to face his father. Ben inhaled sharply as he saw the nasty red mark on his son\u2019s right cheek. \u201cWho hit you?\u201d *<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo one hit me, Pa. It was an accident\u2014with that same girl. I was doing attendance; calling out names so I could attach a face to each one, and had called Emily Mills at least three times with no response. Emily is the daughter of Martin Mills\u2014you know, the lawyer who\u2019s done some deed work for us?\u201d Adam saw his father nod. \u201cEven though I knew Emily, I wanted her to acknowledge her name just as the rest of the class was doing. But as I walked toward her desk, I realized that she was hunched forward\u2014much as Jarvis was just prior to being sick\u2014and feared she was ill as well. When I got to her, I leaned over to ask if she needed help.\u201d The bruise under Adam\u2019s eye glowed as a blush flooded his face. \u201cI obviously startled her, but got a glimpse of the hearts she was drawing with the initials, EM and AC\u2014just before she covered the page with her hands and whipped her body into an upright position. The back of her head connected squarely with my face. Pa, I swear it sounded like an axe hitting a piece of hard deadwood.\u201d Adam sighed again as he touched the tender area on his cheek. \u201cLuckily it hurt me a whole lot more than her.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben suppressed a grin as he asked, \u201cWhat did you say?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t say anything, although I think I probably was stunned for a minute. I\u2019ve been hit by Hoss and it didn\u2019t hurt that much: it must have connected just right. After that I quietly told her that since she appeared to be well, she might wish to pay better attention.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben inspected the bruise more thoroughly and pronounced, \u201cThat\u2019s probably gonna turn black and blue, son.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh, good,\u201d Adam replied sardonically. \u201cA continuous reminder of my ineptitude.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben\u2019s mouth took on a curl of appreciation for Adam\u2019s dilemma. \u201cOh, things will get better, Adam.\u201d After a moment he added, \u201cDo you remember Mary Shaw? She acted like that around you.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam\u2019s eyes grew large while his jaw dropped. \u201cWe were both ten years old, Pa, and as I recall she wanted me to marry her. There\u2019s no way a twelve-year-old girl is thinking that way about me.\u201d Adam\u2019s face became stern as he shook his head from side to side. \u201cThat just makes no sense!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt happens all the time, son, and doesn\u2019t have to make sense. It\u2019s a matter of the heart, not of the brain. Haven\u2019t you ever noticed Emily at her father\u2019s office? She always blushes and acts shy when you\u2019re around. And since Emily is not usually a shy child around people, I suspect she has a bit of hero worship affecting her; and you\u2019re the hero.\u201d Ben let that sink in for a moment. By now he was biting his inner lips to keep from laughing outright. \u201cSo the initials in her heart were EM and AC? Hmm. Wonder what that might stand for?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI figure its Emily Mills and Aaron Campbell; although he\u2019s younger than she is, so it could be someone else.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben couldn\u2019t contain his laughter this time. \u201cOr, possibly, Emily Mills and Adam Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A sideways glance through narrowed eyes and a tight-lipped hiss met the father\u2019s laughter. \u201cThere is no way that\u2019s possible.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh, it\u2019s possible all right. But just give her time, son. She\u2019ll get over it as she comes to know you as her teacher.\u201d Ben continued to smile as he moved from the subject of young love. \u201cAnything else happen of interest?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam responded by running his hands through his hair. \u201cPa, I don\u2019t think I\u2019m good with kids.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhy do you say that, Adam? You\u2019ve always been good around children. I can\u2019t imagine that you wouldn\u2019t get along just fine with these.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI do fine when it\u2019s just me and one child, and it\u2019s not that I don\u2019t get along with this group of them, exactly\u2026 It\u2019s more that\u2026 I don\u2019t even know how to explain it.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJust tell me what happened. I\u2019m sure it\u2019s not as bad as you think it is.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI introduced myself today and told them why Miss Scott was out. Then I went through the assignments we\u2019ll cover while she\u2019s away, and finally asked if there were any questions.\u201d Adam\u2019s face took on a pained expression while his voice rose by half an octave. \u201cPa! You wouldn\u2019t believe what they asked. I made the mistake of hanging my gun on the coat rack, so the first question was, \u2018Have you shot or killed anyone with your gun?’\u00a0That just opened the floodgates for the rest of it:\u00a0\u2018How big is your ranch?\u2019 \u2018Is it true that the Cartwrights shoot anyone who trespasses on the Ponderosa?\u2019 \u2018Did your family really kill a whole tribe of Indians to get your land?\u2019 \u2018Are the Cartwrights richer than the king of England like my pa says?\u2019 \u2018Is Little Joe the fastest draw in the territory like they heard?\u2019 \u2018Is Hoss really a giant?\u2019 And of course, one young woman asked if I was married.\u201d Another deep sigh escaped as a shiver washed over Adam\u2019s shoulders. \u201cPa it took nearly an hour to get back on track and by then it was time for recess!\u201d\u00a0 Adam\u2019s head dropped dejectedly: \u201cI don\u2019t think I can do this.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben wanted desperately to ask Adam how he had answered those questions, but decided against it as he realized that his son apparently had not found them as amusing as he did. His thoughts about how to respond were interrupted by Joe and Hoss entering the room. An idea struck the father as he watched the two younger brothers jabbering on about their day and waited while the wind settled out of their sails before asking them to sit on Adam\u2019s bed so he could speak to them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAs long as you three are together, I\u2019d like to talk about the work that will need to get done yet before winter. Adam will be busy for two weeks yet, but then you three will need to move quickly before bad weather hits. We have stock to bring down from the ridge, there\u2019s still fence work undone, and we need to bring in the last loads of hay.\u201d A pause. \u201cAny questions?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss immediately asked, \u201cCan we eat soon? Hop Sing says supper\u2019s ready and I\u2019m starving.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As Hoss finished, Little Joe asked about Adam\u2019s day and without waiting for an answer, posed a question about the family\u2019s intentions for attending the harvest party the coming weekend, and finally asked if they\u2019d heard the latest about old Jeb\u2019s young wife running off with one of his trail hands.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben wore a knowing smile as he looked toward Adam and saw light dawning there. \u201cMight you boys have any questions about the chores we need to finish?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell, sure, Pa.\u201d Little Joe\u2019s voice was incredulous. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you just ask us that?\u201d\u00a0 He then began noting his concerns as to whom would do which task, how many men it would take to accomplish them, and what amount of time his father thought each would entail.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss offered some suggestions about manpower and asked about a few other chores his father hadn\u2019t mentioned.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n After Ben dealt with those concerns he sent the two younger sons downstairs. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you two let Hop Sing know we\u2019ll be along in a minute. I just need to finish up a few things with Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When the room cleared, Adam gave his father a wry smile. \u201cYou are a sly dog, pa. I guess I can always learn something from you.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAdam, I know that if I had told just you about the work needing to be done, and then asked if you had any questions, you would have immediately barraged me with all the appropriate things your brothers came up with after a little prodding. You have a very organized way of approaching any task, and are not easily swayed away from that subject. But as you know from experience, your brothers need more direction to keep their minds attentive. It\u2019s just the way each of your minds work through a problem. Chances are, your classroom has more kids in it like Hoss and Joe than like you.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThanks, pa. I get it. If I want good answers, I should ask direct questions.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m glad to know that you\u2019re still learning a little from me, son. Let\u2019s go eat before Hoss forgets there\u2019re four for dinner and eats enough for three.\u201d Ben chuckled. \u201cSee, now there\u2019s an arithmetic problem for you to use tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben watched as his eldest gathered his papers into an organized system to await his return. \u201cAdam, you\u2019ll be a fine teacher.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not so sure, pa. But at least I\u2019ve got a few lessons under my belt for tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSuch as?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNever lean directly over a child who has their head down.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Both men laughed, but the wry tone in Adam\u2019s voice left Ben still sensing that his son was feeling less than sure of his talents.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, you may think that you don\u2019t relate well to children, but you\u2019re wrong. Think about it. Most of your life has been spent teaching two younger brothers. When I couldn\u2019t be there, I relied on you to teach the boys what they needed to know. I trusted that you\u2019d do it right, and my trust was sound. You were a natural teacher and made them learn by doing. When you go back tomorrow, just remember how good it made you feel when those two finally understood what you were showing them, and took off on their own. I think that\u2019s the true point in teaching\u2014not recognition for your abilities by anyone else, but the joy of watching others use what you\u2019ve taught them.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThanks again, pa.\u201d Adam upper lip twitched as he thought back to some information he was given by one student who stayed after class. \u201cYou know, pa, I did pick up one very useful piece of information today.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh \u2013 Besides how to avoid a black eye and keeping your gun in your desk? Sounds like it was a banner day then.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cRemember I told you that Jarvis Johnson threw up?\u201d Adam noted that Ben wore a sick expression but encouraged him to continue. \u201cWell, his brother stayed after to tell me that Jarvis makes himself do that whenever he wants, and uses the \u2018talent\u2019 to get out of school or anything else he doesn\u2019t want to do. He\u2019s tired of Jarvis getting away with it and figured that a \u2018guy teacher\u2019 ought to be able to do something about it.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cInteresting information. So just what does the \u2018guy teacher\u2019 mean to do about it?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cFirst off, I\u2019ve already moved his things to the front row of seats so I can see him better if he tries it. Secondly, I\u2019ll be letting him know that should it happen again, he\u2019ll clean it up himself, just before he takes his place right next to me at the front of the room. That way he can solve every class arithmetic problem for a week without having to walk too far to the board.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss and Little Joe heard laughter as they waited at the table for the missing family members to join them. \u201cHey,\u201d Hoss hollered out to the duo standing at the top of the stairs. \u201cSome of us Cartwrights have worked hard all day and need to eat before the food gets cold or I die from starvation.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI think we\u2019ve covered everything we needed to, right, pa?\u201d Adam turned toward his father with a sly smile.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cProbably so, Adam, but do you have any questions?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss and Joe sat staring at each other as Ben and Adam laughed conspiratorially while heading down the steps. Hoss directed a quiet comment across the table, \u201cJoe, does it seem those two speak a language all their own sometimes? And we ain\u2019t got any idea what they\u2019re talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYa got that right, Hoss.\u201d Joe just shook his head as he looked at the two who were nearing the table. Narrowing his eyes menacingly, he added, \u201cWorst part is, I know they\u2019re talkin\u2019 about us, but I can\u2019t prove it.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben assumed his position at the head of the table, directing his comment to the two younger sons. \u201cWell, I don\u2019t know what you two are waiting for, let\u2019s eat.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n After a simple thanks to God for the day, and their gathering once again as a family, they began to fill their plates from the bowls they were passing. While Adam had artfully kept his face in the shadows when his brothers had been in his room earlier, there was no way to hide it now. Little Joe whistled as he got a good look at Adam while handing him the plate of bread. \u201cHey, older brother, that\u2019s some shiner. Don\u2019t tell me you let some ten year old deck you?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe\u2019s giggling was met with a stern stare and caustic, \u201cJoe, you might want to stop right there. It\u2019s been a long day and my patience is thin as a cat\u2019s whisker.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The giggling continued into braying, as Joe tried to get Adam to tell them how it happened. \u201cC\u2019mon, Adam, you gotta tell us how you got smacked in a room full of kids! Or did you get fresh with one of the mothers when they came to pick little Johnny up from school?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It only took a simple, \u201cThat\u2019ll be enough, Joseph,\u201d from the head of the table to quiet the laughing and restore order.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Since Hoss had initiated the passing of the food, his plate was the first filled, and he was soon poised to dig in. \u201cWhat was so funny with you and Adam, Pa? Sounds like it was something particularly entertainin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben looked over at Adam and replied, \u201cJust teaching the teacher, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Little Joe moaned pitifully.** \u201cNot again! I had enough of that when Miss Scott was here yesterday, and I can\u2019t handle any more of it. Let\u2019s just eat and not say a word about teachers, teaching, pupils or anything even close to those words. Deal?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSounds fine to me.\u201d Adam grinned at his younger brother and asked for the potatoes. \u201cI better takes some of those before Hoss goes in for seconds.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss sent Adam a reproaching glare and then softened to a chuckle. \u201dYer jest lucky there\u2019s anything left here after making me wait so long. I was contemplatin\u2019 eatin\u2019 it all to teach you what happens when you inconvenience a hungry man.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe laid his fork down as he leaned across the table toward Hoss. \u201cThere\u2019s that word again. I thought we agreed we weren\u2019t going to use that word.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSorry Joe. It jest slipped out.\u201d Hoss raised his fork and knife in submission, promising, \u201cIt won\u2019t happen again.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Looking pleased, Joe blurted out, \u201cWell just see that it doesn\u2019t, or I\u2019ll have to teach you a lesson the hard way.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The others looked up in unison and then toward Joe, who realizing what he\u2019d said, began to laugh. \u201cWell, I guess that\u2019ll teach me to keep my mouth shut.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben added, \u201cWell as long as it teaches you something, then it was worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss pointed toward Joe with his laden fork. \u201cHey, when it comes to Joe, the only way he can learn some lessons is when he teaches himself.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n With a wink, Adam adopted a serious pose with a hand on his chin as he added, \u201cSo then, as regards our youngest brother; if we assume that Joe can best learn from himself, then he must teach himself to be taught\u2026and therefore teaches the teacher to teach the pupil\u2014who is actually the teacher.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHuh?\u201d came Hoss\u2019 reply while chewing on a piece of ham.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben offered. \u201cI think that\u2019s correct, son.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe, now laughing so hard he could barely speak, hollered, \u201cEnough! I get it. I give up. All I\u2019m gonna say is pass the beans.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIs that how you ask for something, Joseph?\u201d Ben asked with a twinkle in his eye. \u201cI thought I taught you better than that.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Another groan from Joe was met by snickering from the brothers. \u201cGo ahead, laugh you two, but remember, I can run and punch faster than either of you when I\u2019m riled up good.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAll right boys. We\u2019d best settle down before this turns into a real fight\u2026\u201d Ben looked towards Adam with a devilish grin, \u201c\u2026and your older brother ends up with a second black eye to match the first one.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The friendly stings and jabs continued through the meal with talk finally turning to the work of the ranch. Finished eating, Adam declared he was off to correct papers and would see them in the morning. Pausing on the way up, he watched as his brothers continued talking with their father about the chores for the coming week and understood what his father had told him earlier\u2014that the best part of teaching was not the credit you get for having done it, but the wonder of seeing others use what you\u2019ve given them. His brothers had their personal strengths and weaknesses like everyone, but they had each become intuitive and intelligent men, and he found great satisfaction in that. Smiling with more confidence than he had a few hours earlier, he mused that perhaps the teaching could go better than he expected.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Resuming a stretched out position at his desk, he cracked open the next notebook from the pile. Finding the jagged edges of a missing page, he realized that he had Emily\u2019s book and that she must have removed the incriminating page with the hearts. Written neatly at the top of the next page was a note. \u201cDear Mr. Cartwright, I am sorry for hurting you today. Please accept my apology. You are a very nice man and I think you\u2019ll be a wonderful teacher. Sincerely, Emily.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam walked to his washstand to inspect the bruise in the mirror. Fortunately, it was fading to pink instead of turning the hues his father had predicted.\u00a0Yes, indeed,\u00a0<\/em>he thought,\u00a0it\u2019s going to be an interesting couple of weeks.<\/em><\/p>\n The end<\/em><\/p>\n *Adam didn\u2019t have a noticeable bruise until later in the show after being beaten up, but if you watch his face (as I always, always, do) – many times you will notice that if he\u2019s warm or the shadows catch right, there\u2019s area on his upper right cheekbone, extending to the side of his face, that seems darker; almost like a bruise. It\u2019s actually on both sides, but more noticeable on the right. And yes, I spend too much time observing Adam\u2019s face. But anyway, that\u2019s what I\u2019m using as my reference. I noticed it as he spoke to Barbara about initiating the history course, so it works for my story. Luckily it didn\u2019t turn black and blue as his father predicted!<\/p>\n ** In case it\u2019s been awhile since you\u2019ve watched Right if the 4th R, here\u2019s a link to it. http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3YboxPfQJNs \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I\u2019m not creating a link for some reason, but you can copy this into your address bar and it will connect. \u00a0\u00a0The section that\u2019s the basis for Joe\u2019s misery at the dinner table starts at about the 6:10 count of the video. If you do watch this, my Emily character is seen at 3:30 walking right in front of Miss Scott and in the school as Adam walks past her. She\u2019s the blond in the green dress in the center \u2013 3 seats from the front.<\/p>\n Disclaimer:\u00a0All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n