Summary:\u00a0 Each of the four Cartwrights has a different slant on an incident to tell the local barber
\nRating:\u00a0 \u00a0G\u00a0 (4,240 words)<\/p>\n
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People call me Frederick and when they\u2019re formal Mr Harrington, but mostly I\u2019m just known as Fred.\u00a0 I don\u2019t hold for no ceremony usually, can\u2019t afford to in my line of work really. After all, what\u2019s so formal about a Barber Shop?\u00a0 Especially one in this town. Virginia City ain\u2019t nothing special that\u2019s for sure, although some folks tend to think they are.\u00a0 Reckon they\u2019d think that no matter where they lived of course.\u00a0 Every town has its particular mix of people and Virginia City is no different to any other.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n There are the folks who are friendly and always ready to go out of their way to smile and be polite, there are those who are always too busy and then there are those who are downright mean or full of their own importance.\u00a0 But one thing\u2019s for sure.\u00a0 No matter which category they come under everyone one of them at some stage find themselves in my chair.\u00a0 And once they\u2019re there the conversations start to come.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n There\u2019s something about a Barber\u2019s chair that seems to encourage customers to talk.\u00a0 Whether it\u2019s the informality of it all or whether it\u2019s because they relax and let their hair down (that\u2019s one of the great jokes I usually share with new customers) they seem to want to tell me all sorts of things once I get them in that chair.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Take yesterday for example.\u00a0 Such a mixed group of people I had in here, all with a story to tell.\u00a0 It seemed like there wasn\u2019t a spare minute of the day when I wasn\u2019t listening to someone tell me about something that had happened to them.\u00a0 And of course I listened to it all.\u00a0 If they only knew what was in my head!\u00a0 Oh the stories I could tell if they\u2019d only let me get a word in edgeways.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Today was a prime example of just how varied my days can be.\u00a0 Take the Cartwright family for instance.\u00a0 The four of them came in one after the other, each with a different perspective on what was happening around town.\u00a0 The Cartwrights are always interesting to talk to. They know just about everything that\u2019s going on in this town I guess, probably just as much as I do, and I always enjoy my chats with them. Particularly today after the stories that have been going around town about Dave Gurney.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Hi Fred,\u2019 said Hoss as he plonked himself down in the chair. \u2018How ya been?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Fine,\u2019 I answered as I put the towel around him.\u00a0 \u2018Your usual?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Yeah.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss always wanted the same thing.\u00a0 \u2018Just a trim,\u2019 he\u2019d always say. \u2018Just tidy it up a bit.\u2019\u00a0 That was Hoss.\u00a0 No fuss and no bother.\u00a0 Just in and out of the chair as quickly as possible, not really caring what he looked like afterwards. He\u2019s so different to his two brothers in that respect. Not into appearance at all. For such a big man he sure has a way about him though that makes you think of him as a friend no matter how long you\u2019ve known him for.\u00a0 He\u2019s such an easygoing character I don\u2019t think he\u2019d care what I did to his hair.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018I saw Dave Gurney in the saloon last night,\u2019 I said casually to see if he\u2019d pick up on it. \u2018He was real upset about what happened.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss frowned. \u2018Yeah I spose he would be,\u2019 he said. \u2018He\u2019d been working on The Ponderosa fer a long time ya know.\u2019 I nodded sympathetically. \u2018Pa had a real hard time deciding what ta do about it.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018So why did he fire him?\u2019 I asked.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Drinking on the job,\u2019 said Hoss sadly. \u2018Woulda thought he\u2019d have more sense I reckon.\u00a0 It\u2019s not like he hadn\u2019t been warned before after all.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Your Pa wouldn\u2019t take kindly to that,\u2019 I agreed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Neither does Adam,\u2019 he said. \u2018That older brother of mine is a stickler for the rules.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Well I guess he has to be,\u2019 I said. \u2018After all when you run a ranch the size of The Ponderosa you have to be real careful. Your Pa would agree with him no doubt\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n He nodded. \u2018Guess so,\u2019 he said. \u2018I just feel sorry fer Dave is all.\u00a0 I mean it\u2019s one thing to enforce rules, but it\u2019s another when the man is someone ya know well.\u2019\u00a0 I waited for him to continue. \u2018I dunno,\u2019 he sighed. \u2018I guess there\u2019s no easy answer to it all. Little Joe is sure upset about it all.\u00a0 Him and Dave were close ya know.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Yeah.\u00a0 I used to see them around town sometimes.\u00a0 Guess he\u2019ll miss him.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss nodded. \u2018Reckon so.\u00a0 He and Pa argued about it all last night.\u00a0 Adam too.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Not you?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Nah.\u00a0 What\u2019s the point of arguing about it?\u00a0 What\u2019s done is done and I reckon Pa and Adam know what they\u2019re doing.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Reckon Joe doesn\u2019t agree with you though.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018You know my little brother.\u00a0 Always ready to go off half-cocked before he knows the whole story.\u00a0 I reckon there\u2019s things about Dave that he wouldn\u2019t believe anyway.\u00a0 Don\u2019t know if I believe them really, to tell the truth.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018What things?\u2019 I asked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n He squirmed in the chair, obviously uncomfortable with the question. \u2018Oh just things,\u2019 he finally said. \u2018I reckon Pa and Adam were trying ta protect Joe in a way.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I nodded.\u00a0 It was well known to everyone just how the youngest Cartwright was.\u00a0 The others were always trying to pick up the pieces after him and protect him from his own foolishness.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Well whatever happened, I\u2019m sure your Pa did what he thought was best,\u2019 I said. I suspect that the drinking on the job was just an excuse to fire him, and I was itching to know the real reason.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018I reckon so,\u2019 he answered, still not obviously sure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n He smiled into the mirror as the door opened and his older brother Adam walked in. I smiled too.\u00a0 Maybe he would be willing to give me more information than his brother had.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Hi there older brother,\u2019 said Hoss with one of his likeable gap-toothed smiles. \u2018Fancy seeing you in here.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam returned the smile.\u00a0 It was obvious just how close these two brothers were. \u2018Figured you\u2019d need someone to get you out of that chair or you\u2019d spend all day there talking,\u2019 he replied before he turned to me. \u2018Hello Fred.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Well two Cartwrights in one day,\u2019 I said. \u2018How about that.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Make it four,\u2019 Adam replied. \u2018I think Pa\u2019s coming in later and bringing Joe as well.\u2019 He sat down against the wall and put his hands behind his head as he watched me finish up.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss stood up and patted his head.\u00a0 \u2018Thanks Fred,\u2019 he said. \u2018How about meeting me over at the Saloon later for a drink, older brother?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Sure thing,\u2019 said Adam and seated himself in the chair as Hoss left the shop.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam is a very particular man.\u00a0 He likes his hair cut just so and spends quite a bit of time giving me instructions as to how it should look. I have a feeling that this young man is going to lose his hair quite early in life, as his hairline is already beginning to recede a little \u2013 but I\u2019d never tell him that of course. Why worry him unduly?\u00a0 After all it might never happen, and in the meantime it is very dark and thick. He is also an educated man.\u00a0 He went back East to study at College a few years ago and has a very sharp mind and a quick wit.\u00a0 I\u2019ve heard it said that he\u2019s not the sort of man to waste words, but like everyone else, get him that chair and he\u2019s all mine.\u00a0 The words just come spilling out like they do with everyone else.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Morning,\u2019 I said as I placed the towel around him and then listened to his precise instructions as to how he wanted his hair cut.\u00a0 I really don\u2019t know why he bothers, as I\u2019ve been cutting it for years and really know by now just what he wants, but it keeps him happy I suppose. After we got through the formalities I tried to find out a bit more about the episode on The Ponderosa yesterday.\u00a0 As I thought might be the case, his version was clear and precise.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Your brother Hoss was in earlier,\u2019 I said. \u2018He was telling me about Dave Gurney finishing up on your place.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam frowned. \u2018Yes,\u2019 he said curtly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Must have been a difficult thing for your Pa to do,\u2019 I said pleasantly. \u2018It sure wouldn\u2019t be easy to fire anyone who\u2019d been working for you for a while like he had.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Better to fire him now than have him cause trouble later,\u2019 said Adam. \u2018You never know what drinking on the job will cause to happen.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018I suppose so,\u2019 I said. \u2018Only he\u2019d been working for you a long time so it wouldn\u2019t have been easy.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam gave me one of his intense appraising stares. \u2018It had to be done,\u2019 he said simply. \u2018Dave was becoming a bit of a problem if the truth be known.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Really?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Mmm.\u00a0 Joe was a bit taken with him and you know how that could have turned out.\u2019 I scratched my head and waited. \u2018That young brother of mine always seems to get himself caught up with the wrong types.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I frowned. \u2018I thought Dave Gurney had worked on The Ponderosa for quite a while, \u2018 I said. \u2018Seems to me like you\u2019d have been quite friendly by now.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018I know him well if that\u2019s what you mean,\u2019 said Adam thoughtfully. \u2018As for being friendly, well\u2026\u2026\u2026 just because someone works for you doesn\u2019t mean you have to be friends with them.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I knew exactly what he meant.\u00a0 Adam would never have let his guard down enough to cross that line between employer and employee.\u00a0 He would always make it clear to anyone working for him exactly who was in charge even though he would treat them fairly.\u00a0 They would be left in no doubt as to who was the boss.\u00a0 Different to his two brothers, I suspected, who would have worked alongside the men and become like one of them. Besides, I didn\u2019t think that Dave Gurney was really his type of friend.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n From what I had seen of him around town, Dave tended toward the wild side and Adam was definitely not that. The eldest Cartwright son was quite a sedate character if the truth be known, and would never have become involved in or approved of the shenanigans that Dave had been involved in.\u00a0 I suspected that it was Adam\u2019s influence that had caused Mr Cartwright to sack him.\u00a0 He would have been acutely aware of what had been going on and wouldn\u2019t have wanted Dave\u2019s influence on The Ponderosa.\u00a0 Adam ran a clean operation and expected others to comply with it. He had little patience with those who didn\u2019t, as they often got in the way of the job at hand.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I suppose he was right.\u00a0 After all, Dave Gurney was known as a troublemaker around town.\u00a0 I suspected that sacking him for drinking on the job might have been an excuse as for as Adam was concerned.\u00a0 Perhaps it was a convenient reason for getting rid of him for the sake of his younger brother.\u00a0 Those Cartwrights are sure protective of that Little Joe!\u00a0 Not that anyone could blame them though really, for what I knew of that youngest Cartwright he sure needed protecting. I suspect that his family didn\u2019t know half of what he got up to\u2026..which was probably just as well. Judging by the rumour I had heard, Mr Cartwright would have half killed the boy if he knew the extent of the trouble he got himself into.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n My curiosity got the better of me. \u2018So what\u2019s he done then?\u00a0 I mean apart from the drinking?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam gave me one of his intense stares and I thought for a moment that he wasn\u2019t going to let on, but the chair did its work and the words came spilling out without any trouble. \u2018Well you must have noticed what he\u2019s like around town?\u2019 he said.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I nodded. \u2018Yes.\u00a0 There\u2019s been quite a bit of talk about the amount of money he\u2019s been losing in those poker games at the Bucket of Blood.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Precisely,\u2019 said Adam smugly. \u2018And my youngest brother has been right there beside him!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Now I got it!\u00a0 Ben Cartwright would definitely not have approved of his youngest son gambling away his wages and probably more besides.\u00a0 \u2018So the drinking was just the excuse for firing him eh?\u2019 I asked.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam stroked his chin as I took the towel away.\u00a0 \u2018He was fired because he drank on the job,\u2019 he said giving me a stern look.\u00a0 I knew that he wouldn\u2019t admit to anything else.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Of course,\u2019 I said.\u00a0 \u2018But it\u2019s good to get him away from Joe too isn\u2019t it?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n He smiled at me but didn\u2019t answer.\u00a0 Instead he carefully examined his hair in the mirror from all angles before he stood up.\u00a0 That was Adam, always careful about everything.\u00a0 Now that his haircut was over I felt the shutters coming down on him again.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Thanks Fred,\u2019 he said as he paid me. \u2018I\u2019ll see you later.\u00a0 Tell my Pa when he gets here later that I\u2019ll be in the International House Dining Room for lunch if he wants to join me will you please?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Sure,\u2019 I said.\u00a0 As he left the shop I thought about what he\u2019d said.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t bother me that he hadn\u2019t confirmed my suspicions.\u00a0 I knew his brother would later.\u00a0 That youngest Cartwright boy just couldn\u2019t keep a thing to himself and in my chair he would spill his guts about the event.\u00a0 I smiled to myself as I washed my combs and scissors.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mr Cartwright came in next with young Joe.\u00a0 It\u2019s not often I get to see the youngest Cartwright in my shop because for some reason he doesn\u2019t like getting a haircut.\u00a0 It\u2019s always been like that since he was a little boy and I remember his father having to practically hold him down in the chair while Joe shook his head from side to side and made my job as difficult as he could. Many a time he got a tanning right then and there in front of me, but it never seemed to stop him.\u00a0 Even now Mr Cartwright usually comes in with him to make sure that he actually makes it inside and gives instructions about how to cut his hair.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Afternoon Fred.\u00a0 How are you today?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Fine thanks Mr Cartwright. Haircut for you?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Yes I need a bit of a trim.\u00a0 But I\u2019d like you to do Joseph first if you don\u2019t mind.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be back in a while when he\u2019s done.\u2019\u00a0 He motioned for the youngster to sit in the chair, which he did so grudgingly. I noticed that his hat was pulled down over his face and I wondered why.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Your son Adam was in earlier,\u2019 I said.\u00a0 \u2018He said he\u2019s at the International House if you want lunch with him.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Thank you,\u2019 replied Mr Cartwright. \u2018I\u2019ll be back for a haircut after lunch then.\u2019\u00a0 He put his finger up at his son as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. \u2018And you young man are to join us as soon as you are finished here. I don\u2019t want to hear of you going anywhere else.\u00a0 Understood?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe glared at him. \u2018Understood,\u2019 he said in a low voice.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Cut his hair short please Fred,\u2019 Mr Cartwright said. \u2018Take no notice of what this young man tells you.\u2019\u00a0 His remark earned a scowl from his youngest son who slumped down in the chair with a dramatic sigh.\u00a0 After what his older brothers had told me about the arguments that had taken place the night before I didn\u2019t doubt that the boy was still unhappy with his father and it showed clearly. He glared at his back as he left the shop.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n As soon as Mr Cartwright had left, Joe sat up again and smiled at me. \u2018Don\u2019t cut it too short will ya Fred?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I made no comment, but watched as he removed his hat to reveal a black eye. \u2018What happened to you?\u2019 I asked, staring at him.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n He shrugged his shoulders. \u2018Fight,\u2019 he said. \u2018Just a trim will do Fred.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I took no notice of him and began to cut it as his father had instructed.\u00a0 After all Mr Cartwright was the one paying for it! I smiled at him in the mirror. \u2018So what have you been up to Joe?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Nuthin.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Except the fight,\u2019 I said. I looked at him in the mirror.\u00a0 \u2018I heard about Dave Gurney,\u2019 I said. \u2018Must be hard on you, being a friend of his and all.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n He looked up at me. \u2018It shouldn\u2019t have happened,\u2019 he said in an angry tone. \u2018Pa had no right to do it.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018I guess your Pa knows what he\u2019s doing,\u2019 I said.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Hmm.\u00a0 Well I don\u2019t think so.\u00a0 Dave didn\u2019t do anything wrong.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018I heard tell he\u2019d been drinking.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Yeah, well everyone makes mistakes.\u00a0 There was no reason to fire him for Pete\u2019s sake.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I noticed how angry he seemed to be.\u00a0 \u2018I take it you don\u2019t agree with what he did then?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Do I sound like I do? Why should I agree with something when it\u2019s wrong? Pa had no right to do it.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018No?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n He looked a bit abashed. \u2018Well I guess he did, but it still doesn\u2019t make it right. I think he only used it as an excuse to get rid of him.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Why would he do that?\u2019 I asked already sure of the answer.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Cause he didn\u2019t like me hanging around with him I guess,\u2019 he replied.\u00a0 \u2018Hey, that\u2019s short enough!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I continued to ignore him and kept cutting. \u2018Well considering you probably got that black eye fighting alongside of him I\u2019m not surprised,\u2019 I ventured. \u2018I guess your Pa doesn\u2019t like you gambling and fighting in public.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018He doesn\u2019t think I\u2019m old enough to look after myself,\u2019 the boy declared. \u2018None of them do! Who said anything about gambling anyways?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I shrugged my shoulders, not wanting him to know that I\u2019d been discussing him with his brothers. \u2018I heard talk around town,\u2019 I said.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Yeah, well I\u2019m old enough to gamble if I want to.\u00a0 It\u2019s no one else\u2019s business!\u2019\u00a0 he declared angrily.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018I guess your Pa thinks it\u2019s his business huh?\u2019 I said.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Hey!\u00a0 I said that\u2019s enough!\u2019 he tried to pull his head away, but I pushed it back again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Sit still!\u2019 I ordered.\u00a0 \u2018Do you want to end up with it all lopsided?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n He glared at me. \u2018Just even it up,\u2019 he said. \u2018Don\u2019t take any more off the length.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I shook my head. His hair was extremely thick and wavy and was quite difficult to cut because of it.\u00a0 He never did anything to help make it easier!\u00a0 \u2018So what was the fight about?\u2019\u00a0 I asked casually, hoping to focus him on something other than his hair.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Nothin much,\u2019 he said. \u2018Just an argument over money really. Some folks around here think they know everything when it comes to poker.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018You being one of them?\u2019\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t risk having a dig at him.\u00a0 Everyone knew that he was a terrible poker player.\u00a0 I had no doubt that if he had got himself into a fight over money it was probably due to some winnings that he thought were rightfully his.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018I know enough to know when people cheat on me that\u2019s for sure!\u2019 he declared. \u2018Just as well Dave was around to help!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018So that\u2019s what the fight was about then?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019m surprised you haven\u2019t heard about it.\u00a0 Pa\u2019s real mad cause everyone\u2019s talking about it this morning.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Your Pa gets mad with you a lot it seems.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n He didn\u2019t answer, but shrugged his shoulders. I took the towel off him and he stood up like a shot. \u2018Thanks,\u2019 he said, moving towards the door as if I was about to attack him with the scissors again. \u2018Pa\u2019ll pay for it when he comes in later.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I nodded. \u2018Sure,\u2019 I said. I was used to Mr Cartwright picking up the bill for his youngest boy.\u00a0 The other two always paid for themselves, but never Joe.\u00a0 He seemed to think that was his father\u2019s job. I watched him wander down the street as I shook out the towel and smiled to myself as I realised that he was headed in the opposite direction to the International House.\u00a0 It seemed that the youngest Cartwright was bound and determined to get himself into trouble at every turn.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Later that afternoon Mr Cartwright entered the shop. \u2018Sorry I\u2019m late Fred,\u2019 he said. \u2018I would have been here much earlier, but I\u2019ve spent the past hour and a half trying to track down that youngest boy of mine.\u2019 He shook his head as he sat in the chair.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018 No problem,\u2019 Mr Cartwright,\u2019 I said. \u2018I wasn\u2019t going anywhere.\u2019\u00a0 I began to comb out his sidepieces.\u00a0 For a man of his years, he certainly has very luxurious hair.\u00a0 It was the most beautiful shade of silver and he wore it with the sides swept back.\u00a0 For as long as I could remember he had worn it so.\u00a0 It gave him an imposing look.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Joe take off on you again did he?\u2019 I asked.\u00a0 It was a regular occurrence in Virginia City and all the shopkeepers knew to keep an eye out to watch his movements so that when Mr Cartwright came looking for him he would at least have a starting point to go from.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018He certainly did,\u2019 he said angrily. \u2018I don\u2019t think that boy could obey me even if he tried.\u00a0 Which I can assure you he doesn\u2019t!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I laughed.\u00a0 I was sure that young Joe had contributed to every one of his father\u2019s silver hairs.\u00a0 The man probably had a beautiful head of black hair before that youngster was born. \u2018He was telling me about the trouble he got into last night,\u2019 I ventured. I was interested to hear Mr Cartwright\u2019s perspective on the matter. \u2018Sounds like him and that Dave Gurney caused a bit of a ruckus around town.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mr Cartwright closed his eyes for a moment. \u2018Fred, sometimes I wonder just what I\u2019m going to do with that boy,\u2019 he said. \u2018It\u2019s as if he was born to make my life difficult.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018He\u2019s just young,\u2019 I said as I snipped away.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Young he may be, but there\u2019s no excuse for the gambling and fighting he\u2019s been getting up to lately.\u00a0 I think he\u2019s hanging around with the wrong kind.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018I heard Dave Gurney has been sacked,\u2019 I said carefully. I didn\u2019t want him to think that I was prying into his business.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Exactly,\u2019 he replied. \u2018If there\u2019s a troublemaker around that son of mine will find him and attach himself to him.\u00a0 Those two are better off apart.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018So you sacked him to get him away from Joe?\u2019 I asked without thinking.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n He looked at me sternly. \u2018No.\u00a0 He was sacked for drinking on the job,\u2019 he said. \u2018But it doesn\u2019t hurt to keep him away from Joe either.\u2019 He thought for a moment. \u2018An added bonus if you know what I mean.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I nodded. I certainly did know what he meant.\u00a0 \u2018I guess you\u2019d be a bit easier about things now that he\u2019s not around any more. Easier to keep young Joe in line?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n He smiled. \u2018Somehow I don\u2019t think anything could keep that youngest boy of mine in line for very long Fred.\u00a0 If there\u2019s a way to make trouble, then he\u2019ll find it. I\u2019m sure he spends his every waking moment thinking up how to get into mischief.\u00a0 Take this afternoon for instance.\u00a0 No sooner had I finished telling him to stay away from the Bucket of Blood than he\u2019s back there again instead of meeting me for lunch.\u00a0 Just as well I\u2019ve got Adam and Hoss to look out for him as well.\u2019\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I nodded as I removed the towel from around him. \u2018Thanks Fred,\u2019 he said. \u2018I suppose I owe you for Joseph as well?\u2019 I nodded my assent. \u2018If the boy didn\u2019t gamble away his wages on a regular basis he might have some money once in a while,\u2019 he said as he handed over a few dollars. \u2018Here you go.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018See you later Mr Cartwright,\u2019 I said and watched him leave the shop. Across the street his boys waited for him, Joe wedged in between Hoss and Adam who had a firm grip on his shoulder.\u00a0 The boy seemed to arguing with them about something and suddenly Hoss reached across and hit him on the side of the head.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I laughed as Mr Cartwright joined the group and grabbed his youngest by the neck before propelling him towards his horse and pointing to it. I didn\u2019t need to hear his words to know what was being said. As they mounted up and turned their horses down the street I wondered just what the youngest Cartwright had done this time.\u00a0 As I cleaned my scissors I thought about how boring this town might be without that particular family.\u00a0 They certainly brought an interesting twist to an otherwise ordinary day.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Summary:\u00a0 Each of the four Cartwrights has a different slant on an incident to tell the local barberThe End<\/b><\/span><\/h1>\n
\nRating:\u00a0 \u00a0G\u00a0 (4,240 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":13074,"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_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[23,1008],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-65388","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-family","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-1008-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Family-3.jpg?fit=272%2C320&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65388","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\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=65388"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65388\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=65388"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=65388"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=65388"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}