{"id":7332,"date":"2012-05-15T23:29:06","date_gmt":"2012-05-16T03:29:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7332"},"modified":"2026-07-22T09:04:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T13:04:13","slug":"pas-old-friend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7332","title":{"rendered":"Pa’s Old Friend (by Sibylle)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0<\/span>A visit from Ben’s old friend leads to a startling realization.<\/p>\n

Rated:<\/span>\u00a0T \u00a0\u00a0<\/span>WC 2200<\/p>\n

Story Notes:<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n

Thank you, Sklamb, for betareading and your suggestions, and, faust, for your tips.<\/em><\/p>\n

Pa’s Old Friend<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy is a dog like a tree?\u201d Mr. Miller looked around the table, his round, unwrinkled face bobbing like a balloon. \u201cI dunno,\u201d Little Joe answered and held his breath in expectation. \u201cBecause both lose their bark once they\u2019re dead.\u201d Joe busted out laughing.<\/p>\n

Pa\u2019s old friend had countless jokes to tell.\u00a0 I laughed myself sore, Joe was constantly giggling, even Pa chuckled. But Adam\u2019s lips were only curled some at the edges of his mouth. Even that seemed a bit forced, I thought.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Waiter, I found a button in my salad!\u2019 \u2018That\u2019s all right, sir, it\u2019s part of the dressing.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

That sent Joe off into another fit of laughter. I watched Adam\u2019s reaction. This<\/p>\n

time he didn\u2019t bother to fake a grin. His face and body seemed somehow stiff, tense. But I tried to thrust aside the irritating feeling and concentrate on the good mood around our table.<\/p>\n

George Miller had been visiting Pa for three days now. When he\u2019d arrived I was surprised how young he looked. I wondered if he did something with his hair, because it\u2019s full and hasn\u2019t even a shadow of grey although he must be about Pa\u2019s age, in his early fifties. Both sailed with Adam\u2019s grandfather on the\u00a0Wanderer<\/em>\u00a0but Mr. Miller left the ship before Pa. It\u2019s amazing to see Pa with his old comrade, I\u2019ve never seen Pa so boyish! Yesterday they shared stories about their youth, how they played pranks on an old sailor who forced the boys to do a lot of unpleasant work in their first year on board. Their revenge was sweet when that sailor kept falling into the dirtiest parts of harbor after harbor by pure \u201caccident.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHere\u2019s one more my son told me. He\u2019s a huge teller of funny stories and jokes – has been since boyhood.<\/p>\n

\u2018A Texan, a Canadian, and a Chinaman bought an old ranch together. They wanted to make it work again so they agreed that the Texan would buy the cattle, the Canadian would cut trees for fences and the Chinaman would get the supplies. After a week\u2019s work the Texan showed the others a nice herd of cattle, and the Canadian was proud of how many posts he had made. The Chinaman ordered the others to wait 10 seconds outside of the barn, and when they entered they saw only a big chest. Cautiously they approached and suddenly the lid flew open and the Chinaman sprang up, shaking his hands over his head, and shouting, \u2018Suplies, suplies!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

This time Adam visibly winced. That joke wasn\u2019t bad, but maybe not too polite to tell when Hop Sing could hear it. I\u2019m not sure if he did but he might have. Joe was still laughing his head off when Adam said in a low voice, \u201cMay I be excused? I need some fresh air.\u201d With that he stood up and headed for the door before Pa could say anything.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d Our father\u2019s voice held an edge of anger.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Pa\u201d, and the door snapped shut.<\/p>\n

Adam was gone and the cheerful mood with him. We all sat around the table somehow sobered.<\/p>\n

“He\u2019s always gloomy, Mr. Miller. My oldest brother is a spoilsport; just ignore him,\u201d Joe said in disgust.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph!\u201d My father\u2019s voice was raised again.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Pa, Adam was very rude to our guest. Why do you defend him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t defend his rudeness but neither do I yours!\u201d Pa sent Joe a look that would have silenced him without me kicking his shin.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, George, \u201c Pa apologized. \u201cWhat about we settle in the great room, it\u2019s more comfortable there. Would you like a brandy after dinner?\u201d<\/p>\n

While sitting around the fireplace and sipping a little brandy the pleasant atmosphere was soon restored. Or mostly, for I was still puzzled about Adam\u2019s behaviour. It wasn\u2019t like him to be rude without a reason.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so glad I can return your hospitality. I have such good memories of our stay with you, George. Very good memories! Do you remember how\u00a0 I literally ran into you? That was a surprise, finding an old friend in San Antonio while I was buying my first cattle. I thought you must be a lookalike.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, two old sailors meeting again in Texas, it was really unbelievable! But it was so good to see you again!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI certainly couldn\u2019t expect that you and your wife would invite me and my two sons so soon after the birth of your daughter. I was so grateful. How old is she now? A little younger than Hoss, so she must be around… twenty-one, isn\u2019t she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Benjamin. I\u2019m afraid. She died when she was only two years old. It was an accident.\u201d Mr. Miller\u2019s face grew serious for the first time since he\u2019d arrived.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m sorry, George. I didn\u2019t know\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not your fault, Benjamin. Don\u2019t worry. At least we have our son living with us.\u201d His smile was back. \u201cMay I have another brandy, Benjamin?\u201d<\/p>\n

After Pa refilled his glass we were awkward and silent until he himself went on with his lighthearted conversation. \u201cDo you remember how drunk we get the first night after our reunion?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, but that\u2019s not one of my favourite memories.\u201d Pa glanced at me and Joe, looking a little embarrassed.<\/p>\n

\u201cBenjamin, come on, your sons are men now. And at least these two certainly look like they enjoy a little fun. Joseph here reminds me a lot of my Jimmy. I guess that son of yours was a little prankster as a boy, too, or maybe still is.\u201d George Miller said with a wink in Joe\u2019s direction. \u201cLike my Jimmy. My wife kept saying I should punish him for his practical jokes but I couldn\u2019t. They always made me laugh!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are right about Joe, George. Sometimes I wish I could mix Joe\u00b4s and Adam\u2019s characters together a little. A bit more seriousness wouldn\u2019t do Joe any harm.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe seems all right to me. The more you worry the more sorrows you will have.\u201d he smiled and then, with a unexpected change of subject, asked, \u201cDo you sometimes still buy bulls for breeding in Texas, Benjamin?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve thought about it, but I can\u2019t leave the ranch for such a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you have sons. Why don\u2019t you send one of them? What about Joseph here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGeorge, Joe is barely seventeen. He is too young, it\u2019s too dangerous for him!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow old were we when we sailed the first time, Benjamin? He could come along with me, he\u2019d only have to manage the back trip by his own. It would be a pleasure for me to have him around for a while. And Jimmy would surely be pleased, too\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s eyes grew big, you really could see right in his brain. Finally an ally in his fight to be seen as a grown up. Funnily enough, he looked so eager for Pa to agree that he seemed younger than ever, like a child waiting for permission to bolt down the stairs on Christmas morning looking for his presents. Pa wouldn\u2019t risk an argument so he uttered only a vague, \u201cWe will see.\u201d Joe was wise enough not to press him for a decision right away.<\/p>\n

After that both old friends got lost together in their memories again. It\u2019s a strange thought that Pa was younger than I now or even younger than Little Joe when they met first but it sure was funny to have some glimpses of him as a boy and a very young man.<\/p>\n

Two hours later Mr. Miller retired to the guestroom. I was tired, too, but I knew I\u2019d better not leave Pa and Joe alone. I had seen how Joe was waiting, desperate to argue for his opportunity to prove himself a grown up. And I was worried about Adam. Why wasn\u2019t he back by now.<\/p>\n

When Pa repeated in his\u00a0calm<\/em>\u00a0voice, \u201cJoe, I will think about that!\u201d and I was wondering how to prevent the tantrum I felt sure was brewing in Joe, the door opened suddenly and Adam entered. His mood didn\u2019t seem any better.<\/p>\n

Joe looked at him in anger. \u201cYou are back, big brother? You weren\u2019t very polite, weren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I guess not,\u201d Adam answered in a low voice.<\/p>\n

Joe hesitated for a moment but then attacked again, \u201cNow you\u2019re back, you surely will tell Pa what you\u2019re thinking about my plans. So I\u2019ll ask you right now. Mr. Miller invited me to travel with him, buy some bulls in Texas and bring them home. What\u2019s your opinion?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam gave Joe a long look, sat very slowly down on the table before the fireplace and said, \u201cTravel with Mr. Miller to his home in Texas? No, Joe, I surely wouldn\u2019t encourage you to go with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo against one like always,\u201d Little Joe spat. \u201cYou are the great worrier of the family, Mr. Miller is right about you. A worrier and a spoilsport. I knew it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Joe, you didn\u2019t.\u201d Adam said it so sadly that even Joe looked puzzled. \u201cIt\u2019s your decision but I for my part was happy when I could leave the Millers\u2019 place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d I asked my brother, now more than curious.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you remember anything of our trip?\u201d<\/p>\n

I shook my head. I wasn\u2019t even three years old then, how could I?<\/p>\n

Adam looked Pa in the eyes. \u201cI never told you, Pa. I know I should have, I\u2019m sorry.\u201d Then he stared at the flames in the fireplace. Eventually he said, \u201cI enjoyed that trip very much at first, I really was excited after being alone with you and Hoss in the wilderness for so long. When we accidentally met Mr. Miller and he invited us to stay with him, I thought it was the best time I\u2019d ever had since mama\u2019s death. I met a boy around my age to play with, we slept in cozy beds, and Mrs. Miller was a very fine cook. Sometimes Hoss helped her in the kitchen, mostly by eating.<\/p>\n

The smile that had appeared on Adam\u2019s face faded away when he continued. \u201cMr. Miller owned a sailor\u2019s trunk like yours and Jimmy and I played a lot with its contents. The telescope was our favorite. One day Jimmy suggested we could take it and go play outside by the water. I looked for Hoss but Jimmy told me he was with his mother. So we went down to the small pond and enjoyed a carefree afternoon playing pirates.\u201d Adam grew silent.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened, Adam?\u201d Pa asked quietly after a while.<\/p>\n

Adam sighed before he continued, \u201cWhen we came back, Mrs. Miller asked me if Hoss were tired or hungry after such a long time outside. When I realized Hoss hadn’t been with her I was scared to my bones. I asked Jimmy why he had lied but he said he had really thought Hoss was with his mother, and anyway, didn\u2019t we have a much funnier afternoon without my little brother clinging to me. I still wish I had punched him in his smirking insolent face right then, but I was too frightened about Hoss.\u201d Adam hesitated again, his eyes nervously flickering.<\/p>\n

\u201cFinally I did find you, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere was I, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter searching in all the places I could think of, I went to the attic, where the trunk stood and there you were, Hoss, scared, tearstained and and wet, with the heavy lid closed over you. I never felt so guilty. I had abandoned you for my own fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, it wasn\u2019t your fault. You was just a boy then. I probably climbed in that trunk \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I lifted you out you kept whimpering, \u2018Adam late, Hoss dark, Adam late.\u2019 At first I didn\u2019t understand but after a bit, you sobbed, \u2018Hide \u2018n\u2019 seek,\u2019 and then, \u2018Jimmy hided Hoss.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Lord, no!\u201d The desperate cry startled us away from Adam\u2019s story. There stood Mr. Miller in his robe, a water pitcher in hand. I\u2019ve never seen a man\u2019s face go as white as his. He looked at Pa with glassy eyes, shaking his head. \u201cNo, no, no!\u201d<\/p>\n

My father stood and laid a hand on his friend\u2019s shoulder, \u201cIt\u2019s long ago, George, it was only a childish carelessness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Miller, his round face entirely deflated, said in a mostly inaudible voice, \u201cWe searched for our Nora for thirty-six hours before we found her on Sunday dead in that very trunk, Benjamin. Jimmy had gone on an overnight visit to a friend that weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Summary: \u00a0A visit from Ben’s old friend leads to a startling realization. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0T \u00a0\u00a0WC 2200<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":114,"featured_media":15257,"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":[23,1008,30,40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7332","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-family","category-prequels","category-challenges","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-1008-id","wpcat-30-id","wpcat-40-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\/2014\/05\/thCRTZVXSA.jpg?fit=300%2C193&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7332","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\/114"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7332"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7332\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15257"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7332"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7332"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7332"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}