"Now Joseph, I want you to be on your best behavior for Mr. Walter while we're on the cattle drive. And no more of this sulking, we're not going to be gone for more then two weeks. And we certainly won't miss the Halloween party the church has planed," Ben Cartwright told his grumpy son, who sat crossed armed on his bed.
It was the night before the Ponderosa's big cattle drive to Sacramento, and Little Joe was, as always, not enjoying the idea of being left behind. The twelve year old had always hated being left on the ranch while his older brothers and father went off, but this time it was especially hard. The mines in Virginia City had hit gold and all the able body men seemed to have gone off in search of fortune. Thus, every hand was needed and no one was to be spared at the ranch. Even Hopsing, who normally watched Joe while his family was away, was needed. There was no trail cook to be found, they were all at the mines, and so the cook had offered his services. Joe was to be spending the next week or so at a neighbor's ranch.
Walter was a kind hearted elderly man who had struck gold as a prospector and had done very well in stocks with other mines. He was a widower with four grown children, all of whom had left home in search of their own life. Thus, the elderly man lived alone on a small ranch where he helped to rescue and rehabilitate horses.
The Cartwright boys had all taken to the charming man (and his family) from almost the first moment he bought the neighboring land. Walter had also been taken with the Cartwrights, and regarded the boys as his adoptive grandchildren. Joe and he were especially close since the man had been there from the time Joe was a toddler and also because the two shared an unmatched love for horses.
So it was confusing to Ben why Joe was having such a problem with staying at Walter's. "Joseph did you hear me?" Ben asked, with that fatherly tone that left no room for a young boy's outburst.
"Yes sir," Joe said with strained control, his temper, as it always did when he was feeling hurt or scared, was rising fast. It was now taking a visible effort to control it and this didn't escape Ben's notice.
"Joe, I know that this isn't how things are usually done, but there isn't any other choice. We just had some bad luck hiring this time around and there's nobody able to stay here. You know that I would let you stay here if it was safe," Ben pleaded. But it had little affect on the twelve year old who just simply shrugged and said,
"Yes sir."
He knew he had to be good, he knew he had to behave, and he knew tat he couldn't stay on the Ponderosa alone. Joe didn't really care anymore for the reasons. His Pa was leaving and he didn't want him to go. His brothers were leaving and he didn't want them to go. Hopsing was even leaving and he didn't want him to go. His family was going and he was being taken off the Ponderosa, even if only for a week or two, and it did not sit well with him.
Joe suddenly felt tired, as his stomach started to churn, and to top it all off he could feel hot tears burning behind his eyes. He flopped down on his bed and turned his back to his father before Ben could see. "Good night Pa," he said chocking slightly.
"Joe…" Ben started, taking a step towards his son but stopped when he saw Joe tense. Not really knowing what to say anyways, Ben just shock his head and said, "Good night son." He sighed as he shut the door, his hart breaking at the apparent rejection from his son.
As soon as he was sure he was alone, Joe buried his face into his pillow and began to cry.
"No yelling, no tantrums, and no slamming doors…must have gone well," Adam said with a smirk from his favorite chair as he sat reading.
"Maybe Joe's sick," Hoss suggested, his lips twitching upward as he studied the checker board in front of him.
"No Hoss, Joe isn't sick," came Ben's tired voice causing the two older boys to jump. "He's just hurt, and angry." Ben let out a sigh as he slumped down into his favorite red leather chair and started to rub his temples. It was clear to the boys that their father was under a lot if stress and Joe wasn't making it any easier.
"Pa, Joe's going to be fine. He's just throwing another tantrum," Adam said, "He'll get over it. He always does."
Ben's only reply was a grunt.
"Yeah Pa, for all his fits Joe understands. He knows this is important, he jist upset 'cause he can't come along," Hoss chimed in.
Ben sighed again and gave his two boys a wry smile. "I know," he said, but he didn't sound any less upset. "Why don't you boys call it a night?" he suggested, "It's going to be a long day tomorrow and a long two week. Might be the last time in a while you guys get a good night's sleep in a soft bed."
Adam could feel his own temper heating up; he wanted to say something to his father to help ease the worry that his younger brother had caused. He also wanted to shake some sense into Joe and make him see what his little tantrums were doing. It had been a stressful time for the ranch and Joe just was not helping. With a sigh Adam made one last attempt to cheer his father, "Joe is always this way before each drive. He'll get over it Pa and by the time we're back it'll all be forgotten."
"I know Adam," Ben said smiling at his eldest, but Adam could tell he failed.
With a shake of his head and another sigh Adam headed for the stairs, and before he disappeared called, "Good night Pa. Hoss."
"Good night son," Ben answered.
"'Night Adam," was Hoss' reply.
The big man stood and stretched as Adam disappeared up the stairs, but made no move to follow. Instead he studied his Pa, took in the worry lines and the slumped shoulders. 'Only Joe can make Pa so old,' Hoss thought wryly.
"Pa, Joe's goanna be fine. It's nothing new, ya know that. He'll sulk and fret 'til he gets ta Mr. Walter and then take one look at all them horses and forget all his worries."
"So you and Adam keep saying," Ben sighed, rubbing his face. "I don't understand what has him so upset this time. It's nothing new. He's had to go to Walter's before; in fact he normally loves to go. I know he hates being off the Ponderosa and he hate's it especially when we're gone. But he hasn't behaved like this in years….I don't understand," Ben said exasperated.
"Maybe he frustrated Pa," Hoss said simply. "He's so close to being able to go, he can taste it. Maybe he's just mad that he's still too young."
Ben smiled up at Hoss. Yet again he felt himself impressed with the simple insight and wisdom that his biggest son had. If you asked anyone they would all tell you that Adam was the cleaver son, but there were times, even with all of his book knowledge, Adam couldn't hold a lick to Hoss' wisdom. "Thank you son," Ben said earnestly and even managed a small smile.
Hoss smiled back and gave a wave to his Pa. "Night Pa, ya get some rest ya hear?" he said as he walked to the stairs.
"Don't worry Hoss, I will," Ben replied, as he watched Hoss disappear up the stairs. It was a long time before Ben made his own way to bed.