CONTROL

It happened during the annual picnic in June. By a strange drawing Ponderosa owner Ben Cartwright was hitched to widow Hawkins. Of course the offspring of Ben found this laughable but the rancher himself didn’t. The grandchildren of Ben, ten year old Mitch and Pam, added a whole lot to it. When they heard to whom their grandpa was hitched to Mitch had a painful question ready to be answered.

“Grandpa, when is the wedding between you and widow Hawkins?”, asked the boy.

Ben sighed and replied, “I only spend the day with her. Nothing else. And there will certainly come no wedding!”

“Pity”, said Mitch.

“I wanted to be bridesmaid so eagerly”, said Pam.

“Just wait till your father or your uncles will get married”, replied Ben.

He went to read the newspaper so that the others kept silent about it too.

Till the day of the picnic the sons of Ben (Adam, Hoss and Little Joe) and the twins tried to convince Ben to go sailing together in the wedding boat. The rancher knew that the twins wanted to have a sweet grandma but he was happy this way and what him concerned it would stay that way too.

Finally it was the time. The Cartwrights made themselves ready to go to the annual picnic.

“Grandpa, have fun with your date”, said Mitch.

“Mitchell, it is just a picnic with widow Hawkins. No wedding!”, replied Ben.

“Pa, you never know what will happen next”, suggested Hoss.

He winked at his brothers who hardly could start laughing.

“I just go having a picnic and nothing else!”, said Ben.

“That’s what they all say but in the meantime ….”, Adam replied smiling.

He got an angry look thrown by his father.

“Well, grandpa could have it worse. Imagine that he was hitched to Missy Ab. Or Mrs Stone”, Mitch suggested.

Everybody laughed. Ben didn’t react to it because he knew that his grandson always had the last word.

During the picnic it was very cozy. Adam remained by his twins and their dog Cody while Hoss and Little Joe walked around.

Ben spent the day with widow Hawkins who was totally smitten with the rancher.

“Oh ducky. How nice that we are hitched to each other”, said Clementine.

“That was pure luck. When the boys heard this Mitch wanted to arrange the wedding right away”, said Ben.

Clementine blushed totally.

“Mrs Benjamin Cartwright-Hawkins. That sounds really well”, she said.

“Clementine, let’s first see how this day goes by. And today all my attention is for you. I have no children or grandchildren for the moment”, replied Ben.

Widow Hawkins thought that an excellent idea.

Meanwhile the boys were wondering how it would go between Ben and widow Hawkins.

“Maybe something nice will grow between pa and widow Hawkins”, said Hoss.

“Then there is even less pudding for uncle Hoss”, Pam remarked.

Everyone except Hoss laughed.

“You and/or your brother always know how to spoil it for me”, reacted Hoss.

“You’re welcome uncle Hoss. Would there be anything left from that peach cake?”, asked Mitch.

“Why don’t we go and have a look?”, Hoss suggested.

They got up and walked to the stand where the cakes were standing. Meanwhile they looked around if they didn’t see their love birds. Fortunately for Ben and widow Hawkins was that not so.

At the cake stand Mitch got the last piece of peach cake. He ate it there and saw with Hoss sheriff Roy Coffee coming.

“I hope that you Cartwrights behave yourselves”, said Roy.

“I always behave myself”, Mitch said between two bites through.

“I didn’t mean you but your uncles and your father”, replied the sheriff.

Hoss was too indignant to say something and hoped that his nephew didn’t say anything to the sheriff.

After Mitch had finished his cake he said, “Uncle Hoss, may I treat you at a delicious piece of carrot cake? They have baked it especially for you.”

Roy thought it was funny but Hoss of course didn’t.

“You go along with me now before you talk me into jail”, said Hoss.

He grabbed his nephew by the hand and took him back to their spot. Roy watched them go smiling.

Ben and Clementine had it very cozy and the food and drinks were very well chosen.

“Benjamin, ducky, may I invite you for a diner at my place tonight to close this fine day?”, asked the widow.

She looked at him so begging that Ben very hardly could say no.

“Alright then. The boys of mine are old enough to take care of their own supper and that of the twins. So I accept your invitation”, replied Ben.

Clementine was deliriously happy. It looked like if she had received a wedding proposal from her ducky. Ben resolved himself not to tell this to his family. Or otherwise they would book the church in advance. The couple went to the boarding house which widow Hawkins was running. Fortunately nobody saw them leave.

The other Cartwrights decided to go home at the end of the afternoon. Everyone had gotten that idea too.

“Where are pa and widow Hawkins actually?”, asked Little Joe.

“They are on their way on their honeymoon”, reacted Hoss.

They laughed.

Adam said, “I go with the kids look at the house of the widow. You take Cody along.”

So said, so done.

Adam and the twins rode to the house of widow Hawkins. Near the fence Buck, the horse of Ben, was hitched.

“Has grandpa moved in with her already?”, Pam asked amazed.

“If that is so we get a bigger piece of pudding”, Mitch replied cheerful.

“You stay here while I look inside”, Adam said while he dismounted.

The twins nodded and dismounted too. Adam gave the reins of his horse Sport to Mitch and walked to the house. The front door was ajar. Adam became curious and looked inside.

“Daddy, perhaps they are playing bingo”, called Mitch.

Adam sighed deep but said nothing back. He decided to go inside and came that way into the living room. There the eldest Cartwright boy found his father and widow Hawkins busy with a card game.

“Hello Adam. What do you want?”, Ben asked when he saw his son.

“You had disappeared so suddenly that we became worried”, said Adam.

“Clementine invited me for a diner at her place to say thank you for this day. There is nothing else behind it. Are you alone?”, asked Ben.

“No, the twins wait outside. But I will hold up your romantic diner any longer”, said Adam.

He left right away, leaving Ben and Clementine behind.

“What a nice and concerning son you have, ducky. That he won’t hold us up any longer on this special day”, said Clementine.

“I am rather afraid for the reactions of his brothers and especially that of my grandson. Mitch is a lovely boy but he can embarrass you so”, replied Ben.

“Just enjoy the company of us together. Your children can manage well”, his hostess said.

Outside Adam told the twins what he had seen and heard. The children couldn’t stop laughing anymore. They rode home laughing out loud.

That evening Ben came home very late so he was sure that everyone was asleep. No matter what they said, he did have a nice day with widow Hawkins but he kept it all to himself.