Future Plans

One day Adam Cartwright took his 2 eldest children Mitch and Pam aside. The twins were 14 and very undertaking. “boys, I want to talk to you seriously”, Adam said when he was alone at home with them.

“What about?”, Mitch asked afraid.

“About your future. You are 14 and well old enough to announce your future plans”, answered his father.

The twins looked at each other amazed.

“I just want to keep on living and working at the Ponderosa”, said Pam.

“And I am going to play baseball professionally. There is a pro club in Boston”, was the answer of her brother.

Adam looked up from these announcements. He really hadn’t expected this.

“And if I give the both of you the chance to study?”, he asked.

“Me studying when I can’t even read and write well. You really won’t see me at an university”, Mitch said laughing.

“And I don’t even get in because I am a girl”, reacted his sister.

The twins clearly disagreed with their father. Adam sighed deep. He looked at them and knew that they would stick to their decision.

“Daddy, because you have studied that doesn’t mean that we have to go studying too”, said Pam.

“Enough children would grab the chance to go studying with both hands but not mine. Do you know what you are throwing away now?”, asked Adam.

“Yes, but you have studied architecture and now you are working at the ranch. You also could have been working as an architect”, said Pam.

“I came back because I was needed here. But I have no regret of my decision to go back home”, answered Adam.

“What must I study then?”, asked Mitch.

“That’s your own decision. And your sister’s too”, was the answer of Adam.

“May we have some time to think?”, asked Mitch.

Adam nodded.

“Come sis. Then we go somewhere else”, said Mitch.

The twins went outside, leaving their father alone.

On the hay loft they discussed their problem.

“I am really not going to university. If daddy forces me I leave the ranch for good”, said Mitch.

“Me neither. If you go away I come with you. We just stay together”, said Pam.

“Would grandpa like to listen to us?”, asked Mitch.

“I think so. Hopefully he understands us. Come on”, his sister answered.

They climbed down and grabbed their horses. A moment later the twins rode to their grandpa Ben Cartwright who was at the cattle branding.

“Mr Cartwright, we get company”, said foreman Candy Canaday.

Ben looked up and saw his 2 eldest grandchildren coming. He and Candy stopped the children.

“Grandpa, we must see you urgently”, said Mitch.

“Alright. Candy, you and the others continue with the branding. I go along with these 2”, said the owner of the Ponderosa.

So said, so done.

“What is the matter?”, Ben asked on a quiet spot near the lake Tahoe.

“Daddy has made up the idiot plan that we both must study. But we don’t want to. Can’t you talk to him about our decision?”, Pam asked on her turn.

“I want to give it a try. But I know that your father has the best for you”, said Ben.

“He says that other children grab the chance to study and we don’t”, answered Mitch.

The rancher noticed that the twins had other future plans than their father had for them.

“If daddy is going to force us we leave straight away. And then we are never coming back”, Mitch said determined.

Ben knew that his grandchildren meant it seriously.

“What do you want then with your future?”, asked Ben.

“I just keep on living and working here”, answered Pam.

“And I want to go play baseball in Boston or New York. Or wherever then”, her brother said.

“Well, if that are your decisions your father will have to accept it. Whether he likes it or not”, was the answer of the rancher.

“We will keep on living and working here”, said Pam.

Ben said, :“Pam, you keep yourself occupy with the animals on the yard and your brother will train. But you both must keep an eye on the little ones.”

“Deal grandpa”, Mitch said on behalf of his sister.

They went each their won way again.

“I will help you with the cores and babysitting”, promised Mitch.

Pam delivered him a promise too, “I help you too with training.”

When the twins rode upon the yard Adam was busy with the administration on the porch. They dismounted and hitched the horses. Here after they went to Adam.

“Daddy, we have made a decision concerning our future”, said Mitch.

Adam looked at his children questionable and got to hear what the twins had discussed with Ben.

Finally Adam said, “Mitch, first you do your work and then training.”

“Alright”, the boy said.

But quite soon Mitch had the feeling that he had no future at the Ponderosa. Every day was for him the same: get up early, breakfast, working till supper and after that some training on the yard. Adam noticed that and took his son apart.

“Mitch, what is the matter?”, Adam asked worried.

“Nothing”, the boy said.

“there is something and I want to know what that is”, said Adam.

Mitch looked at the ground and answered reluctantly, “I find it quite boring here at the ranch. Each day the same thing. I rather play baseball each day.”

Adam sighed deep.

“You mean this serious? About that playing baseball?”, he asked.

Mitch nodded.

“Then we are going to try to arrange it. But I don’t promise anything. You know that this is your home”, said Adam.

“I know that”, answered his son.

That evening Mitch made the announcement: “I am going to try to become a pro baseball player. That means that I am leaving.”

“I know some people in New York and go with him”, said Adam.

Ben said, “Mitch, I wish you a lot of luck.”

“Thanks grandpa”, the boy said.

The next day Adam and Mitch left for New York. During the trip Adam noticed that there was something with his son.

“Mitch, what is the matter?”, he suddenly asked.

“I can hardly see anything. Everything is so vague”, answered the young Cartwright.

“I don’t want to give you false hope but I fear that you won’t become a top baseball player. Especially when you can hardly see anything anymore”, Adam said concerned.

Mitch asked worried, “You will stay by me, won’t you?”

“Mitch, I could never run out on you”, Adam reassured him.

The boy was relieved.

Arrived in New York Mitch hardly saw anything. Adam was very worried. That’s why he first went to the hospital where Mitch got examined extendedly.

Doc Taylor said after the examination, “Mr Cartwright, Mitch has serious inflamed eyes. Fortunately it’s treatable but your son will have to give up his dream to become a to baseball player. The eyes of Mitch are too bad for that.”

“He was bothered by it when he was 4 and 10”, Adam said shocked.

“I want to keep Mitch here for 2 days and treat his eyes and wrapped them up”, said Doc.

“That’s alright”, said Adam.

They went to Mitch who laid in bed. He got to hear everything. Mitch didn’t show any emotions when he heard that he would never become a baseball player. But Adam saw that his son had trouble with it. Doc treated the dark eyes and wrapped them up after that. Then he left the Cartwrights alone.

“Daddy, just go home and say to the others that your son is a big failure”, Mitch said gloomy.

Adam grabbed his right hand and said, “I am not going home without you. And you really are no failure. And even though you won’t become a pro player, you can teach other children how to play baseball.”

“Rose is also already pitching quite well and hard”, said Mitch.

“You are going to rest and I will inform at that baseball club. I am back tonight”, said Adam.

Mitch fell asleep and Adam went to his appointment.

At baseball club the New York Nuggets Adam got an extended tour.

Coach Steven Johnson heard everything and asked, “I still want to see your son playing. Even though he is crippled and has some problems with seeing. The doctors here are very good. How old is Mitch?”

“Fourteen. He and his twin sister are becoming 15 on Christmas day”, answered Adam.

“Do you have more children who play baseball?”, asked Steve.

“Their 7 year old sister Lisa is not interested but Rose of 2 is. That’s my youngest. She can already throw quite well. So who knows later”, was the answer of Adam.

Two days later.

Mitch could see reasonably and was discharged from the hospital. Adam still hadn’t said anything about the audition.

“Aren’t we going home?”, he asked amazed when they didn’t go to the hotel.

“Not yet. First you must do something yet”, said Adam.

Of course Mitch didn’t understand anything about it but he didn’t ask any further either.

At the stadium Adam introduced Steve to Mitch.

“Mitch, I know about your health problems. Despite that I still want to see you playing”, said Steve.

He took the boy to the locker room where Mitch got to know the other players.

During the game Mitch played the stars from the sky so that Steve knew that Adam hadn’t said not enough about the baseball talent of his son.

After the game Steve said, “Mitch, you are 2 years too young to become a pro. But I want that you keep yourself developing and as soon as you are16 you come here.”

“That is great. Thank you Mr Johnson”, Mitch said smiling.

The Cartwrights returned home very satisfied and now Adam was relieved over the future plans of his twins.