SHOPPING

An ordinary afternoon in Virginia City. At the trading post two Cartwright brothers were entertaining themselves. The eldest of the two was Adam. Together with his youngest brother Little Joe he has followed the foreman of the Ponderosa ranch, Candy Canaday, to town.

“Joe, look over there how Candy is working”, said Adam.

“You are right. Shall we help him?”, asked Little Joe.

“No, we do go to him but just watch”, his brother replied.

They did that.

Candy saw the brothers coming and expected the worst.

“Look Joe, Most times he does nothing else than teasing my little boy and now we are here too suddenly he shows himself off. I wonder what is behind it”, said Adam.

“Raise of salary”, replied Little Joe.

The foreman looked at the brothers but didn’t react. He walked into the shop again and came out with a big bag of meal.

“Funny eh, to see someone to toil and do nothing else than making rotten remarks”, said Candy.

“You mean us?”, Little Joe asked amazed.

Adam too looked amazed.

“I see nobody else than you both standing here. Besides, I know you far too well to be up to this sort of things”, replied Candy.

“Look who is talking”, laughed Little Joe.

The foreman didn’t react to it.

When all groceries were on the wagon Candy climbed upon the box and he rode back home. Adam and Little Joe followed him at a safe distance.

‘I will get those two Cartwright brothers’, thought Candy.

Ben and Hoss Cartwright sat on the porch when Candy came home. He jumped from the wagon and walked to the other Cartwrights.

“Mr Cartwright, Hoss, I must have you for a moment”, said Candy.

“Just say it”, said the rancher.

“While I was busy with the groceries I got company of a certain Adam and Little Joe Cartwright. Instead of that they did stir a finger they made one awful remark after the other. You have said once that the one who gets the groceries he didn’t have to carry them inside?”, asked Candy.

Ben nodded and looked at the foreman questionable.

“I suggest that your two sweet sons carry the groceries inside as punishment”, said Candy.

Hoss said laughing, “Then you can make one rotten remark after another.”

Candy nodded smiling.

“That can be arranged. They are just coming there”, said Ben.

All three they looked at the brothers Cartwright who came home jolly.

“Adam and Joseph, you have the honor to carry all the groceries to the kitchen”, the rancher spoke.

Mentioned Cartwrights looked at each other amazed.

“Why us? We just have been to town”, said Little Joe.

“We have kept Candy company while he did the shopping”, Adam gave as an argument.

“I have heard a total different story from Candy. You made remarks to him and he had to do everything on his own. As punishment you must now work hard. Hop Sing is waiting for the groceries so go ahead”, said Ben.

The brothers dismounted and carried grumbling the groceries inside.

“Look Hoss, now they are working hard finally for once”, Candy said laughing.

It was clear that Adam and Little Joe had learned their lesson because they resolved to never make rotten remarks again when someone would do shopping.