Christmas Cactus

Just like in the rest of America Christmas was celebrated and trees decorated that also happened at the High Chaparral, Arizona. For days now the woman of the house, Victoria Cannon, was busy to bring the ranch house into the Christmas spirit.

On December 23 Victoria discovered that a box with beautiful Christmas baubles was gone. She looked in all cupboards but the box was and remained missing. Finally she went to her husband Big John Cannon to make her complain public.

“John, did you have your hands on that box with beautiful Christmas baubles by coincidence?”, she asked.

“No, I have left the decorations over to you as I have promised. Why?”, asked the rancher on his turn.

“I can’t find it anywhere. It is already Christmas in 2 days time”, said Victoria.

Both thought for a moment and came then to the same conclusion.

“I suspect Buck and/or Manolito of it that the box is missing. Let’s give them a questioning. You give your brother a treatment and I do it with mine”, said John.

Victoria took her brother apart in the kitchen.

She looked at him strict and asked, “Manolo, have you seen the box with the beautiful Christmas baubles? Or you or Buck must have it. Or not indeed?”

“Victoria, sweet sister of mine. I really do not know anything about this. You have probably put that box so good away that you don’t know where it is anymore. Excuse me because I have more to do”, answered Manolito.

He knew who the box had in his possession but didn’t say that. Quickly the Mexican went away, leaving Victoria angry behind.

John had less success with the questioning of his younger brother Buck. He has not been present at breakfast and the hands too hadn’t seen him.

The owner of the High Chaparral asked foreman Sam Butler, “Have you seen Buck by coincidence?”

“No, Mr Cannon. I must say though that he was behaving somewhat awkward”, answered Sam.

“I am getting more worried when that brother of mine behaves normal”, reacted John.

“Me too”, Sam said smiling.

They knew that Buck Cannon was up to the moist idiot things and did them too. Also Blue, the son of John, didn’t know where his uncle was or could be.

Just on Christmas Eve Buck let himself show at the ranch. It was already quite dark when the youngest Cannon brother came inside cheerful.

John asked at once, “And where have you been for 2 days?”

“Who? Me?”, Buck asked amazed.

“No, Santa. Of course you”, answered John.

Buck said as an excuse, “Here, there and everywhere.”

But of course he wasn’t believed by the others.

The next morning Victoria found the box of the beautiful Christmas baubles standing by her plate. First she was amazed but a second later she found a note with it where was written on:

Victoria looked around the house but thought then that the Christmas baubles also could be outside. She went outside and saw right away her beautiful Christmas baubles in the big cactus. She was totally speechless.

Especially when the others had and Buck said, “Merry Christmas Victoria.”

She looked at her brother-in-law and asked, “Buck, have you done this specially for me?”

“Yes, specially for my sweetest sister-in-law”, confessed Buck.

“Buck, she is your only sister-in-law”, said Manolito.

“That’s why I did it too”, Buck reacted laughing.

Victoria thanked her brother-in-law by giving him a hug and saying, “You really couldn’t give me a more beautiful present. Thank you Buck.”

“Buck, that is a real beautiful Christmas present”, said John.

Blue also found it an original present. They knew that only Buck Cannon would decorate a cactus with Christmas baubles and really would do that too.