By the big international success of the talent shows on TV a local TV station in Nevada decided to organize a special talent show. But nobody knew yet where that was.
On an afternoon Hoss Cartwright came home with the mail. For him was home: the Ponderosa Ranch. The owner of the ranch was his father Ben Cartwright. Many years ago Ben had started the ranch when Hoss and his 6 year older brother Adam were still very young.
“Pa, a big envelop has come with the mail”, Hoss said to his father who was busy with the administration.
“Let’s see what they want from us this time”, the rancher said sighing.
He got the mail and opened at once the big envelop. In the envelop were 4 registration forms for a special talent hunt.
In the guiding letter was to be read:
Dear gentlemen Cartwright,
Hereby you find 4 registration forms for the talent hunt CARTWRIGHTS HAVE TALENT. Everyone may choose for himself which talent he/she let see and/or hear.
What the prize is for the best talent is will be remain a secret yet.
Yours sincerely,
The organization.
Ben let Hoss read it and looked at him questionable.
“Pa, do we really have to join this? I really can’t sing like Adam can”, Hoss said a bit anxious.
“I know that Hoss, but you can whistle very well. I see what I will do. Let’s tell it your brothers first”, said the rancher.
He was already glad to leave the administration for what it was. Ben loved his ranch very much but he hated the administration though. They went outside to tell the news to the brothers of Hoss (Adam and Joe). The brothers were busy in the barn when Ben and Hoss came in.
“Pa, look at them playing nicely in the hay”, said Hoss.
Adam and Joe were throwing hay at each other.
“Indeed Hoss. But with that talent hunt they have to be doing something alone though”, answered Ben.
Now the brothers stopped with throwing hay at each other and they looked at their father amazed.
“Which talent hunt?”, asked Joe.
Now Adam also looked at his father. The rancher told about the apart talent hunt.
“I really not going to enter that talent hunt”, Joe said at once.
Adam also had his objections because his answer was, “No way. I don’t need such a talent hunt to know that I can sing well. I can do that.”
Hoss also let his opinion about the talent hunt hear. The brothers looked at their father questionable.
“Boys, I don’t feel like entering either. Besides it’s a waste of our precious time”, Ben said finally.
“So we don’t do it, do we?”, Hoss asked hopeful on behalf of his brothers.
“No, we don’t do it! I send this return to sender with the contents”, answered his father.
The brothers were deliriously glad with this decision.
Yet that same day the big envelop was mailed.
A week later the director of the TV program came by. Unfortunately for him Ben and Joe were away on business so that Adam and Hoss had to answer to him.
“Gentlemen Cartwright, I am James Butler. I have the direction about the program ‘Cartwrights Have Talent’. Our broadcast is very disappointed about your decision for not to enter. May I ask why you don’t want to join in?”, asked James.
“Mr Butler, we don’t have the mind and time to join in such an idiot talent show. Just go bother another family with your je show”, said Adam.
“You are just the chosen one to join in”, said James.
“What can we win?”, Hoss wanted to know.
“No money but eternal fame”, was the answer.
“We already have that so bye Mr Butler”, said Adam.
James didn’t know how fast he had to leave.
“That fellow will return as much times as and keep on nagging until we decide to join in. What are we going to do?”, asked Hoss.
“We just go to work”, Adam said calm.
So the brothers did that then too.
A few days later Adam and Hoss discovered that the whole recording circus of the talent show had made camp at the Ponderosa.
“Adam, look over there. That isn’t is what I think that it is?”, asked Hoss.
His brother looked very well for a second and answered, “That is that camp of that Butler. Now he really has gone too far.”
They rode to the camp, dismounted and hitched their horses. James saw the brothers and walked up to them.
“Butler, what have we said about your show?”, asked Hoss.
“I know that. But I thought when you saw it for real the enthusiasm would come up with you”, answered James.
“Really not!”, reacted Adam.
“I will give you a tour”, said James.
That happened and after the tour Adam and Hoss sat down to get over everything. To mark his talent to whistle super well Hoss began to whistle very false. To prevent that he had to sing Adam had lighted a cigarette.
Eva Young asked them, “Do you know that it’s forbidden to smoke here?”
“This is our land so I may smoke here. The false whistling of my brother is also having your dislike, isn’t it?”, was the counter-question of Adam.
“Indeed not!”, said Eva.
“Then it’s also forbidden for you to make a dumb talent camp. Just pack everything in and disappear”, answered Adam.
Eva shook of this reaction and ran in panic to her boss James Butler.
“James, the Cartwrights are causing problems. Adam is smoking and Hoss whistles a little bit false. They force us to leave here because I said that it was forbidden to smoke here”, Eva said upset.
“Then they can forget it with their eternal fame. Pack up everything and we leave”, James said shocked.
That was done and when this got out nobody dared to approach them to enter a talent show.
When Ben and Joe heard how Adam and Hoss dealt with James Butler they not only got an extra salary bonus but also 2 extra week vacation. Of course the brothers accepted that.