Personal Present
For a few weeks the children of Adam and Sally Cartwright (Lisa, Benji and Rose) were looking for an original present for the birthday of their father. They knew that he read a lot but also that their father had a lot of books in his property. Finally the children decided to asked their older brother and brother-in-law Mitch and Matthew for advice. The 2 had a Bed & Breakfast not so far from the big ranch house.
Matthew saw the threesome coming and suspected that their support was needed.
“Mitch, we get a visit from 3 little Smurfs”, he called to his husband.
The young Cartwright got up and looked outside from their office.
“What have they been up to now at home?”, asked Mitch.
From experiences the couple knew that the twins
(Lisa and Benji) and little sister Rose came to them when they had been up to something at home. Just like Mitch the threesome were real Cartwright descendants and let that notice well good and often. In the big garden the bikes got put down and 3 children came into the office of the Ponderosa Bed & Breakfast.
“What can we do for you?”, asked Matthew.
They sat down and Benji answered, “We want to give daddy something personal for his birthday. But we don’t know what.”
“You are much older and know more”, said Rose.
Mitch thought for a moment and suggested then, “When we were born daddy ordered for us a book that was about us. That is such a personalized book. You can order them via internet.”
“Mitch, do you mean that in that book daddy plays the lead part?”, Lisa asked for the security.
Her older brother nodded and said, “Matt, do you look up that site. Then the little Smurfs can see it for themselves.”
Matthew looked up the site meant by Mitch and showed it to the visitors.
“They cost 25 dollar each including mailing costs. We are with 5 persons. How much is 25 dived by 5?”, asked Matthew.
“A lot”, Rose said spontaneous.
They all laughed.
The twins said at the same time, “That is 5.”
“Correct. We pay the present and you work for 5 dollar here at the weekend. You just stay the night here. The book gets delivered here too. Deal?”, asked Matthew.
Everyone agreed. An exciting book was chosen for Adam Cartwright and ordered. Lisa, Benji and Rose went Back home satisfied.
A few weeks later the package with the book was delivered at the Ponderosa Bed & Breakfast. Mitch opened it and tried to read it. But he put it away quickly.
“This book is too difficult for me to read”, said Mitch.
Matthew said, “Then we order for your birthday such a book but then 1 which is easily to read.”
His husband nodded.
Adam and Sally were very pleased that their children stayed somewhere else. They knew that their Mitch and his husband Matthew took good care of them. The youngest Cartwrights helped well in the B&B to pay their debt with their brother and brother-in-law that way.
Finally it was May 18 and the children could give Adam their present. Mitch picked up the children from school including their cousins Inger and Petra (the children of Hoss and Betsy, the brother and sister-in-law of Adam). After that they went to the big ranch house.
“Daddy, congratulations with your birthday. You get this on behalf of Matt, Lisa, Benji, Rose and me”, Mitch said while he congratulated his father and gave the present.
Adam unwrapped the present and found a personalized book.
He said then smiling, “Thanks boys. At least this is a very original book.”
“It was an idea of Mitch”, said Rose.
“Then that is a better idea than that of his uncle Joe”, reacted Ben, the grandpa of Rose and the other children.
Even though Joe didn’t like this reaction he laughed too.
The rest of the day there was a big celebration at the Ponderosa ranch.