For over a year, 10-year-old Mitch Cartwright was making a book for his beloved and great Uncle Hoss. The boy knew Hoss loved food very much and had taken it as the theme for his book. As a precaution, Mitch did that in his room.
One morning Mitch asked, “Uncle Joe, can you help me with the table of contents?”
With Uncle Joe, Mitch referred to his youngest uncle Joe Cartwright.
“Of course I can help you and I do”, Joe replied.
They went to Mitch's room where the gentlemen could work undisturbed.
Joe looked at every drawing and said admiringly, “Mitch, these drawings of yours are really good and look tasty too.”
“Do you think Uncle Hoss will be happy with this book?”, Mitch asked uncertain.
“He will certainly be happy with it. Especially since you made it yourself and put a lot of time and energy into it”, his uncle replied.
Joe helped his nephew with the table of contents, with Mitch also learning the alphabet better. The boy suffered from severe dyslexia in which he received a lot of help from his family.
The parents of Mitch (Adam and Sally Cartwright) gave Hoss a dinner voucher for two people for his birthday.
Hoss said, “That's going to be a wonderful dinner for Betsy and me.”
Betsy was his fiancée Betsy Kent who lived with the Cartwrights since October. She had organized the party as a gift for Hoss.
Ponderosa ranch owner Ben Cartwright came up with a big package and said, “Hoss, congratulations on your birthday. I hope you're happy with this. It's on Joe's behalf, too.”
“Thank you Dad and Joe”, said the birthday Cartwright.
He unwrapped it and it was a brand new saddle for his horse Chubb.
“Now my gift. Hoss, this is what you get from me.”, said Dotty West.
She was a good friend of Betsy but not charmed by Hoss or any Cartwright.
“Slippers. But no one's wearing them here”, Hoss said when he saw what Dotty had given.
“They were on offer and are very beautiful”, sniffed Dotty.
“Thanks anyway”," Hoss said.
Adam said to his son, “Give me your gift.”
“He won't like it or love it”, the boy responded.
“I assure you”, Adam said.
Mitch went to his uncle with lead in his shoes and said, "Uncle Hoss, this is from Cody and me.”
Cody was his best friend at the ranch and the family's shepherd dog. Hoss took it out and was visible with it in his sights.
“Mitchy, thank you so much for this cookbook”, he said.
Dotty picked up the book, looked at it and said, “What a childish drawings say.”
It was immediately quiet in the big living room.
Betsy took it for her nephew by saying:“Mitch's a kid, too. We know how long he's been doing to sign in the book. Our friendship is over and take your corny slippers with you.”
Dotty looked stunned and immediately left with the slippers.
Due to Dotty's departure, the party became even more cozy at the ranch. Hoss was constantly looking into his cookbook and knew Mitch could have a future as a draughtsman. But the other Cartwrights were also convinced of that.