Adam Cartwright decided to take his six year old son Mitch to a few baseball games. But not just a few but in Boston. Because Adam had to be there anyway for business the eldest Cartwright boy had arranged tickets for himself and his son.
On Sunday July 25 Adam said, “Kid, this coming Thursday we go together on vacation to Boston. I have some business to deal there and meanwhile you can go to an afternoon games of the Red Sox.”
“What great daddy. But you are for the Red Sox, aren’t you?”, asked Mitch.
“That is so but I still have some business to arrange. That client can only during the daytime. And business is nothing for a little boy like you. We stay with friends of ours”, answered his father.
Mitch thought it was fine and went to play again with Cody, the shepherd dog of the Cartwright family.
Mitch was very excited about the upcoming vacation and that noticed his uncles Hoss and Joe very well.
“Uncle Hoss and uncle Joe, you may be staying at home then. But I will still see you in Fenway Park”, Mitch said on an afternoon.
The brothers became worried. They recognized the sarcastic tone in the voice of their nephew far too well.
“Mitchell Jonathan Cartwright, you aren’t comparing your best uncles with a few bats, are you?”, asked Hoss.
“I wouldn’t dare because then I insult those poor bats too”, Mitch said laughing.
He had to run for his life because his uncles came after him. Fortunately the little Cartwright got stopped by the owner of the Ponderosa, Ben Cartwright.
“Ho Mitchell. You are not going to tell me that your uncles are after you once again, are you?”, Ben asked his grandson.
“Unfortunately yes grandpa. I said to them that I would see them in Fenway Park. Then the gentlemen were insulted”, said Mitch.
He and Ben saw the brothers coming.
“Mustn’t you be working instead of teasing your nephew?”, Ben asked stern.
“Yeah but pa, that little thing was comparing us with bats”, answered Hoss.
Ben kept on looking at his youngest sons so that they went to work again. Then the rancher looked at his grandson.
“What would you say if we go to Virginia City together to eat something?”, asked Ben.
Mitch nodded smiling. They went away at once. From then Hoss and Joe avoided their nephew as long as the boy wasn’t away with his father.
Ben brought his son and grandson to the airport of Las Vegas.
“Adam, look well after that grandson of mine”, said the rancher.
“I promise”, said Adam.
Mitch had trouble with saying goodbye to Ben but that was the other way too. The boy remained close by his father who didn’t left him out of sight for a moment.
At the airport of Boston the Cartwrights got waited for David and Rose Keller.
“Adam Cartwright, How nice that you are here again”, David said in the meeting hall.
“It’s good to be back home again”, said Adam.
The men embraced each other and Rose too got a hearty greeting.
“May I introduce you to my son Mitch? Mitch, these are Mr and Mrs Keller. We sleep at their place”, said Adam.
Mitch gave nicely a hand.
“He looks a lot like you but also like Mary. Is he also as sweet as he looks like?”, asked Rose.
“Well, my brothers often rather see him going then coming and sometimes I can stick him behind the wallpaper but with my father he can get away with everything. Mitch is crazy about baseball and I have promised him tickets for the Red Sox”, answered Adam.
“And you are also a supporter of Boston, just like your father?”, asked David.
“No, I am for the Atlanta Braves and Yankees. I play in the team of daddy”, said Mitch.
“I coach a team of kids around the age 5 and 6 years old”, Adam explained.
“We go”, said Rose.
Once at home with David and Rose especially Mitch felt very at home. Quite soon he was playing outside with his ball and glove.
Adam and David saw that and the latter said, “Your son really has talent.”
“More people say that”, Adam said proud as a peacock.
“Why don’t we go to the park with Mitch? There he can play with other children”, David suggested.
Adam answered, “at home he often plays with other children so he will like this too.”
They walked to the boy.
“Mitch, are you coming to the park to play baseball?”, asked David.
“Alright”, said Mitch.
“Do leave your ball here”, said Adam.
Mitch gave him the ball where after Adam brought the ball inside and gave Rose the message.
“Just go play in the park happily”, Rose said teasing.
At the park Mitch was quite soon playing baseball with the other children. From a bench the men watched.
“Tomorrow afternoon I have an appointment with Nigel Smith about a design of a building. Can you go with Mitch then to that game between Boston and Yankees?”, asked Adam.
“That is in the evening so just all can go together”, reacted David.
With reluctance Adam admitted that he was wrong.
After an hour the men and Mitch returned home again. Adam noticed that his son was tired because he had to carry him. David had his glove tight.
“That one will sleep quickly”, said David.
“I think so too. But he is sleeping through the whole night since his birth”, reacted Adam.
Rose had supper ready so that they could get to the table. Mitch finished his plate nicely where after Adam gave him a bath and brought him to bed then.
Back again Adam said, “He was away at once.”
“It has been a very long day for him. You can leave him here with a rested heart tomorrow”, said Rose.
“Fine. He hardly has known Mary because he was 11 months old when she died”, said Adam.
David and Rose noticed that Adam still missed Mary.
“Say Adam, do you still have your collection of baseball cards?”, David asked to change the subject.
“Yes, but Mitch doesn’t know that. Otherwise I have lost them. Why? Do you still have yours too?”, Adam asked on his turn.
“Yes. Recently I sorted them out and out the double ones apart. Would Mitch like to have them?”, was the following question of David.
“I think he will. I know something: let him help tomorrow with chores. Then he gets as a reward those cards. At home he also helps Hop Sing often in the kitchen and the flower garden of pa”, said Adam.
“Deal”, said David.
At 4 o’clock Mitch woke up. His first thought was: ‘I go with daddy to the baseball stadium.’ The boy got up and walked to the bedroom of Adam.
He woke up his father by lugging his arm and saying at the same time, “Daddy, we come too late at the stadium.”
Adam was wide awake at once, knew what time it was and said, “Mitch, it’s just 4 o’clock in the morning. All ball players of the Yankees and Red Sox are still sleeping. I bring you back to bed and you only come out of it when I come to get you. Besides it’s a very long day for you.”
With a little reluctance Mitch let bring himself to bed again. To big relief of Adam the boy fell asleep right away again. Adam went back to bed self too then.
During breakfast Adam said, “Mitch, later on I go away for business. I want that you are on your best behavior.”
“I promise daddy”, answered the boy.
“Mitch, would you like to help aunty Rose with the dishes after breakfast?”, David asked then.
Mitch looked at Adam and the latter nodded smiling.
“Of course I want to help”, said the youngest Cartwright.
After breakfast Adam went away and he left his son behind with David and Rose. Mitch helped Rose with the dishes.
“Mitch, are you coming to do the shopping later on?”, she suddenly asked.
“Okay. At home I also may come to the supermarket sometimes”, answered the boy.
For a moment it was silent.
Then Mitch asked a bit shy, “Have you known mama too?”
“We both have known your mother. She was a youth friend of mine. When your father studied here they got to know each other”, told Rose.
“So mama was also from Boston? But she was for the Yankees though”, Mitch said amazed.
“I got to know her in New York where we lived in the same street. But we both could get to work here so your mother met your father. She did go often by car to Yankee Stadium and I went along”, Rose explained.
“Mama often went to Yankee Stadium. Wow. I have never been there yet”, said Mitch.
Meanwhile the dishes had been done and they prepared themselves for the shopping.
After lunch Mitch helped David in the big garden. Here too let the young Cartwright show that he was very helpful. When the garden chores were done Mitch had to take a bath but he didn’t mind at all.
Wearing his new black jeans and Yankees shirt Mitch came downstairs where Adam just came home. The boy flew into his arms.
“Have you behaved yourself nicely?”, asked Adam.
“Yes, like always. I had to work very hard though. First in the kitchen and this afternoon in the garden”, answered Mitch.
They walked to the living room where David and Rose were.
“Hello Adam. Your son has helped us well and he was no bother at all”, said Rose.
“He knows that he gets punished when he is a bother. That’s fortunately never”, answered Adam.
David left the living room and came back a moment later with a large ice box which he gave to the youngest Cartwright.
“Mitch, due to your holiday work you get this ice box from us”, said David.
Mitch received it and said, “Thanks uncle David.”
He opened it and found lots of baseball cards.
“May I all have them?”, he asked amazed.
“They are all yours. Tonight at the stadium you may also look for an album with covers for the cards. We had arranged this last night when you were already sleeping”, answered Adam.
David had added a list and it were 100 cards.
A bit later on they went to Fenway Park where they had their meals too. Of course were the best seats for the Cartwrights and the Kellers. Mitch did stare his eyes out.
“Mitch, are you coming to look for that album?”, asked Rose.
“Okay”, said the youngest Cartwright.
They left their seats and went to the souvenir shop of the Red Sox. Quite soon Mitch had found what he wanted to have. Rose paid and with a very pleased Cartwright she walked back to David and Adam.
“Tomorrow we sort out the cards and put them into the album”, promised Adam.
The game started and Mitch was enjoying himself very much. Especially when the Yankees came ahead in runs. Of course Mitch had his glove with him and he caught a foul ball. Adam gave his son another Red Sox bal in a standard. The caught ball also went into a standard.
Very tired but also satisfied Mitch went back home with the grownups. But yet before they were home the boy was already sleeping.
The next morning Adam let sleep son in on purpose. Though Mitch got up at 9.30. Freshly washed came the little Cartwright downstairs.
“Morning everyone”, he said cheerful.
“Morning lad. Slept well?”, Rose asked while she made baked eggs for him.
“I dreamed that I was the starting pitcher of the Yankees and sent each batter of the Red Sox back to the dug-out with a strikeout”, answered Mitch.
He ate his breakfast and spent then his time and attention to his baseball cards. Adam helped him with putting them on numbers.
“Kid, tomorrow I show you Boston. There is 1 place that you surely must have seen”, Adam said after a while.
“Besides Fenway Park?”, asked Mitch.
“Besides Fenway Park”, answered Adam.
“I am curious”, was the reaction of his son.
That afternoon Mitch played outside while Adam went to the grave of his mother alone. He had gotten instructions of Ben how he had to get there.
At the grave of Elizabeth Cartwright Adam said softly, “Ma, I am here on vacation with your only grandchild Mitch. He does look like you a lot too. I will bring him tomorrow here.”
The next day Mitch got an extended tour through Boston. It was lovely weather.
At the cemetery Mitch asked a bit anxious, “Daddy, do you know for sure that we must be here?”
“Yes sure, because I was here yesterday too”, answered Adam.
They walked to the grave of Elizabeth Cartwright. Mitch recognized the name but didn’t dare to ask further.
“Ma, this is your grandson Mitch. Mitch, here lies grandma buried. She died shortly after my birth”, said Adam.
Mitch was totally silent by it.
On the way to their guest address Mitch asked, “Aunty Rose said to me earlier that she and mama often went to Yankee Stadium. Are we also going there one time?”
“Tomorrow afternoon the Yankees play at home. And it’s only about 3 hours of driving. So shall we go?”, asked Adam.
The beaming eyes of the apple of his eye said enough.
In the evening the Cartwrights and the Kellers sat again in Fenway Park. Again especially Mitch was enjoying himself. To his great joy his club won again.
After a good night rest and a delicious breakfast the Cartwrights left for New York. This time it was also good weather so that it was good baseball weather. Quickly Adam drove to the stadium of the New York Yankees so that they were there in time. Mitch remained close by his father. When they sat down the youngest Cartwright went to take a look into the souvenir shop of the home team. This time Mitch bought a ball of the Yankees with stand.
Back again with his father Mitch said, “Daddy, I wish that mama could be here as well.”
“I want that too but she and grandma look from above down at us and so at the game as well”, answered Adam.
“Then I really can’t get into mischief if I am being watched from all sides”, Mitch remarked.
“Indeed”, Adam said smiling.
“What will they be jealous at home when they hear our vacation stories”, said Mitch.
“Why don’t you draw in a book? Then it becomes more clearer”, his father suggested.
Mitch thought that was a good idea.
The game went well until Mitch got a ball on his left wrist by accident. The ball remained by him and Adam put the round thing in the bag of Mitch.
“My wrist hurts”, Mitch said with tears in his eyes.
Adam checked the wrist and asked, “Can you move it?”
Mitch tried it but it went with difficulty. Meanwhile someone of the First Aid had come to them. He put an ice bag on the injured wrist.
“He had injured it badly 2 months ago again”, said Adam.
“I think that he has a sprained wrist. Go to the hospital after the game anyway”, advised the First Aid worker.
Adam promised to do that. Mitch watched the game with a lot of pain.
After the game the Cartwrights went to the hospital. At the First Aid Adam told exactly what had happened. After the examination the left wrist of Mitch got set into plaster.
“Go in 6 weeks time to your own hospital because then the plaster may be removed”, the nurse said in the plaster room.
Driving back to Boston Mitch said, “I have this again. I come for the first time in my life in Yankee Stadium, I get a ball on my wrist.”
“You have the ball in your bag. And maybe your wrist heals now a bit faster. It’s in plaster after all”, said Adam.
Once at home Mitch told all that had happened.
“Is he at home also such an accident-prone?”, David asked teasing.
“Unfortunately yes. But he always sees the sunny side of everything”, answered Adam.
Adam had some business appointments that week but Mitch entertained himself anyway.
When the Cartwrights had landed on the airport of Las Vegas again Ben already was waiting for them. Mitch flew into his arms and the rancher saw the plaster right away of course.
“How has this happened?”, Ben wanted to know.
“Oh this. At Yankee Stadium I got a ball upon my wrist. We also have been to the grave of grandma”, answered Mitch.
They grabbed their luggage and walked to the Mercedes of Ben. Driving home Ben told what had happened during their absence.
During supper Ben, Hoss and Joe got to hear all vacation stories.
When Mitch told about his collection baseball cards Joe said by accident, “Your father also has a large collection baseball cards.”
The youngest Cartwright looked at his father questionable so that Adam had to confirm it.
“You get them if you wash my car”, said Adam.
“Tomorrow?”, asked Mitch.
“When you are rested from this trip”, answered Adam.
It was very clear that it had been a very successful vacation.