Being Real Men

Chapter 2: Good Plans Gone Bad

The following morning the boys decide to eat at home rather than venture out into town when they are not heading to school.

"I'll cook breakfast. We'll have pancakes if you have flour, buttermilk or milk, and eggs. You can do the bacon if you like." Rob announces after they have dressed for the day

"We have milk. It's in the well out back so I'll go get it. We can't have bacon because we don't have any. We have bread though so I can make toast in the oven."

Sounds good. How many pancakes do you want, Alex?"

"Six! I'm starving. That meal was good last night but it didn't last. Will you make biscuits to go with the pancakes? Claire once said you were learning how to make them."

"It takes having a 'starter' of sour dough and we don't have that. I'll make the pancakes thick. We have to figure out how to get the frankfurters from the butcher. We can't just walk over and purchase them when we are to be in school. He knows me and would know I am to be in school. Does he know you, Alex?"

"Mitch buys the meat so I don't think he does. I'll go get it while you cook breakfast. That way even if he does mention I came by, it would be before school time."

"Great idea. Do that and see if there's some beans here in the house. Oh, and be sure to save some bread. I like bread with my beans and frankfurters. What about something to drink? Does Mitch have canteens, cider jugs or rubber water bags we can use?"

"Uh, I don't know. We'll look when I get back. The beans, I know we have that. I think we have some jars of apple slices. Want me to pack that?"

"Apples would be good to have. Just make sure to find tin plates and two forks to pack. I can't eat beans with my fingers!"

"We have plates, cups and forks, Rob. We do eat at a table you know. Mitch is a typical adult who insists on sitting down to eat off plates. Me, I prefer eating out of a trough like a pig!"

"You are the funny one! I'm sorry for sounding bossy. I just am used to being around the younger boys and forget myself."

"I forgive you. I'll go get our meat. I'll pick up some bacon while I'm there. If Mitch asks, I'll say we were out and I wanted some. That's not a lie." Alex answers.

"Good plan, I'll have some pancakes ready when you get back. Don't let Chris see you out dressed like that. He'll ask why you aren't wearing the school uniform with that stupid string tie we have to wear everyday! Go the back way so no one can see you just to be safe! Chris would make us go to school if he catches us."

"You worry too much, Rob! I'll go the way you say though. We don't want to get caught and be forced to cancel our fun day before it even begins!"

Two hours later, the boys are happily building a fire near the water's edge at Delbert Pond.

"You know something, Rob? You are a handy fella to have around. I wouldn't have remembered to bring matches! I'm just not used to thinking about cooking outside. Who taught you to build a fire so well?"

"My Pa taught me all of my technique. I usually have a bucket of water sitting full and a bucket of dirt also. Just in case we need to put out the fire fast. Dirt smothers the flames and keeps it from spreading. We're so close to the water we can just dip some to put it out. We won't need to smother it as there's no wind."

Stretched out on his back by the pond, Alex announces "You are a good cook, Rob. The breakfast this morning and the frankfurters just now, so good. I wind up burning them if I try cooking them on a fire."

"Claire taught me to cook some things and Pa showed me the way to cook on an open fire. I wish we'd brought a pot to warm the beans but we didn't. Warm beans, frankfurters and toasted bread are a good meal don't you think?"

"I had no idea you could toast bread on a fire this way. Stabbing it with a stick actually works! You are teaching me how to live outside! Mitch doesn't ever cook on an open fire. I don't know if he even knows how to do it."

"Well, he's always lived in a city as far as I know. I would say he never learned how. Does he ever talk about working in Colorado Springs?"

"No, and if I ask he tells me it 'isn't up for discussion'. Your Pa has taught you so much in nearly a year hasn't he? Ranching, living off the land, that sort of thing."

"I knew some things about ranching before from living with Uncle Vern but Ethan has taught me how to survive on your own. I could have no supplies along and still be able to eat off the land. I know much more about training horses than I ever did before I lived with him."

"Let's start fishing, Rob. I would love to take fresh fish home to save for another day."

"Alex, we..."

"I know, don't say it. We can't keep them."

"We could keep them if you can think of some explanation as to how we happened to have fresh fish. We can't just bring out fish to cook without someone wanting to know how we happened to have them. We can't say we went fishing since we were supposed to be in school and go straight home. Also you have to wrap them in something and put them in a smokehouse or they'll spoil."

"If only we had some of those new ice boxes I've seen in the catalog at the General Store. Sears and Roebucks sells them. They're big enough to hold a ham, a few bottles of milk and maybe one other thing. You have to have ice blocks and chips though. We don't have that at our house. Mitch says he doesn't need one as we eat out most of the time and we have the well. Why don't you have one at your place?"

"Because we don't have a way to keep ice and Pa won't be wanting to go get ice everyday to lug back to the ranch. Someday I will have an ice box and have cold drinks in the summer! I want to have one of those crank handle buckets with the cylinder where you can make ice cream too. You need ice to do that."

"Yes, I want the new things too. I don't want to live old fashioned. I want to be modern! Someday I will have one of those new telephones! I want a home with all the most modern things, even gas lamps. No more kerosene lanterns!"

"Alex, no one has telephones in Paradise. Those are only in businesses or rich people's homes in the big cities. I don't think we'll see it come here. Do you wish to live in a big city when you leave home?"

"I don't know. It depends on what Claire wants. Just think Rob, in a year or two I'll be asking your Pa for Claire's hand in marriage! What do you think he'll say?"

"He likes you Alex. He'll probably say yes if you are at least eighteen. You'll be a good brother, too. We'll be brothers when you marry her."

"I will have four new brothers then! I miss my brother and baby sister. She's ten months old now and I've not seen her since she was a wee baby."

"Someday you'll get to see them again, Alex."

Are you about ready to put 'Operation Men' in place?" Rob asks after a few hours of quiet fishing.

"Yes. Let's bank this fire and go get ready. I am ready to taste whiskey for the second time."

"Yeah, just remember, it has a real bang to it so don't drink it like lemonade. Sip it. Don't over do it either. If we get drunk we will be in tremendous trouble!"

"I know, I don't plan on drinking enough to be drunk. What time is it?"

"I didn't bring my pocket watch but looking at where the sun is, I'd say it's about two. We'll be able to get changed and over to the Purple Palace before the kids get out of school. Someone might come to your place looking for us so we need to be done by then."

"Why would someone look for us?"

"We weren't in school, remember? That old windbag might just tell someone and they come looking for us!"

Back at Mitch's house, the two "men" are snickering over each other's appearance.

"That hat makes you look like an old miner!" Alex giggles.

"Yeah? Well you look like you pulled your clothes out from under a wagon as it rolled over them and haven't bathed in a month! I say we look scruffy enough. Is my hair covered? You don't see any brown do you?"

"No, I don't. Besides, with the hats no one can see our hair."

"They may make us take the hats off. I don't know for sure. Remember, you have to pitch your voice lower and just don't talk much. Also don't stare at anyone. Look down most of the time. Especially when playing cards. Men might think you are challenging them if you openly stare at them while card playing."

"Okay, I'll try to remember all this. How do you know so much about it?"

"Remember, I was on my own for three months before I got caught and sent here to Paradise. I learned most of it then. That was a fun three months. No rules. No school. Nobody to boss you. Nice while it lasted."

Boldly walking in to the Purple Palace, Rob walks to a table and sits down. Keeping his hat pulled down to shade his face. Alex takes a seat across from him. The barmaid comes over to ask for their order.

"Two whiskey's on the rocks if you can. If not serve it straight up, Miss." Rob orders deepening his voice.

"Right away, sir."

Exchanging a small raised eyebrow look with Alex, Rob sees his friend's mouth briefly turn up in a quick smile.

"Here you are boys. Two whiskeys straight up. Afraid we don't have ice today. Enjoy."

Taking his glass and moving his chair closer to Rob, Alex whispers "She KNOWS! She called us "boys". We're done for!"

"Shhhh, calm down. All the men are "boys" in saloons. It's just that way. Drink slowly and act calm.

After drinking one small glass down, Rob signals the bar maid for another for both of them. "Come on, let's go watch a game. We may get asked to sit in. If you don't want to play just say 'I'll pass, I'm out of money.'

"Hello fellas, mind if we watch?" Rob asks as the two boys walk over to a table of men playing poker.

"Watch or pull up a chair and join in. We're just starting and the bet is a ten cent piece to get in. We're playing straight poker no tricks. Winner of the last round wins the pot. We play five rounds. Each winner gets half of the pot at each round but the last one gets the whole thing. Are you in?"

"I'm in. My friend will watch from behind me."

"Fine, but your friend needs to make sure he stays put. No cheating by wandering and looking at our hands to signal you."

"No cheating. Adam will just be watching me." Rob agrees.

By round three, Rob has won twice and another player has one once. "You've got the luck, young fella. How about we raise the ante a bit? Let's say twenty five cents a bet this time. You in?"

"I'm in. Here's my opening bid." Rob replies tossing a twenty five cent piece on the mound of coins.

"I have two pair. What you got, kid?"

"A full house! Read em and weep fellas!" Rob announces gleefully laying down his cards.

"Speaking of weeping. Come with me, young man!" A voice barks behind him.

Startled, Rob looks up to see his Pa and Mitch right behind him. Alex is being held by the arm by an obviously furious deputy sheriff.

"Best do as the sheriff says, son. You don't disobey Sheriff Cord." The dealer advises Rob quietly.

"Let's go boys. We have some talking to do." Ethan says before calling to the bartender, "Thank you for the report, Ted. We'd only just come back to town when Willa came with the news."

"Anytime, Sheriff. I won't be allowing underage kids in here. I'm running a clean law abiding place and I aim to keep it that way. I only just arrived back from lunch when I sent word. They wouldn't have been allowed to stay if I'd seen them come in."

Holding Rob tightly by the upper arm, Ethan force walks him out to the boardwalk and then down to the Sheriff's office. "GET INSIDE! Both of you!" he commands opening the door and giving Rob a small push.

"I'll just go now. The twins are home alone." Chris says as Ethan begins to berate Rob.

"Of all the idiotic stunts! Playing cards in a saloon at your ages! Sixteen is underage! What were you two thinking?" Chris hears as he closes the door to the office after hanging the closed sign on the outside.

Shaking his head at the audacity of the two boys, he walks towards home. Meanwhile in the sheriff's office Mitch is asking, "Why are the two of you dressed in these clothes? Why do you smell like bootblack among other things?"

"ROBERT, Answer. The. Question. I know you are the mastermind behind this incident." Ethan commands sternly.

"We needed to disguise ourselves and look older. I came up with bootblack to color our hair and the old clothes to look like hobos. Alex was only watching not playing. I was the one making bets not him." Rob answers.

"I'm sowwwwwy Minncchh. I hadda too much driiinkk. I ddddinna mwean to cwashe twoubleen make woo mwads. OOOh, my twummick, rowwlls, Swick." Alex moans as he sways on his feet.

"Mitch! Get him the rubbish bin Quick!" Ethan says as Mitch pulls the metal bin out from under his desk and hands it to Alex just in time for the boy to lose his lunch.

"Young man, you know better than to drink whiskey! We will have a long discussion about this at home! I also hear you played hooky from school today! Your teacher was kind enough to inform us how you two were not in school today, just as we rode in to town!" Mitch tells the now tearful boy holding a smelly wastebasket.

"IIII ssssowwwy. Donnnn beeee maadd." Alex moans as he is sick once more.

Taking in the state of the young man, Ethan turns to Rob giving him a long look. Feeling the need to squirm under that intense gaze, Rob drops his eyes to the floor.

"Come. With. Me. Robert!" Ethan announces his voice deep and deadly. Following his Pa to the back room, Rob isn't surprised to see Ethan close the door.

"I'm going to ask you a few questions young man and I expect honest answers. This escapade you pulled today has you already in deep water so lying to me is not something I would consider doing. Do you hear me?"

"Yes sir."

"Alex admits to drinking and my question to you is: WERE YOU ALSO DRINKING?" Ethan asks, his eyes boring into his son.

Swallowing, Rob answers "Yes sir. We each had three drinks."

"You were to attend school today, were you not? You didn't have permission to miss class did you?"

"No sir I didn't have permission to stay out of school."

"I also heard from your teacher, all about your behavior in class yesterday. Are you allowed to answer back to adults when corrected Robert? Is disrespectful behavior tolerated in this family?"

"No sir. I'm sorry though. I lost my temper and spoke without thinking. I will apologize to the teacher."

"Yes, you will. You will also write an apology letter to read aloud to the class and you are housebound for two weeks. We will take care of the rest of your punishment at home. Let's go. I have Lightning tied outside."

"Yes sir. I'm sorry." Rob says into the table, fighting back the tears threatening to fall. The look on his Pa's face tells him exactly what the punishment will be once they arrive home.

"Pa, I can't ride yet. Couldn't we wait a while? My stomach is churning."

"Follow me, RIGHT NOW!" Ethan answers.

Obeying, Rob thankfully sees Mitch and Alex are no longer there, not wanting them to have heard his Pa giving him the loud scolding. Following Ethan, he sighs as he is led to the hitching post in front of the Sheriff's office.

"We have to ride double. Sit behind me." Ethan commands as he mounts.

"Yes sir." Rob answers paling at the mere mention of riding all the way home. The bouncing is not going to get his stomach to stop doing somersaults!

His fears coming true, by the time they reach the edge of town, Rob has to grit his teeth to keep from moaning at the ache coming from his stomach after the bouncing.

A few more minutes and he gasps out "Pa! I'm going to be sick!" right before leaning over and losing the frankfurter lunch he ate earlier.

"That's what whiskey does to you. It causes you to be ill among many other things." Ethan tells him unsympathetically.

Keeping his eyes closed, Rob endures the rest of the ride to the ranch. When the horse stops he let's out a sigh of relief at the end of the bouncing. He decides riding without the benefit of a saddle is much more jarring than with one. Especially when you have to ride on the hindquarters of a horse.

"Now come with me, Robert." He hears before opening his eyes.

Seeing where his Pa took them the tears begin to flood down his face.

"Pa! I'm very sorry and I won't do it again, I swear I won't! Pa, please!

Ignoring the pleading, Ethan takes him by the arm and marches him straight into the woodshed.

"This is for skipping school, for deliberately defying me by entering a saloon, drinking, gambling, setting out to deceive others by wearing a disguise and for having left your sister home alone with no protection! I also saw Claire at the school and she told me when asked, she had not seen you since yesterday evening. Robert William Jordan Cord, Since you are confined to the ranch for the next two weeks. You will be too busy to think about anything but chores and schoolwork."

"I will allow you to keep your pants up, now put your hands on that sawhorse."

"Pa, not that! I am sorry! Please, haven't I been punished enough? You already housebound me for two weeks and I was sick and then the apology letter too!"

"You put yourself, Alex and the other children in danger. You left Claire and the boys alone last night when you knew we've had cattle and horse thieves striking the area. What did you expect a sixteen year old girl to do if rustlers came? She could have been attacked or kidnapped! Robert, I left you home to take care of Claire and the boys and you skip school to run off on a drinking, gambling trip! Gambling and drinking can lead to shooting. Shooting can lead to someone being KILLED! I FORBID YOU TO GO TO SALOONS! Now obey me and lean on that sawhorse!" Ethan exclaims lifting the leather strop off the nail where it hangs.

"You have six coming." Ethan says bringing the thick strap down hard on the bottom presented for that purpose. Administering the punishment, Ethan hears only muffled sobs coming from the boy receiving the licks.

Man oh Man this strop is burning right through my pants! I might as well not be wearing anything at all! It feels just like I'm getting it on the bare butt! God? Please make him stop. I swear, nooo, sorry, I don't swear... swearing is not Godly, I promise, yeah better, I promise to Never Ever touch whiskey again. Make him stop. I won't be able to sit down for those weeks I'm housebound! Rob thinks before calling out,

"Pa, I promise to not drink, gamble or go to a saloon until I'm twenty one. I promise before God I won't ever leave Claire home alone again. Please stop. I think I'm going to be sick again!" Rob calls out just before more of the whiskey decides to leave his stomach.

Stopping after applying the sixth lick and hanging the strop on it's nail, Ethan lifts the sobbing boy up off the wooden sawhorse. Handing him his handkerchief he says "Wipe your face. I want you to wash your mouth at the pump by the barn and then start on your chores. I'll expect you inside and getting ready for bed in thirty minutes. You won't be feeling much like going to school in the morning but you WILL attend. Do I make myself clear? Also, expect to receive the same punishment you just endured if you go into a saloon or drink before you are old enough to do so. Alcohol is forbidden, Robert! You knew this before today and you deliberately defied me. We have set rules and gambling and drinking are two things that will earn you a severe punishment every time! You remember what I'm telling you so we don't have to go through this meeting again!"

"Yes sir." Rob replies. looking down at his boots at the severe scolding.

"Rob, I do this because I care. I don't want you hurt or killed because of foolish childish stunts such as you pulled today. You think about what could have happened and we'll talk again tomorrow. Chores now, bath and bed afterwards." Ethan says sending the boy through the door with one ferocious smack to his backside which causes Rob to hiss at the swift burn that had just begun to cool.

Back in town a similar scene is being played out in Mitch's home. After folding up his razor strop and helping the chastised boy to bed, Mitch goes into the kitchen. Pouring a cup of coffee he tries to calm his shaking hands enough to drink without spilling. Despite the fact that he knows Alex deserved the punishment he wishes he hadn't been the one doing it.

"Tomorrow I'll talk with him again to make sure he understands why I reacted the way I did. His Da left him in my care and I'm responsible to see he grows up into a good man. Drinking, gambling or entering saloons at sixteen is not going to happen. His two week long restriction ought to give us plenty of time to have many discussions on how to avoid the trouble he found himself in. He's a good kid but needs to learn to say 'No' when he knows the plan is wrong." Mitch thinks as he sips his coffee.

The following day at lunch recess, Rob seeks out Alex who is standing alone by a tree at the edge of the schoolyard.

"Alex? I came to apologize to you. I am very sorry I got us in this mess. My plan wasn't very good after all. Are you angry with me?"

"No, I'm angry with myself. I knew what you planned was wrong but I went along with you anyway. I could have said 'no' but I didn't. I deserved the punishment I got. I learned something from it, too."

"What did you learn? What punishment did Mitch give you?"

"I learned some important lessons. Most important is to avoid doing anything to earn a whipping with a strop! Also, don't drink whiskey after eating a big meal as you have more to throw up! " Alex waits as Rob stops snickering. "Mitch says I am confined to the house for two weeks! I can't see Claire or you except here at school."

"I'm housebound for two weeks also. I see you aren't sitting to eat either. I'll join you for a standing lunch if it's alright with you. My backside is feeling a bit sore still. I agree with you on avoiding that strop at all costs." Rob replies watching his friend nod in understanding.

"Rob, I don't think we are quite ready to be men just yet. We didn't do well at our first try." Alex says around a bite of his sandwich.

"Well Alex, practice makes perfect is what I've always been told. We'll practice more but do it a different way next time. One that doesn't end badly."

"I'll practice with you as long as you find a way to do it without causing either of us to feel a strop again. Agreed?"

"Agreed! I'll be thinking of what we could do while I'm housebound and you do the same."

A/N : Thanks for reading. This is somewhat more harsh than some of my stories but it was a gift for a friend. (revised 6-2016)