Chapter V Dukes and Clampetts

 By Sunday Bo was allowed to walk a bit, which for him was difficult as the girls helped him down the stairs before he was allowed to use his crutches. However, once done, he was able to easily move into the fancy dining hall to have vittles with the others.
 “So boys? What‘d you do today?” Jed asked knowing that it would be easier on Bo.
 “Well . . . Not much. Bo and I figured we might get to practicing our playing a little tonight. Or we would if we had our instruments”
 “What you boys play?”
 “Well Mr. Clampett . . . Bo plays guitar and I do a little Banjo.” Luke answered winking at Elly “Uncle Jesse plays fiddle tho.”
 “Well thet’s right nice. Granny plays autoharp, I do a little guitar and well I don’t know ‘bout Jethro.”
 “Well seems Luke really was right when he said you were our kind of people.” Jesse smiled “Yeah. I remember when the three of them were young. Daisy was six when she came to live with me. I remember that night clear as if it happened yesterday.” he smiled looking to his niece “ I know I already told you about it but, that night I came into the room that the two of them were sharing at the time and Daisy was sitting there hugging Bo to protect him. Both of them crying. So I sat down in the rocker beside the bed and started playing for them. It wasn’t much of anything really, just the beginning of this song that I started humming to myself that night that I eventually called Martha’s song after my wife died. At that time it had no real title, just a few hummed words to myself, but it got the two of them to sleep. Saddest night of my life, but from then on I played for Bo and Daisy and a couple months later Luke after his parents died.” he reached up to wipe a tear from his eyes “I tell you I’m proud of these young’uns. Daisy eventually got to singing whenever I did and I tell you she’s got the purdiest voice in all of Georgia.”
 “See your point. One of the things I used to do when Elly was little too. Always got her to sleep. ‘Course with me it was called Ellen’s song. I tell you Elly’s got a right purdy voice. Picks it up from Granny I think. Thet girl would sing to everything. She sang to critters and whatever else would listen.”
 “That she did.” Granny agreed.
 “Well what you say after supper I play a little something fer the young’uns?” Jed suggested as the others obviously didn’t have their instruments.
 “We’d like that Mr. Clampett.” Bo smiled as Luke and the girls nodded in agreement.
 “All right then. After supper we’ll all go to the front hallway and I’ll get to it a little.” Jed smiled.
 “Oh and boys, I brought your instruments. Figured you’d want them since well . . .”
 “Thanks Uncle Jesse.” they both smiled.

 A little later they all sat in the front hall and Jed stood on the step at the door with his guitar.
 “Elly, honey. I know you ain’t gonna like this, but . . .well this is a song that I’ve sang for you many times. I know I said things about it, but the truth is that this is the song I wrote a couple nights after you were born. It always put you to sleep and now that you’re old enough to understand it. It‘s about yer ma.” he sighed seeing the sad look that she gave him. “Well anyway.” he whispered strumming a couple of notes and then began to sing

“Sapphire eyes and golden curls
  Asleep that little one lays
  Not a care she sees
  Hasn’t a clue what it means

  Everything has a reason
  Nothing out of season
  There’s always a time
  To some unknown rhyme

  Family left behind
  Only a man and his baby girl
  Father and daughter to make it on their own
  Yet one o’ the greatest love the world ever known

  Everything has a reason
  Nothing out of season
  There’s always a time
  To some unknown rhyme

“Well Elly honey, that’s most of it. I know you’ll never really understand, but it’s our story.”
 “Oh Pa.” Elly sighed looking down.
 “All right boys. I’m gonna let you liven this up a bit.” Jed smiled and sat beside Elly, who he wrapped loving arms around.
 “Thanks Mr. Clampett. Our song is a little something we wrote one night after we chased down a boy Daisy dated once.” Bo smiled toward Luke as the two of them walked to where Jed had stood.
 “I tell you Mr. Clampett I almost never heard of a boy’s daddy shootin at his girl. Interesting story I tell ya called “What was we thinking” Luke explained. However, no sooner had they played the first few notes Ms. Drysdale came bursting through the door, a usually unfriendly look on her face.
 “What is all this ruckus?” she demanded and then noticed Bo and Luke “Oh so I suppose you have more of your uncouth savage friends?”
 “Hey, what you talkin’ bout us like that?” Bo shouted balling his hands into fists.
 “Well isn’t that what you are?” Ms. Drysdale said sarcastically, her nose tipped up.
 “No. My cousin and I are racers and we work hard to live up to our family name.” Bo told her balling his fists even more when Uncle Jesse stepped up.
 “Ma’am I’m sorry if we bothered ya, but we’re just visitin our friends here. We’re from Georgia and I assure ya we’ll be going back as soon as my nephew’s leg heals.”
 “Well make sure you see to it. Beverly Hills has enough savages with your friends.” and with that she turned and left.
 “Well I’ll be. Never saw Ms. Drysdale leave so peacefully.” Jed Smiled surprised.
 “I don’t know Jed maybe it was these brave boys or the thought of this handsome man.” she smiled looking Jesse’s way.
 “Aw won’t nothing ma’am.” he chuckled.

(Now do y’all think it was nothing? I smell something funny and it ain’t Elly’s skunk Charlie. Wait till y’all see what shocking thing that happened the next day)

 “So you ever had possum this good?” Granny asked Jesse.
 “Well back home it was mostly hogs and squirrel that we ate so I’d have to say no.” he replied. However, what these two didn’t know was that at the kitchen door were a couple of surprised spies who silently closed the door and hurried off to the parlor to talk
 “Pa, you ever known Granny to let anybody help her in the kitchen?” Elly asked.
 “No Elly I can’t say I have. I might be counting my chickens before they hatch, but you might be havin a new grandpa soon, specially if Granny has anything to say about it.”
 “I reckon so Pa. I wouldn’t mind havin’ Daisy, Bo and Luke fer cousins neither.”
 Jed could only smile. Lately Granny had been acting in ways that he hadn’t seen her act in years. He couldn’t say that he didn’t like it after all Jesse was a fine fella and so were his young’uns, yet Jed just couldn’t picture all that was happening.
 “Well I reckon you ought to go get the boys and Daisy for vittles.”
 “Yes sir Pa.” Elly nodded and rushed off to find the others.

(Well not sure bout the rest of ya but if Jed’s right the boys may just have to give up a few things . . .like staying out all night and a few other things.)

 let me know what ya think? opinions?