by: i1976

HAZZARD
“Come on guys. Wake up. There’re a lot of things to do today”, uncle Jesse’s voice fills the farm.
It’s 7 a.m., but it’s a special day: it’s Christmas eve.
All three cousins come in the kitchen, still yawning.
“What time is it, uncle Jesse? Outside it’s still dark”, Bo mumbles, rubbing his eyes.
“It’s time to wake up. It’s Christmas eve, and we have to prepare dinner for our guests, you know, Boss with Lulu, and Rosco, Cletus, Cooter. Come on. Daisy, I need your help in the kitchen. Bo and Luke, do the cleanings and decorate the farm”
Bo and Luke sigh, “Yes sir”.
Daisy yawns, sitting at the table while uncle Jesse looks at her with his deep eyes.
“Daisy, honey, have your breakfast and then get ready. I need your help”.
Daisy sighs, “I don’t know why we have to invite so many people at the farm. I’d only like to stay a bit alone……. I’d like to go bed early this evening, and I’d stay in bed all day long tomorrow”.
Uncle Jesse shakes his head, “Daisy, you’ve always loved Christmas, so, please, cheer up, otherwise you’ll sadden all our guests. Come on, dress you up”
Daisy stands up silently, heading to her bedroom.
Uncle Jesse knows very well what’s bothering Daisy, but he prefers don’t talk to her ‘bout it: Daisy is very stubborn, and she doesn’t like to talk about her deep feelings, especially if these feelings concern Enos.

LOS ANGELES
Enos is filling his carryall with everything he needs.
He’s in a hurry.
He thought he had to spend Christmas in Los Angeles, but Lieutenant Broggi gave him some days off.
He hopes he put everything he needs in his bag; he’s gone off duty after his night shift and his mind isn’t very clear.
Finally he closes his carryall, sighing; he regrets he didn’t buy a gift for Daisy, but he didn’t know he could spend Christmas in Hazzard.
Daisy…….
He looks at the phone, thinking to call her to tell her he’s coming, then he looks at the clock: it’s late.
Turk is waiting for him to bring him to the airport.
“I’ll phone her when I’ll arrive at the airport”, he thinks, and he rushes out his house.
Few after he’s in Turk’s car, but there’s a roblem: they are stuck in a traffic jam.
“Gosh. What’s happening, Turk?”
His colleague looks at him, smiling, “Enos, it’s not a long time since you arrived in L.A., but you should know L.A. traffic. Moreover, today is Christmas eve…… Gifts… arrivals….. departures… you know”
Enos leans his head on the window, trying to keep calm.
“What if I don’t reach the airport in time”.

HAZZARD
Uncle Jesse and Daisy are in the kitchen, both intent to the preparation of one of the famous Duke’s meals.
Uncle Jesse sometimes looks at her niece.
Daisy is frowning and she doesn’t seem to have a good time as usual in the kitchen.
Bo and Luke come in the kitchen after they cut the firewood.
“Today it’s very cold. One of the coldest Christmas I remember, don’t you think, Luke?”.
Luke nods; he’s older than Bo and his memory is stronger than Bo’s one, “Yeah cousin. This is one of the coldest Christmas I’ve ever seen”
Suddenly Daisy shouts, holding tight her right hand, “Oh my God, I’ve cut my finger”
Uncle Jesse quickly comes by her side, taking gently her hand among his ones, “Let me see”, then he gives a sigh of relief, “It’s only a small cut, don’t worry, disinfect it and then cover it with a band-aid”
Daisy nods, with tears in her eyes.
Bo tries to minimize, “Are you crying for such a small cut, cousin? You should be careful when you have a knife in your hands; think ‘bout what you’re cutting and don’t think ‘bout other things”.
Bo smiles to Daisy, but Daisy is angry, “What do you mean when you say to think ‘bout what I’m cutting and not ‘bout other things? I hate these vegetables, cut them by yourself”
“DAISY MAE DUKE!!”, uncle Jesse reproaches her, but then his tone returns calm as usual, “Go to the bathroom and disinfect your finger, then take a break”.
Daisy goes to the bathroom in a fury, slamming the door.

LOS ANGELS
Enos is now in the airport’s waiting room.
He missed the plane, despite his one mile race because of the traffic jam; in effect he reached the airport earlier than by car (which probably was lying still in the traffic), but his running didn’t help.
He sighs.
But there’s still a hope. At 3 p.m. there’s another flight to Atlanta; it’s fully booked, but in case some passenger doesn’t arrive at the airport, he’d be the first on the waiting list.
He looks at the phone in the room, wondering if he should phone at the Duke’s farm and tell Daisy he’s arriving … maybe.
He shakes his head, sighing again: what if he can’t leave? It’s better not to phone.
3 p.m….. a 7 hours flight, it means that he’ll land at Atlanta at 10 p.m….. then 2 hours by car (a rental car, ‘cause he doesn’t want to bother his friends) to reach Hazzard.
Enos stands up and he starts wandering in the airport, like a soul in torment.
Finally he buys some comic books and he starts reading them, trying to kill the time.
But his previous night shift overwhelms him and he falls asleep.

HAZZARD
It’s lunch time.
Bo, Luke and Uncle Jesse are eating their lunch silently whereas Daisy’s in her bedroom trying to sleep because of a bad headache (or al least she said so).
“I don’t know what’s happening to Daisy”, Bo shakes his head, “she usually loves Christmas but today she’s more poisonous than a rattlesnake. Our guests will risk a poisoning”.
Luke sighs, “Bo, sometimes you’re very naïve. Don’t you understand why Daisy is so bed-tempered? Think of our guests and guess who’s missing”.
Bo nods, “I know, Luke. Enos won’t be here tonight, and I’ll miss him; everyone’ll miss him, but it’s Christmas, and we need to be happy, for us and for everyone”.
Uncle Jesse stands up, clearing the table, “I hope Daisy understands that her behaviour saddens us and it can’t make Enos happy. We know he’s spending this Christmas all alone and so far away; he usually spent Christmas here, and the only thing we can do is to pray for him and for his happiness, hoping to spend next Christmas with him, here”.
Bo and Luke nods; uncle Jesse is always right.
Meanwhile Daisy is in her room, staring at the ceiling.
She’s sad because Enos won’t be there, but she’s also worried ‘bout him: how he’ll spend Christmas all alone? She knows how much Enos likes to spend Christmas at the Duke farm, and how much Dukes mean to him (his only family).
Finally Daisy closes her eyes and she falls asleep.

LOS ANGELES
Enos wakes up; someone’s shaking him gently.
He looks around him, and strangely the airport is empty: is he dreaming?
“Hey boy, wake up, you have to leave”.
Enos rubs his eyes, “Leave? But I missed the flight, and the next one is fully booked”
He checks the watch: it’s 1 p.m.
The deputy looks at the woman by his side: she’s long raven hair, hazel eyes and a sweet smile.
He knows her, but he’s confused and he can’t remember who’s that woman.
The woman shakes him again, “Come on, stand up, there’s a seat for you on the next flight. Have a happy Christmas with your beloved friends, especially one of them”, she winks at him, surprising him: how does she know?
He’s very tired, and he closes his eyes again.
“Mr Strate? Wake up, there’s a seat on the next flight to Atlanta”.
Enos opens his eyes, looking at the blonde hostess in front of him
The airport is crowded, and, looking his watch, he sees it’s 2.30 p.m.
He looks around him; where’s that raven-haired woman? A dream? He knows her, but he can’t remember: it’s like to try to catch something foggy (when he’s close to catch it, it disappears). She looks like ……. Is it possible?
“Mr Strate? Do you want to take the flight?”
Enos stands up, “Yeah, thank you”.
The hostess smiles, “Come on, now boarding”
So he follows the hostess.
When he sees a phone he thinks he’ll phone Daisy when he’ll be in Atlanta.

HAZZARD
Daisy is wearing her best dress in front of the mirror.
She tries to smile.
In effect she feels better, in particular thanks to a dream she just had: she dreamt her mother telling her Enos’s coming for Christmas. A beautiful Christmas gift.
She takes a deep breath, “What a strange dream. Anyway, I’m goin’ to have a great Christams eve with my family and my friends. I know Enos’s telephone number, so I’ll call him….. Or maybe he’ll call me. I don’t have to be so sad”.
Finally guests arrive at the farm.
Daisy comes near her cousins and her uncle, hugging them and thanking them for their patience and their Christmas party.
Bo and Luke are happy to see their cousin smiling, finally.
“I’m sorry uncle Jesse, I don’t want to ruin all your work for tonight,… it’s only….”
Uncle Jesse touches gently her arm, “I know, Daisy. There’s no need to apologize. I know what you’re thinking. But don’t worry, Enos will be fine, he’ll call us, otherwise we’ll call him. I wish he were here, but he’ll be happy when we’ll call him”.

Midnight.
Everyone is near the fireplace.
Cletus’s sleeping, almost drunk.
Rosco’s joking with Flash
Lulu’s squeezing Boss’s hand (and Boss is a bit embarrassed ‘bout it).
Cooter, in his best dress, is talking ‘bout cars with Bo and Luke.
Uncle Jesse’s enjoying Christmas peace: his beloved nephews and niece around him in his farm.
Daisy’s staring the fireplace; she tried to call Enos but he didn’t answer nor he called back, and now she’s worrying for him.
Suddenly a knock at the door.
Daisy stands up, wondering who could be out there, at midnight.
And if…? She shakes her head, “Don’t daydream, Daisy”.
When she opens the door she sees a man with a carryall on his shoulder.
She looks at him, opening her eyes wide.
Then she shouts for joy and she hugs him tight.
Few after everyone is around Daisy and Enos.

Later, everyone is again near the fireplace; the night is so peaceful and the farm so warm (a warmth not only because of the fireplace) that nobody wants to leave.
Enos and Daisy are in the kitchen, and Daisy’s heating something to eat for Enos.
“You know, Enos…. It’s strange but…. Today I dreamt of my mother telling me you’re coming for Christmas. A gift from her, I think so”.
Enos starts.
Finally he remembers who that woman was: she died when he was only a little child (few after his birth), but he remembers her pictures.
“Yeah, a gift from our mothers”.
He stands up and he kisses Daisy gently.