by: Kim

When Jesse arrived back at the farm, Daisy had come home from visiting a friend in Capital City the last couple of days. When she saw the barn she asked, “What happen to the barn, Uncle Jesse?” Jesse replied, “There was a fire that burned down the barn and your cousin Bo was in the hayloft and it burned his hands and the right side of his face and neck.” Daisy cried, “Oh no, Uncle Jesse how is Bo doing.” He answered Daisy’s question,” He is better, but he has several surgeries and skin grafts to go.” Then Luke arrived home as they entered the farmhouse, talked and later went to bed.

Over the next several days, Luke and Daisy went to school and after school was over, they drove home to the farm to begin their chores. Jesse came out and told them to get their chores done and if there is some time they would go see Bo. Daisy said,” I have my job and I can’t miss work since it’s going to be a busy night.” Luke answered,” I was planning to go see Bo Uncle Jesse if there are no other chores to be completed.” Jesse replied, “Sure Luke you can go, I would like to, but I have other things to do before I could visit him.” After Luke finished his chores, he took the pickup truck and drove to Tri- County Hospital. Once he arrived at the hospital, Luke could not face Bo and walked to the same hidden area to smoke. He stayed there till visiting hours ended and drove back to the farm. He felt that he could not face his cousin because he thought he had caused the fire. He would do this for the rest of the week knowing he was lying to his uncle about visiting his cousin. He thought he would not know the truth since his uncle was too busy with the farm to visit Bo and not realizing that his uncle will find out the truth soon.

When Luke arrived back the farm at about 10pm from his suppose trip to the hospital to visit Bo, he walked into the farmhouse and was surprised to see his uncle was still awake siting in a chair in the family room. Luke said, “I thought you would be asleep by now.” His uncle replied,” I know that you did not go to visit your cousin. Where have you been, BOY AND DON’T LIE TO ME?” Luke became pale by the sound of his uncle’s voice and answered,” I am not lying to you Uncle Jesse.” Jesse started to get very angry at Luke and said, ” I KNOW THAT YOU DID NOT SEE YOUR COUSIN BECAUSE I WENT THERE EARLIER TODAY TO VISIT YOUR COUSIN AND BO SAID YOU HAVE NOT GONE TO VISIT HIM SINCE THE DAY THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HOW CAN YOU BE SO STUPID AND CARELESS TO NOT TO VISIT FOR YOUR COUSIN? HE KEEPS ASKING ME WHERE ARE YOU AND WHEN I TOLD HIM I DON’T KNOW, HE WOULD END UP CRYING ON MY SHOULDER. HOW DOES HE FEEL THAT HIS COUSIN DOESN’T WANT TO SEE HIM? ” Then Jesse went over to the chair and grabs the wide strap that was on the floor next to the chair in the family room. When Luke saw the strap he knew that the only time his uncle had it was when either boy was going to get a whipping. Jesse said,” BOY, GO OVER AND PULL ONE OF THOSE CHAIRS FROM THE KITCHEN TABLE AND BEND OVER IT.” Luke knew what was going to happen next because he knew that he would get at least 10 to 15 lashes with the strap, but seeing how angry his uncle was he could only guess. Jesse grabbed Luke by his shoulder and with the strap in his other hand, he began to swing the strap and striking his bottom very hard. Luke began to cry and he began to lose track of the lashes after Jesse strike him for the twentieth time. When Jesse felt that thirty lashes with the strap was enough, he told Luke to go to his room. Uncle Jesse asks Luke to promise him that he would go visit his cousin tomorrow. Luke just shock his head and says,” I will Uncle Jesse.” He did not say anything else to his uncle, knowing it could cause him another whipping; he quietly went to his room.