As the sun rose in the distance, Jesse Duke stared out across the emptiness of the green pasture. His aged eyes were filled with life, although the doctor had told him more often than not to slow down and take it easy. “You should be retired, Mr. Duke,” the man had said, his voice filled with concern. “That means resting and relaxing and not doing so much hard work.”
Jesse had retorted with an irritated sigh, but had said nothing.
If the truth were known, he had been working this hard since he was a youngster, and far be it for him to stop now, just because his body had decided to start playing tricks with him.
He took a deep breath as the cool breeze ruffled his beard. As he released an irritated snort, his thoughts returned to the know-it-all doctor who was going about giving him orders. Leave it to those youngsters to tell him such a thing, he thought. Did they not know that hard work was the key to his vitality? If they had actually subjected themselves to the work he had done throughout his life, then perhaps they would not be so quick to be telling him what to do now that he was older. They may hold a degree in medicine, but that did not mean they knew what was in a man’s heart. They would eventually have to learn to do that just as he had done throughout his own life.
He rubbed his hands down over his belly, the familiar denim of his overalls meeting his wrinkled fingers. On a day like this, there was nothing but gladness in the air, and he would be darned if he were to sit around the house staring at four walls when there was work to be done.
“What a morning,” he breathed in the cool Georgia air as he stretched his hands over his head and allowed his back to stretch in the same manner as a cat would. “There are chores to be done,” he said to the stillness, “but not just yet.” This particular morning was special and he had crawled out of bed extra early to watch as the sun rose across the horizon.
He had a great many things to think about, today was the day the very last mortgage payment on the farm was due. Once the money was dropped off, the farm would belong to the Duke family, and J.D. Hogg would no longer be able to hold his hand over the land or the people who worked it.
The envelope with the money was tucked securely in the pocket of his overalls and he decided that this time he would not be rushing into town at the last possible minute to make the payment as he usually did. Instead, he would go in early and personally hand the money to Hogg himself with a smile and a customary slap on the shoulder. He would finally hold the deed to the land in his hand, and this, he would be able to pass on Bo, Luke, and Daisy. This would indeed be a day the Duke family would celebrate.
So much had changed in Hazzard, yet so much remained the same. The farm seemed to be the one constant in his life, and his eyes sometimes became misted over whenever he thought about how much joy was present there. He remained on the porch, but instead of staying on his feet, he seated himself on the chair close to the door leading into the kitchen.
After several minutes had passed, he heard a distant sound split the silence and he raised his head to see that a white dot in the distance appeared on the horizon. It looked to be the size of a needle’s eye, but soon grew to the size of a car. As it came closer, the noise from the motor filled the air and he groaned when he recognized what was coming towards the farmhouse.
“It’s six thirty in the dang morning,” he grumbled under his breath. Inhaling sharply, he slowly got to his feet and dug into the pocket that held his worn out silver watch. As he opened the cover, he stared down at the face of it, the two hands presently on the roman numeral six. “What in Sam Hill does Rosco want at this hour?” He muttered as he returned the watch to his pocket.
Minutes later, the car stopped and the driver got out, but instead of it being Rosco, it turned out to be was Enos Strate the Sheriff’s Deputy of Hazzard County. Jesse liked Enos, but he often wondered if he would ever really grow up. The Deputy seemed more like a child in the body of a man, innocent and sometimes incredibly naïve. It was easy for the Duke family to take advantage of his brand of naïveté, but Enos also seemed to come back for more and considered their family to be his best friends in the world.
Jesse watched as Enos disembarked the police cruiser and walked slowly over to him. The younger man was dressed in his civilian clothing, not even his deputy’s hat graced the crown of his head. Instead the breeze gently ruffled his hair, sometimes blowing it in his eyes.
The Deputy’s head seemed to be adrift in the clouds and this left the elder of the two to question why it was the deputy had come at all. What was his ultimate purpose for showing up at the Duke farm at this hour and out of uniform? Instead of raising a series of compounding questions, which were of very little significance, Jesse watched as the younger man approached him and spoke, his voice etched with nervousness.
“Uncle Jesse, I’m sorry to disturb you this morning,” he began as his eyes sought those of the older man. Enos always called Jesse ‘Uncle Jesse’ although it had long ago been established that there was no kinship between the two men. Somehow, over time, Jesse had become a surrogate uncle for the insecure county deputy.
“What can I do for you, Enos?” Jesse eventually asked. “It’s six thirty in the morning.”
“I know,” he said as he rubbed his hand through his dark brown hair. This only succeeded in making the hair fly about, giving Enos the hairstyle that resembled a bottlebrush. As he came up on the porch, he motioned towards a couple of chairs that were placed nearby. “Do you mind if I sit down?” He asked.
“Not at all, just tell me what you’re doing here,” came the response, but after several minutes, Jesse took a deep breath. “Did something happen? Is it J.D.?”
For whatever reason, Jesse felt it was right of him to ask about the welfare of the County Commissioner, even if the two men despised one another. At the same time, he also knew that no one would be showing up at this hour unless there was something wrong. It was no secret, as with himself, Boss Hogg was getting up there in years as well. He also knew that he could not live with his conscience if something were to happen to him without showing the customary concern for his fellow man.
“No Sir,” the deputy whispered. “As far as a know, Mr. Hogg is alright.”
“Then what in tar-nation are you doing here?” Jesse asked.
“I-I just wanted to help make sure that you got your mortgage payment to Mr. Hogg before three this afternoon. I heard the Sheriff telling Mr. Hogg that he had all sorts of traps and things in mind for y’all before the due time of the payment,” he began. “I know that today’s the last day for the last payment and I wanted to do what I could to make sure nothing went wrong with that.”
“At six thirty in the morning?” Jesse asked.
“Mr. Hogg told Rosco and me to be out on the road at eight this mornin’ to try and stop y’all. I don’t know why, Uncle Jesse, but he wants to make sure your family gets foreclosed on today, and I didn’t want to see that happen. Y’all are good folks, and, well…it just seemed wrong to me somehow,” Enos said. “It could get me into trouble, but I don’t much care anymore. I just don’t want y’all to get thrown off your land.”
“That’s awful nice of you, Enos,” he said smiling as he took in the earnest face of the younger man. “Yet, somethin’ tells me this ain’t just about the mortgage payment,” he began. “What’s on your mind, Enos?” He asked. “Is it something about Daisy?”
As most of the Dukes, Jesse tended to grace the topic of his niece very delicately. He knew that Enos was in love with Daisy and had proven himself to be someone Jesse could approve of as a suitor. Jesse, of course, never broached the topic with Enos, but he still waited for the younger man to find the nerve to approach the family with his feelings.
“No Sir, I came because it was the right thing to do,” Enos said, thus distracting him from his earlier thoughts. “I spent much of my life not doing what was right because of my duty and not following my heart. I didn’t want to go through that again at your expense. I always wanted to be an honest and hardworking lawman, but that seems contradictory for Hazzard, don’t it?” Without waiting for Jesse to respond, Enos continued. “Uncle Jesse, I want to do what is right, not because of an obligation or duty, but because my conscience was telling me it is the right thing to do.”
Jesse looked at Enos, his blue eyes widening. He had never heard him speak with such conviction, and he started to wonder if what his heart was telling him did not just center itself on the mortgage, but perhaps it had something to do with his feelings for Daisy. Of course, Jesse had also been waiting to hear these words ever since his niece had almost married him.
After several minutes, the older man took a deep breath. “Enos,” he paused, the words he was about to say filled with sincerity. “I’m really proud of you.”
The deputy’s eyes opened at that moment and brightened considerably. “Really?” He eventually asked, his voice cracking with emotion.
Never in his life had Enos been able to share one of his fondest wishes, and that was to gain approval and acceptance by Jesse Duke. Enos knew that this man was one of the most respected and honest people in the county. Yet, he always knew that because of his job, there was always going to be something that stood between him and Jesse’s favor. Eventually, he swallowed. “You don’t know what that means to me, Uncle Jesse.”
“Oh, I think I do,” Jesse mumbled, but no other words emerged. Jesse Duke was generally not a man built on sentimentality. Instead, he took a deep and cleansing breath and stared out across the pasture towards the eastern horizon. “You gonna tell Daisy now how you feel or wait until another bank robbery?” He chuckled under his breath as he turned around and looked meaningfully at Enos.
The deputy nodded as he turned back to behold the sky that was now filled with hues of purples, pinks, blues, and yellows. For whatever reason, these colors reminded him of the overall feeling of gratitude towards God for making such a beautiful day and giving it to them in such an unconditionally loving manner.
Jesse turned and cast a glance towards Enos. The deputy was now sitting with a cockeyed smile plastered across his face. He seems to be lost in his own little world again, he thought as he noticed as tear as it slipped from beneath Enos’ eye and made a steady stream down over his cheek. His attention once more returned to the sunrise.
After awhile, his thoughts were jarred when he heard a sniff from the younger man and almost released a chuckle when he saw Enos wiping his flat palm across his cheek and, thus, smearing the tear away.
Jesse said nothing; instead he turned his head back towards the natural wonder that was playing out before their eyes.
For some time, the two men sat watching in companionable silence until the door abruptly opened and Jesse turned around to see that Daisy had stepped outside, her hair pulled back in a casual ponytail and her sundress wafting in the cool early morning breeze.
“Enos, what are you doing here?” She spoke, her voice soft as she regarded her uncle and the younger man who were both seated on the porch.
“I uh…” he began, his voice trailing off. “…Hi Daisy.”
“Enos and I were just enjoying the sunrise and talking,” Jesse said.
“Uncle Jesse, should I go ahead and get breakfast ready?” She asked. “I scramble up some eggs with bacon and sausage, if you’d like.”
“You can, Daisy, but I got chores to do,” Jesse heaved himself from the chair and started to walk off in the direction of the barn. “I’ll be back in about an hour or so.”
“But Uncle Jesse, you know what Doctor Hayes said about resting and taking it easy,” Daisy objected. “Let Bo or Luke take care of the chores.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know, ‘watch out for your heart, Mr. Duke’,” Jesse groused, his voice emerging in a singsong twang and filled with sarcasm. “Daisy, when are you gonna learn that my heart ain’t gonna take me out of this here world until the good Lord is ready for me to come back home to Him?”
“But Uncle Jesse,” she objected.
“No buts, now why don’t you kids skedaddle back inside and get that promised breakfast put on?” He asked as he looked from Daisy to Enos and then started to walk towards the barn. With his back still facing them, neither Daisy nor Enos saw the coy smile that was now plastered across Jesse Duke’s face.
~~~~~
As soon as the older man had disappeared inside the barn, Daisy looked at Enos. “I wish he’d listen to me for once in his life, Enos. I’m worried about him,” she said hotly, her words filled with frustration. She watched as Jesse rounded a corner and entered the barn. As soon as he was out of her sight, she turned to face the deputy. “I just don’t know what I’m going to do about him,” she mumbled more to herself than to him.
As these words emerged, she started to follow her uncle, but Enos reached a hand out and stopped her with a soft touch to her shoulder. Upon feeling this, she stopped and turned around. “His heart won’t give out on him for doing some farming chores, Daisy honey,” he offered kindly as he released his hold on her but reached for her hand.
Once he could feel her fingers curling around his gentle hand, he stroked her own with his free hand as his next words emerged. “You should know by now that your Uncle Jesse is probably the strongest man in all of Hazzard County.”
“The strongest willed, you mean,” Daisy whispered bitterly, her voice etched with worry.
“There is something to be said for strong wills,” Enos said smiling at her. “A strong will is what keeps me in here, even though I could have stayed in Los Angeles.”
Daisy shrugged her shoulders as she felt her heart starting to hammer loudly in her chest. For a moment, she stared down at their joined hands as she remembered the day he had left and how heartbroken she had been. Then her thoughts drifted and she could recall the day he returned to Hazzard and then how they had almost gotten married. So many memories, and yet she knew beyond any doubt that her heart was slowly and surely being held in the loving hands of Enos Strate.
She took a deep breath and looked at him. His hair was wafting gently in the breeze and she reached over with her free hand up and brushed it aside so that it would once more lay flat. Instead of speaking of her feelings, she shook her head. “I don’t know, Enos,” she said softly, her words returning her to the present moment. “Jesse Duke could give stubborn lessons to Maudine the mule.”
“Don’t be so hard on him, Daisy,” Enos said. “Uncle Jesse is only doing what he has been doing all his life. You can’t very well take that away from him. If you did, it would be to deny him of his reason for living. My daddy once said that one might be able to take the farm from the man, but they will never take the farmer out of the man.”
Daisy smiled at him, the gesture weak and filled with uncertainty. She shrugged her shoulders as she looked into the kind eyes of the man she loved.
At this moment, she was simply uncertain as to whether or not she could even touch on certain topics while still in his company. She wanted to and yet, she was completely aware of the fact that the only response he would accept would be a completely honest one.
She took a deep breath and raised her head as the heartfelt truth emerged with her words. “You’re probably right, Enos, but it scares me so much to even think about it. You know, the way I figure, Uncle Jesse’s probably not gonna retire or take it easy until I’m married off and he knows I’d be well provided for.” She turned and looked at him, her expression filled with meaning, and her gaze encompassed in her own brand of hope.
At the same instant the words had emerged from her, she managed to look him directly in the eyes as a tinge of redness suddenly colored his cheeks.
She would never have admitted this to anyone, but the day that she and Enos come close to getting married, her heart nearly shattered from disappointment. She knew that she didn’t love him in that way, at that time, but now she did. Of course, she had always had a soft spot in her heart for him. Of course no one knew that she was just as afraid to tell him, as he was to tell her. In the recesses of her heart, she figured that Jesse would disapprove of him as a potential suitor and this left her literally standing between two chairs.
Deep down inside, he was the man she had waited all her life to find, yet, at the same instant, she wondered what the rest of them would say if she had confessed her feelings about a man who had loved her since grade-school.
After several minutes of awkward silence passed between them, she turned and faced him. “Enos, what are you doing here so early in the morning?” She did not ask as a way to demand something from him, but instead she was curious as to why he was there in the first place. Of course, she would not freely admit it, but she was happy to have woken up to see that he was paying her family a visit.
The deputy’s cheeks flushed an even brighter shade of red. “Nothin’ much really, I just wanted to come by and help make sure Uncle Jesse got the mortgage payment to Mr. Hogg in time since today’s the last day, and I didn’t want y’all to lose your farm because of some dirty trick.” He lowered his head as he stared down at the boots that covered his feet.
“That’s really sweet of you, Enos,” she said with a slow nod. Seconds later, she inched her way over to him and weaved her arm through his and took his hand. “Would you help me fix breakfast, Sugar?” She asked, her eyes meeting his.
He immediately nodded and allowed her to help lead him into the house. “Then that means you can stay and help us eat it. We even have a jar of buttermilk in the fridge just for you,” she offered with a smile as they came into the bright and cheerful kitchen.
Enos nodded as the door swung closed. Daisy slowly lowered her arm and the two of them separated. She approached the refrigerator and pulled out the bowl with the fresh eggs inside while he seated himself at the familiar kitchen table.
Once she had carried the eggs over to the sink, she took six of them out and returned the small bucket to the refrigerator. Returning to the sink, she watched as Enos stared down at the tabletop. They remained in this stance for several minutes before he raised his head and looked at her. “It really is not necessary for you to do all this work on my account, Daisy,” he said politely, but his voice seemed more like he was talking to himself and less like he was addressing her.
“But, you’re helping us by telling Uncle Jesse Boss and Rosco’s plans,” she said smiling at him. “You could get into trouble, you know. Not to mention the fact that if they found out that you told us, then the breakfast I’m cooking will give you the energy to get past all that.”
“I know, but Daisy, I’d do anything I could for you or your family. You know that,” he said. “And I wouldn’t be asking for a reward for it, neither.”
“I know that too, Sugar,” she said as she walked over to where he was sitting at the table. She rested her hands on his shoulders and stared down at him, her eyes filled with love. Seconds later, she found herself allowing her weight to fall against the back of the chair and she managed to wind her arms around him, chair and all. As she felt her weight falling against his strong back, she buried her face against his left shoulder.
Inhaling, she could detect the scent of Ivory soap as well as the fragrance of his aftershave. She figured that he used something that was for sensitive skin, but it smelled so good, and she remained in this uncomfortable stance for several minutes just allowing his presence to entice her senses. After several minutes had passed, she raised her head, her gaze now shifting to the room where they were.
It was no secret; both Daisy and Enos both loved the kitchen of the Duke farm. The bright and cheerful essence seemed to welcome anyone who came calling whether it was kin, their friends, or a stranger. Sometimes there were things that happened that were not so grand, but yet there was always something that would make her smile when she thought about all the good and bad times that had happened over the years.
Enos raised his head and when he felt her hold on him tightening. He tipped his chin as high as he could so that he would be able to see her from this position. When he saw a frown shadowed across her face, he swallowed. “You’re worried, aren’t you?” he whispered.
She nodded sadly as she tried to stand up, but when she felt his hands covering hers; she remained in this awkward half-seated position. “How strong is his heart?” She spoke in response to Enos’ question. “How much can a man go through before the good Lord calls him home?”
“You’re frightened about something that you cannot control?” Enos asked.
“Yes,” she nodded. “I’m more afraid than I have ever been in my life, Enos. Bo and Luke don’t seem to be worried about any of this. It’s probably because they are strong young men with girls flocking in to date them, but me…” she shook her head. Before Enos could object and remind her of all the times she had caught the fancy of some fellow, she continued to speak. “…I can’t imagine my life without Uncle Jesse anymore than I can imagine myself being a barmaid for the rest of my life.”
“Then don’t try to imagine your life that way right now. Just try to enjoy and live as you have done all these years,” he said smiling. “A job can always be changed, it is not what truly lies in the heart of a person. This was something that I learned when I was working out in LA. It was also something that made me decide to come back. It was also something that Uncle Jesse always tried to remind me of. Just this morning, he reminded me of what was important.”
“What do you mean?” She asked softly.
“Well, I learned that no matter how far away I am from this place, that it will still be home to me. I also discovered that how great or small my dreams may be, my heart will lead me back to where it is I belong. The same will hold true for you, Daisy. The measure of one’s heart is only as great as the person who dreams or carries the hope inside.”
“That doesn’t help,” Daisy said sadly. “This farm, this family; that was Uncle Jesse’s dream. Once he gives the payment to Boss Hogg, then he will have accomplished everything he set out to do.”
“Yes, and perhaps that is the weight that weighs the most heavily on you. Since he will now accomplish having the farm paid off, he will have accomplished what he needs to. This will insure that you, Bo, and Luke will always have a home and a roof above your heads,” Enos said.
“How did you get to be so smart, Enos?” She whispered as he stood up from the table, turned around, and looked deeply into her eyes. “I always thought you…”
“…Were a dipstick?” He asked with his light-hearted laugh.
“No, I don’t mean that,” she objected.
“Perhaps not, but maybe the words Uncle Jesse has been telling me all these years are finally starting to sink in.” He took both of her hands in his and smiled down at her. “I’m not as naïve as I may seem, Daisy. I learned a great deal over the years, not just about being an honest lawman, but about what lies in my heart. I know y’all have become a family to me, and I can recall how you’ve helped me out of a jam or two. I also realized what a blessing your friendship means to me that time you were willin’ to marry me to save me from living out my days behind bars. I truly found someone of worth that I knew I loved. The truth is, my pride would not let me reach out and embrace you although I really wanted to.”
Daisy looked down at where his fingers were laced with her own. “You mean; you knew that I didn’t…”
“…Love me in that way?” He asked, but affirmed this with a nod of his head. “Yeah, I knew. Daisy, the hives were just a good enough reason to allow us both the time we needed to determine if that was what we really wanted.”
“But, you knew, it was me who didn’t know. I knew all along that you loved me, Enos,” she whispered.
“Well, I said so on the canoe when we were together on the lake,” he said smiling at her. “I said it then, but you didn’t. That was when I knew that you weren’t ready.”
“I wasn’t ready, Enos, but how does one know if they are ready?” she offered softly. “I have always thought that you knew, deep in your heart, I deeply cared for you.”
“I knew that, but Daisy, carin’ for and lovin’ someone are two different things,” he said as he stared down at where their hands were joined. He rubbed his hand along the softness of her skin, but eventually raised his head. “There’s something I have wanted to tell you for a long time now, Daisy. I realized Just now, when Uncle Jesse told me that he was proud of me that I could. The truth is, I think I was happier hearin’ those words than I have ever been in my life. You know, I have always sought his approval in the past for things or decisions. I wanted him to see me as a man who could make the right decision and not just be considered someone who was ripe to be snookered.” He shook his head as a nervous laugh emerged. “I guess I always knew that if I played the part of the dipstick that I would never be able to show you what I could do or be the kind of man you deserve. That is I…” His voice trailed off and he lowered his head.
“I think I know what you’re trying to say, Enos,” she whispered. She released his hands so that she could wind her arms around him and allow her head to come and rest against his shoulder. “These are the words I was waiting to hear since the day we almost got married.”
“They were?” He asked.
“Yes, and now I know that the feelings you hold for me can be returned,” she said as she felt her fingers caressing the side of his face. “Enos, I…” her voice trailed off as she felt his soft lips touching her own.
Seconds later, the door opened and closed and Jesse came into the kitchen.
Enos slowly backed away from Daisy and regarded him with a happy, and this time, a not so nervous, smile.
“I thought you young-uns were getting breakfast ready,” he said with a low chuckle. He could tell that by Enos’ expression, that the young man had spoken to Daisy and her response had been an affirmative one.
He also knew that the two of them had spoken about what truly existed in Enos’ heart, and that was the reason he had left them alone in the first place. “So what did I miss while I was serving Maudine her breakfast?”
Enos exchanged glances with Daisy, but offered Jesse a lopsided smile. No words emerged from him, but his niece looked at him. “We were just talking about stuff, Uncle Jesse. You know how it is.” she said hurriedly.
She cast a shy glance across the table and when her eyes met Enos’, she could see that he was smiling as though he had won the lottery.
“Just stuff, huh?” Jesse asked, his eyes sparkling merrily.
“Well, no Sir,” Enos said, his voice filled with confidence, something that Jesse had rarely seen in the younger man, but also something that the Duke patriarch liked. “We were talking about what it is that makes a person find the courage to follow their heart.”
Jesse nodded approvingly as Daisy got up and set about to finishing her task of making breakfast.
In the other room the three of them could hear the sounds of Bo and Luke waking up.
“Oh boys?” Jesse called out over the sounds of coffee being poured and Daisy’s scraping the last of the eggs from the frying pan. “I’m going to be leaving here before eight to take care of the mortgage business, so you’re going to have to take care of tidying up the hen-house for me.”
As soon as the words ‘yes Sir’, filtered back into the kitchen from the other room, Jesse nodded as he patted the envelope in the breast pocket of his overalls.
The End…