by: Essy Jane

Two weeks later…

I graduated, my diploma was mailed to me but Uncle Jesse wouldn’t have known
that because I picked up the mail. Well I was proud of myself. I had gotten
the highest mark in the class and to top it all off I was joining the army.
I wouldn’t get anymore respect than I do here but at least there I can learn
something.

The note was all written. Some of the words were a bit harsh but they were
true. I couldn’t stand leaving it for him but you know the war would do some
funny things to me and I knew it. This was one lie I had to have right down
to the coil. I read the note over to myself. I couldn’t believe that it was
me writing it but the words were too strong and full of and everlasting
haltered. It went something like this:

Dear Uncle Jesse,

I am sorry to inform you that I will no longer live under your walls. I
cannot be here anymore. Everyone hates me and I mean that with a passion. I
just make everyone want to leave. I suppose in being gone I will save Vance
the pleasure of kicking me out himself. I know that it is wrong to run away
from my problems but maybe it will make me look like a man.

Tell Coy that I am sorry for ruining his life. I wish I had never laid eyes
on him. Maybe then he wouldn’t be cursed. I seem to cause him trouble even
though I am younger than him. I suppose that makes me the bad guy. You just
don’t see the look he has given me from day one. I wish could change it but
it is too hard to do.

One day you will realize why I did it. Maybe I will recognize that I need
you more than I let on. You are a wonderful Uncle and I am sure that you
know why I have to go. Being who I am will take a lot of time and that time
will be well spent. I will go and get myself a job even if it means one that
I wouldn’t be proud of. I know I can support myself.

I hope you will find joy in your farm and that the land won’t be missed as
much by me. I know that land just as well as Luke does but good luck with
Vance and Coy. I know they too will do their best. They are hard workers and
you are getting them to be better. Keep them out of trouble since I haven’t
been able to do that for Luke. Oh well I suppose that’s the way it happens
sometimes.

I am counting the days when I will see you again and I haven’t even finished
this letter. I love you very much and don’t want to loose you but sometimes
we Dukes are just plain old stubborn. I am a Duke and I just don’t want to
be told how to do anything. How am I supposed to live my life with everyone
on my back? I guess this is the only way out. I am sorry to leave I really
am. I just want to save Vance…I just want to save him. I hope one day you
can understand that.

Anyway, I got to get moving. Don’t think of this as a goodbye either. I
really need to find myself.

Love always,

Bo Duke

Well I left it on my pillow and walked out of the house. I got on my bike
and rode down to the bus station where I would get shipped over to some
training camp. I shouldn’t have left my bike locked up there…maybe it would
give me away. I didn’t want it to but I had to get moving. You know this
would be a bit of a challenge. This was the first day of the rest of my
life.

The bus ride was bumpy and I didn’t get a lot of sleep that night. I
couldn’t stand this at all. The ride shouldn’t have been so bumpy. I think
that this is too much. I have never felt someone handle a car like this in
my life. I walked up to the front of the bus and looked at the bus driver.

“Excuse me sir, I was wondering could I drive?” I asked. He looked at me
like I was crazy. I wasn’t though I was Bo Duke and I was the sanest one on
this bus. I wasn’t anything though to them.

“You are a scum sucking idiot; if you think I will let you drive you have to
be out of your mind. I wouldn’t let my own son drive. Heck you probably
don’t know how to drive!” The driver yelled back. A Duke not knowing how to
drive…now there’s a sight you have probably never seen in your life. Oh
no…it’s a sight you will never see. Dukes love to drive. I love to drive
more than learning new things and boy do I love to learn.

“If you think for one second that I wouldn’t be able to drive think again. I
can handle any vehicle you put in front of me.” I shouldn’t have said
that…they might put me in a tank. Now there is one place I wouldn’t want to
be in. I am sorry about those are strictly for people that love machines.
Though it would be an adventure I wouldn’t even think about it.

“You think so huh?”

“Yes I do.” Why in the world wasn’t I backing down? I am smarter than this
guy. I shouldn’t even think about this kind of stuff. After all I don’t
think that people have to be this way ever. But what was the point of going
after this one?

“You want to drag behind this car or be driven there?”

“I would rather stay here and drive!”

“You are such a child.” I was a child? Of course I was a child. Why would he
even doubt that for a second? I am very childish. I am still a kid and
nothing will change that. No one will order me around and not a soul could
make me cry. I suppose that was my weakness.

“You are such an old fart.”

“Are you calling me old?”

“Well as the old saying goes, if the shoe fits then wear it!”

“You are going to be in so much trouble.”

“Just let me drive and I will leave you alone.”

“I will not leave you alone.”

“Well then you brought this on yourself.” I pulled on the steering wheel. We
went from side to side. It wouldn’t stop either. I didn’t want it to.
Suddenly we found ourselves off the road and in a nice ditch. Oh well, I
suppose it was all for the best when I had to change the tire. Being a Duke
has taught me quite a few lessons in life. Knowing how to change that tire
was the biggest thing I knew. In fact I knew so much that could change a
tire about as fast as a race car driver’s mechanic.

We started driving once more. I couldn’t believe how long this trip was. I
was still feeling restless…almost like a little child. I had to get out of
here before I sweated to death. You think they would treat future soldiers
with more respect. I wondered what I had done. I looked at the people on the
bus. Most seemed to be much bigger than me and a lot older; I was in for it.
What if I couldn’t do it like they could? Go the distance I mean. There was
something about this place that worried me.

Okay, this was my moment and I had to show people that I could do it no
matter what the cost. I wasn’t going to give up on my first day…I will give
up on my second. No that doesn’t sound right…I shouldn’t do it that way
either. Well I had to do something but I was drafter now. Was there really
anything I could do? I couldn’t look bad because I would be sent home.
Though the American Army must think everyone is a war hero. All I knew was
that I was doomed. There was something about these guys that gave me the
creeps. But the army seemed just like school. You can survive as long as you
make a couple friends.

Well that’s what I thought anyway. I went up to one guy and asked to shake
his hand and it was on the floor time for me. “You are rude,” I mumbled. But
you know what? He just looked at me and winked.

“Life can be rude and you will have to deal with it little one,” He replied.
Well so much for that. Maybe I had to do something better with myself…or
maybe they would never like me ever. I was young and stupid…well giftedly
stupid. Putting these two phrases together isn’t exactly smart however it
makes sense to me.

Anyway, we stood in this long line and a man looked us over. There were a
bunch of us. I couldn’t count how many had been recruited or drafted. I
don’t know how anyone could join of their own free will. War is not
romantic…at least it doesn’t seem to be that way. I don’t really want to
know how it is like.

“Welcome to the army, I am your drill sergeant my name is Sergeant Mathews.
You can call me your highness or just plain old sir. I will accept either.
From now until the end of your training I will be the one that will look
upon you the most. You have me until the end of your training. I hope you
all understand that you are in the battle,” Mathews commented. I couldn’t
help but laugh. He was such a stiff. I had never seen something so funny.
“Do you have a problem boy?”

“I do, you are making me laugh,” I replied. I realize now that this was the
wrong thing to say. Uncle Jesse told me though to always tell the truth and
that is what I was doing. If anyone had a problem with it they could take it
up with the Governor. Sergeant Mathews looked at me with those deep icy
eyes. That moustache that he was packing under his nose was too shiny. The
man was going red in the face. Now if you think that some people spit when
they talk you haven’t seen this guy. He spits out more of the juices of life
than I ever could and boy can he yell.

“Who do you think you are? You think that you’re smart don’t you?”

“I don’t think I know I am smart.” Okay, I shouldn’t bad mouth my superior
officer. If I hadn’t done that maybe he wouldn’t be looking at me like that.
I couldn’t help but be myself. I mean I am Bo Duke. I looked at my dog tags.
The name of Vance still didn’t seem right for me. Though with the army I
knew they would just called me Duke.

“What is your name boy?”

“Duke, Vance Duke. I am a very good farmer and a fast learner.”

“You are a farming soldier? Boy I have to see how well you do. I am from a
big city and I know more about life then you ever will.”

“I doubt it.”

“Duke your life is going to be worse than a blistering pit of hot lava. I am
going to take it all out on you!” Good, this was just perfect. I am going to
be spat upon just a little bit longer. I didn’t pay attention to his speech.
I mean after he began to curse I just ignored him totally. I can do that
too. I am very good at putting people out and putting something in.

Scrubbing toilets with a tooth brush is fun. I had to do all of them. I
don’t see why we’re given toilets. If they were smart they would give all
the boys outhouses. I can’t believe they don’t do that. I suppose if they
want to capture all these people and make them talk they would use the
porcelain unmentionables to the men. I think to make them want civilization
back.

“You’re good at putting weapons together,” One of the older men said.

“It isn’t all that hard. It doesn’t take long to figure out which part goes
where and why it is there,” I replied.

“My name is Sam.”

“I’m Vance.”

“What does Vance mean?”

“Well it means marshland…I looked it up a long time ago.” I liked my name
better than Vance’s ugly name but I wasn’t about to say that to him. I am
supposed to be someone else after all and it would seem dumb.

“I don’t know why but that name is just too stuffy. I think you are
different than that.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think you need a better name.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well you must have a reason for something like that. I mean my name is my
name I suppose.”

“Well that gun of yours must be pretty powerful.”

“What is this, a beauty Salon? You don’t have to tell people how good your
gun is. The enemy will find out soon enough if you put your weapon working!
Now get back to work!” Sergeant Mathews screamed. Man I hated that guy with
a passion. You know he wasn’t as great as anyone I knew. Maybe he was like
this to help him through his past or something. I shouldn’t say that in
front of him though.

Waking up at all hours and putting guns together. Going through training
courses that would kill some people and learning to fire weapons. This
wasn’t a common day for the regular man. But it was the life of an army man.
I wondered how Luke ever got through this.

My drill sergeant hated me. I don’t know why he treated me differently from
everyone else. I was doing all things faster than everyone else. I could
take apart anything blind folded and then put it back together. Still I was
lacking something, discipline. I also refused to cut my hair. When he tried
to make me we got into a big fight. I won of course but again that was
another hit to his over sized ego.

Training wasn’t all that hard though. I loved to crawl through the goopy mud
and allow it to run through my fingers, it was almost like home to me.
Nothing they said I couldn’t do. But as I said, when people hate you, ya
don’t get the best assignment. I would be located on the frontline.

“I can’t believe you Duke. You are such a sucker. You are a horrible person
and you have quite the anger management problem. You don’t need to tell me
that this is going to affect your performance out there. Now listen to me
carefully because I will not say this again to you. I won’t ever repeat
this. If fact I will deny it if you tell anyone and they ask me about it.
Now I really and I mean really I hate to admit it Duke but you were the
best,” Mathews told me.

“You’re…you are an interesting person. Now you have to tell me one thing.
Please humor me. Why are you sending me to the front?” I asked. I knew it
was to spite me even though he didn’t say it I knew it. He couldn’t do it
for any other reason.

“You are born to lead Duke, I can see right through your defiance. You are
not like all the other men. Some of them just enlist and others aren’t sure
why they have to be drafted. You are made for this man’s army.”

“You hate me too right?”

“Yes I do, with a passion and I never want to see your ugly face again.”

“I never want to feel your slobber after it flies out of your mouth.”

“You are a good man.” They hugged and suddenly let go. I couldn’t believe
that he would do such a thing. I didn’t know if this guy was trying to do
something to me or just get my attention. I couldn’t believe this at all.

“Now you get out of here before I get military police on your butt. I don’t
think I have to tell you that again.” With that I was out to find out where
my true place was in the world. You know it is funny; we go out and do
stupid things to find out who we are.

It seemed like only yesterday when all that was going on. But now I was in
war, I had to be in this war not only for myself but for my cousin too. He
couldn’t be within all this noise and all of these problems. I mean in all
honesty he wouldn’t last a day. The helmet would be too tight or there
weren’t enough girls in this army. Well I chase after girls too, don’t get
me wrong they’re great, however I know when to stop.

I had been here for three months and already I was a corporal. I had one
Purple Heart and a smile on my face. I loved looking at that medal. It
reminded me how courage was only a breath away. I thought of Luke and how he
would be doing in the marines. I suppose a lot better than me. He has been
there for about a year now if he hasn’t been shot and killed.

The guns were getting louder and louder that dumb Lieutenant had been just
standing there screaming orders to us. I wouldn’t back down from these guys
though the fear tried to conquer my heart. The rip roaring flames as the fox
hole next to us was struck. I grabbed my riffle and began to shoot. I
wasn’t about to let all of my friends suffer. One from our side shot off a
Bazooka. It flew to the other side. They bombed us and we bombed them. That
was the way war was. I guess I got used to it as I went along.

How can people kill so many without it being on their minds? Well that’s
simple, get rid of your sense of right and wrong. Pull all of your thoughts
and feelings and become numb. You learn well when you’re in this kind of an
environment. One thing is for sure, if you think about how you may being
killing people your age you will surely die. It is not like you can see
them. There is too much dust and smoke to see specific faces.

I guess the worst part of all is not receiving any contact. You see all of
the other guys with mail and you know that you will never receive a letter.
They were always concerned about me. I wasn’t too bad off without it but
still the thought of how my family was doing really shot through my mind. It
doesn’t really when you’re at home. I guess it is because you are actually
away from them. You can’t suddenly hold on to Daisy because she is in a
whole other country.

Out here was different than any other place I had been to. For one I had to
drop my whole identity. I was no longer Bo Duke. I hated the name Vance and
the other guys told me it didn’t match me. It was a stiff name that just
simply matched my cousin. The men called me Little Duke. I thought that it
was interesting to be called that. I guess it was because I looked younger
than I really was.

“Hey Little Duke, look at the picture of my girl,” Jimmy said as he flashed
a picture out at me. She was respectable. His girlfriend was not as slim as
some girls but no girl was perfect. I liked her smile though, it reminded me
of Daisy.

“She’s a sweetheart,” I replied. How could I talk to him about girls? I mean
everyone I would have dated I didn’t. Why? I didn’t want my cousin to be put
into war.

“Little Duke, I wish that you got mail.”

“I wish I could have some too. I miss my family.” Mike was listening into
the conversation as he always did. Mike wasn’t the type to stay out of
things. He was bold, unlike anyone else. Nothing I could say would change
his opinion. He liked to work hard in this army. Mike worked for everything
in his life and I admired him for that. When you come from a farm things
seem a lot different. You have all of the city boys that have never stuck
their hands in the dirt. They don’t have to work as hard as some people.
Mike has the blessings of both worlds.

“Duke, your family ain’t nice. I mean here you are fighting for liberty and
the American way. All they can do is keep to themselves? I don’t think it is
right. You need something to keep your mind occupied. I would never ever
allow my family to push me away like they have been doing to you. It just
ain’t right boy,” Mike mumbled.

“They have their reasons not to talk to me,” I answered.

“Why is that? What did you do that is so all fired terrible?” I had to think
of something. Every time I thought of a lie Uncle Jesse’s face entered into
my mind. I had to tell them something truthful.

“I ruined their pride. You see my brother Coy hated me because I beat
someone up for him. They would have killed him. Coy would rather be dead
than get help from anyone.”

“This Coy ain’t too smart. I swear if he were my brother I would knock some
sense into him. In all honesty you just got here and you are the best
soldier I have seen. You take on all the biggest operations.”

“I want to go home faster. If I get all my points I am out of here. I will
never have to kill that many people again. It just isn’t fair that we are
expected to do this. In all honesty, they should invent something where no
one gets hurt. Well until that day I am getting out of here with those
points.”

“That’s a good idea. If I wasn’t so dang scared I would follow your
example.”

“You’re scared?” I couldn’t believe it. Mike seemed so tough all the time. I
mean his chin was held high and his eyes were ice. I guess he has gone numb
too. You would never believe it by looking at him.

“We’re all scared to a point Little Duke. But onto different things, dang
you look younger than 18.” Oh no, they weren’t going to catch me now. I was
just getting stubble on my face and being proud of it. I had to have shaved
nine times a day in basic training. I couldn’t be caught now. If I was I
would be sent home. I didn’t want to be. I wanted to work harder than
everyone else and get out that way.

“Shoot, we all look young. I mean look at me, I am 20 and I look like I am
15 at least,” Jimmy commented. I breathed in deeply and sighed in relief.

“Well it isn’t that bad,” Johnson added.

“What isn’t that bad?” I questioned.

“Being here I mean. I don’t know you guys make it so much easier to be here.
I just don’t think about my family that much. I know you guys will always be
covering my can. I love the sounds of war as well. I just like to listen to
it. There’s something about it that is soothing yet scary. I love listening
to the bombs hit.”

“No you don’t you’re just saying that to make conversation.”

“Maybe so but at least I got everyone talking to me. I love everyone’s
voices.” Well the war was back for its second wave of ruining our day. Just
like the war. The whistling sounds of the shells before they hit the ground.
The machine guns we used were almost like loud jackhammers. I couldn’t
believe it was really a tool that shot millions of bullets into our area. I
was worried, almost scared to death. People were getting shot all around me.

A bomb landed too close for comfort. I didn’t want to die nor get shot but
something within me knew that this was going to happen no matter what. We
were shooting off everything we had but it still wasn’t enough. I could hear
the leaves that still hadn’t burn shift. There was a spy from the ‘nam side.
I didn’t know what to thing but as the gun got closer I was scared for my
Lieutenant’s life.

I jumped in front of him as the guns went off. I don’t know how many times
he hit me but man is I in pain. My chest is burning and I don’t know what to
do about it. It hurts so much. I hear someone call out my nickname. “Little
Duke!” It had to be Johnson. I slipped into the deepness of sleep. When I
woke up I was still in the battle zone.

My Lieutenant was on the ground. He had one bullet in his shoulder. I wasn’t
about to leave him there though the throbbing pain almost convinced me to. I
looked at my green clothes that had been tinted with his blood and my own. I
didn’t know what to say or if I should say anything at all but one thing was
for sure

I had to get out of here. I picked up Lieutenant Kendal and ran for my life.
The shots from guns followed my feet and I got down. I couldn’t move for if
I did they would surely get me. My gut hurt like heck but I didn’t care.
Kendal needed my help and I wasn’t about to let him down.

I was woozy and couldn’t think straight. Everything that was going through
my mind at that instant was about life and how I wanted to live it. “You’re
going to make it,” I mumbled to myself. I picked up Lieutenant Kendal and
ran towards the aid station. Another bullet hit me in the shoulder. It hurt
bad but I couldn’t think about that now. All of this was dependant on me
alone. As I finally reached for the aid station, I collapsed on the ground.
I couldn’t stay awake any longer. My head filled with a hazy red color as at
last I came to rest.

I awoke in the hospital unable to move. I looked around and saw the clear
netting around the beds. I didn’t know what was going on at first but I was
sure that I had saved someone’s life. I had to save people’s lives. I would
rather risk my own than have someone die. I suppose that was the wrong
attitude but that’s just the way I am.

I looked around and I saw all these beds just full of people. I wondered who
had died or what had happened. If anything had happened to all these men I
wished that they were at least alive.

Something inside me crawled when they mentioned death. I wasn’t scared of
dying but I didn’t want to die. I wanted to live long enough to see thing
happen. I wanted to go to the mountains where my dad died. Maybe visit my
family in Brittan. I don’t know something interesting. Maybe get arrested. I
suppose that was too much to ask for as well. Oh well I guess I am a bit
weird.

“Hey little Duke, you did great out there. Geeze I can’t believe you didn’t
bleed to death,” John commented.

“That was close wasn’t it? How is everyone else?” I asked. John didn’t say
anything. He didn’t want to or he couldn’t and I respected that. “I know
that must’ve been weird huh?” Again nothing I didn’t know what to tell him.
All I could do was prescribe one of the nurses to him. War was a dirty
thing.

At that very moment, I heard something that I hadn’t heard in a long time.
It was a familiar voice that didn’t seem to stop mumbling to the nurse. I
couldn’t believe that I this hospital would have so many people I knew in
it. No…this voice was different. This voice carried me through hard times
and sad places.

“I don’t want the drugs,” Luke said. I couldn’t believe he was here. If Luke
saw me I would get a whipping for sure. I couldn’t move though and I
wouldn’t be able to for a while. Maybe I was dreaming. Yeah that’s it. It’s
not me.

“You have to take the morphine! Look I am not trying to mean here but you
are really pushing my buttons!” The nurse exclaimed.

“Look lady, I am a Duke and a Marine, if you want to get rid of the morphine
you take it. I don’t like drugs! I have never liked drugs nor will I ever
like drugs. I would rather be in this amount of pain then take your drugs.”
It was Luke. I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to hide or maybe just die. I
couldn’t die though. Besides that he would see me sooner or later.

I tried to sit up to find the crew cut which I knew would be there. I
couldn’t get up enough and John pushed me back down. I had to know if it was
Luke and if he was okay. I couldn’t take the suspense of it anymore. “Luke?”
I yelled out.

Luke automatically sat up and looked my way. He didn’t look pleased. I could
hear him getting out of bed and heading towards me. I couldn’t run now even
if I tried. Some things just happen this way. I suppose it was fate but then
again Uncle Jesse says there is no such thing as fate. You make your own
destiny.

“You little scum bag! What the heck are you doing here?” Luke exclaimed. I
knew he would be mad. I couldn’t help but look for him though. He’s my
cousin and not only that, Luke is one of my Best friends.

“Look I am sorry, I looked in the mail and there were my draft papers. It
said it right on the top, Vance Duke.”

“Oh no…You will not get away with this. I am taking you for a walk.” Luke
grabbed a wheelchair and put me in it. He hung up the parts of my IV’s and
took me outside. I wished I had just kept my little mouth shut. As we got
closer to a clearing Luke put on the breaks.

“I am sorry. I am sorry for trying to be a person I am sorry for being here.
I am sorry I wanted to make a difference. There are certain things a person
has to do when they are American and this was something I had to do. I know
it seemed wrong but it wasn’t. I know you think I am some sort of creature
but I am not. I was just trying to help my county become the best it could
be.”

I wondered if that speech worked. I knew I might run into Luke, it was in
the stars. It was bound to happen so I practiced this speech. I wasn’t about
to let him think that I was the one that chose to do this at fist anyway. I
wanted to tell him that I wanted to be proud and that my American side…made
me do it. Now to put this to the test, Luke opened his mouth and his face
got red. Oh boy, I was in trouble.

“Explain yourself now! Don’t tell me that Coy or Vance put you up for it
because I know they wouldn’t do such a thing. How dare you come here! Do you
have any idea how much trouble you can get in? Not only if you’re caught but
if you get shot I will never forgive myself. What were you thinking? Why are
you up here?” Luke finally said.

“No one likes me so…”

“You joined the Vietnam war! I can’t believe you did this. What was it
supposed to help you to see me? I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy
that’s how much I hate war.”

“I understand that Luke but…I just wanted to help and it seems that all I am
doing is ruining things.”

“You ain’t ruining anything! War is ruining it for you my cousin. You have
stepped into the theatre of war. You know what the only difference is
between the stage and this place?”

“What Luke? What is the difference?”

“You can actually die! Not the person beside you though he has a good chance
too. You can die Bo, have you ever thought about that? Bo, do you know how
many people die out here?”

“Yes, I see it everyday. I see war and I see what goes on. I am a big part
of it. I am the one that makes sure no one else dies. I am the one that does
all the death causing missions.”

“Are you mad?”

“No I am not. I just don’t want to have people die.”

“What’s your rank?”

“Corporal Vance Duke. That is so cool and to think that stays on Vance’s
record the rest of his life. He got a promotion in less than three months. I
save a lot of lives you know. I am up for another; I saved a General’s son,
that’s the Lieutenant of this outfit.”

“You must be pretty slick. Do you realize that Uncle Jesse is tearing his
hair out because he doesn’t know where you are?”

“I don’t care, I am helping people. I finally feel like I belong somewhere.
I didn’t need you to hold my hand to get that promotion I did it all by
myself.”

“Bo! You’re 16 years old and you should be in school. You don’t have time to
be up here. You have a life back home that you ain’t living because you are
here.”

“I am 15 years old still and I am finished school. I took it during the
summers and also through night classes and they skipped me up a couple
grades.”

“Uncle Jesse thinks you could be dead in a street gutter. How do you think
it would make him feel to know you’re holding a riffle? Do you have any idea
how crazy you are?”

“Yes I do! I didn’t want Vance out here. I didn’t want to not know where
both of you were. I couldn’t take it Luke. I wouldn’t take it either. I love
you more than life and there’s no way in the world I would let you out of my
sight. After you left, well I couldn’t just up and let Vance go.”

“You would miss Vance too?”

“You think I wouldn’t miss my cousin? Luke I love him with all my heart and
soul. I couldn’t just watch him go off to war. Now that I have been there I
wouldn’t want him to come over here.”

“You would do anything for him wouldn’t you? I mean even risk your own life
to save his?”

“Yeah I would. Even though he is one of the most annoying kids on the planet
I surely would. I would do it for anyone in this family. I would especially
do it for you. You are my cousin and my friend and I don’t want to loose
you.”

“I guess I won’t tell on you. I will start writing you letters too. So tell
me what are you in for?”

“Well I got shot Luke.”

“I knew that already. Now Bo, you don’t feel too much pain do you?”

“No do you?”

“Of course I do.”

“Uncle Jesse must be worried about me huh?” I couldn’t help but ask that. It
was running through my mind the whole time we were talking.

“You think Bo? Of course he’s worried. I know he wouldn’t be Uncle Jesse if
he didn’t worry. We got to find a way of talking with Uncle Jesse without
him finding out about you being in the army.”

“Call Cooter! Uncle Jesse goes over there on Tuesdays.” Luke wondered if
that would work. I could see it in his eyes. I knew it would. It was my plan
after all. I wasn’t about to prove I was stupid now or ever. Sometimes
though I would let Luke come up with the plans. His face would light up when
he would come up with them. I left my opinions in my shoes.

We waited ever so patiently for the phone lines to reach our Hazzard. Cooter
was one person who would understand better than anyone. Well maybe not. For
when he answered the phone, he was worse than Luke. “Are you out of your
puny little mind?” Cooter questioned. Well there it is again. I guess I will
never hear the end of this one.

“Cooter, I had to do this,” I replied. Luke slapped me on the back of the
head. I hated being treated like this. I felt like I had robbed a bank
instead of saving my cousin the way I did. I have to explain myself over and
over again.

“I know that you think that you are so almighty tough by taking your
cousin’s place. Your Uncle is so upset now. He hates staying home because of
the tension. Coy feels awful about you leaving. He hasn’t talked to anyone
for days…weeks…months even. Vance is a mess but has to be strong to hold the
family together.”

“I am sorry, I wanted to…”

“Save Vance’s life I heard that part. Here comes your Uncle now do you want
to tell him the truth or leave him in shock?” I could hear Uncle Jesse in
the background asking who was on the phone. As I heard his voice I had tears
in my eyes. I wanted to tell him where I was but at the same time I didn’t.

It would kill him to know that I was here. You know to know that another one
of his boys were out there not because they had to be but because they chose
to be. That didn’t make me feel too proud of myself. I didn’t know if he
would accept that. I guess I wanted to keep it a secret.

However it would also kill him to find out I was anywhere else. As Luke said
he thought I was dead in a gutter. I probably was. It was a bigger gutter, a
foxhole that could fill with water easily. There was tormenting in this war.
Everything was ripped from me in the split second I got here. I was now a
soldier in this theatre of war. Not having anything to hold onto or even
show for it. Well I got a metal but at what loss? I no longer get letters
and everyone is mad at me. So should I tell my sweet Uncle or not?

“Hello?” Uncle Jesse said.

“Hey Uncle Jesse how are you?” I asked. What else was there to say after not
talking to him for so long? He took a quivering breath and almost seemed to
straighten up behind the phone.

“Bo Duke you rascal. I am better than any other day this week. How are you?”

“Alive and well sir, nothing bad has really happened to me.” How could I
just up and lie like that? I didn’t like telling my Uncle anything like
that. It almost worked to until the nurse called the doctor in from some
emergency. I knew I wouldn’t hear the end of that.

“Bo you’re lying to me, are you in the hospital?” I wouldn’t be lying if I
told him that.

“Yes sir, it’s nothing really!”

“What’s your version of nothing Bo, a scratch on your shoulder or a bullet
in your back?” Boy oh boy did he ever know me! I didn’t like the sound of
this at all. Bo Duke, you are the worst liar in the world. I needed to tell
him the truth without giving too much away. I was here talking to him and
that’s all that matters.

“It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Look, I am in the hospital for being
shot. I am okay. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“I don’t know about you Bo Duke. You better not be telling me something I
want to hear. I love the truth.”

“I can’t give you the full truth but I can tell you that I am in a hospital.
I was shot and I am going to be just fine.”

“Alright, I understand that you don’t want me to find you right now. I mean
I have gone places too that my parents didn’t know about. Just as long as
you come home to me when you’re done I will be happy Bo. Don’t stay away
from me boy, I love you too much.”

“I won’t, I could never stay away from you Uncle Jesse. You are one of the
jewels in my life. I don’t want to loose you as a friend. I love you and I
want you to always be there for me.”

“Oh Coy’s in the car. You have to talk some sense into him. He won’t talk to
anyone boy and I am scared for him.”

“What makes you think he’ll talk to me?”

“Just do it for me. I can’t expect it of anyone else but you.” I could hear
Coy’s cold breath on the phone as Uncle Jesse put the receiver to his ear. I
didn’t know what to say to him.

“Coy, I ain’t mad at you, the only reason why I left is because I felt like
I needed to. There’s something inside people that…” I was saying.

“No, I am sorry; I shouldn’t have said the things I did. I don’t want you
dead. I haven’t felt good since you picked up that mail. I didn’t know what
to tell you. I mean when you got home you had this determined look on your
face. I wanted to say sorry but it was like you weren’t going to listen to
me,” Coy commented. Oh boy, now I wanted to go home. Man I wish that I could
make up my mind. I loved the army though and boy howdy I can’t leave now.

“It’s okay.”

“So you’ll come back?”

“I wish I could but where I am you don’t come back very easily. It will take
me a long while. So don’t forget that I love you and tell Vance for me. Can
I talk to Cooter quick?”

“Sure Cousin.”

“You didn’t tell them!” Cooter exclaimed. How could I tell them? They would
be more worried about me than they are now.

“I will,” I replied.

“When is that? Are you going to tell them when hell freezes over or when the
world ends?”

“Cooter, I can’t tell them if I do I will hurt them.”

“You are hurting them now Bo what makes you think this is any different?”

“Cooter, just promise me you won’t tell them. I have to do it at my own
pace. I will not be ruined by whatever this is. I can’t have my family
thinking about this.”

“Alright Bo, I won’t say anything to them but you will get letters from me
ya hear?”

“Thanks Cooter.”

“Thank me when you get my first letter. You stay safe; I don’t want you to
be hurt in any way.”

“Cooter, I will do my best.”

“Bye now.” He hung up the phone. I leaned against my wheelchair and looked
up at Luke. He knew I was happier than I had ever been. I knew that he was
glad to see me as well.

That afternoon, Luke spent his time reading all the letters Uncle Jesse,
Coy, Vance and Daisy sent him. I listened to his soft voice and smiled.
There was nothing like it at all. I loved to hear what everyone was doing. I
wondered how they were all doing since I got to this place.

Daisy was sewing as usual making blankets for the orphans which I though was
neat. Daisy was always doing something great for everyone. I was so proud of
her. I could never think of anything bad about her. Daisy has always been so
nice to me. She was wonderful when she first came. With Daisy’s parents
being in the service permanently, she came to the farm. They felt that it
wasn’t a good thing for such a young child to always be moving around. I
know now that I agree. Besides, her parents are missing out anyway.

Coy was depressed. I wondered why. I suppose it was because of me leaving.
Supposedly he was seeing a therapist to deal with his feelings. He was
scared for me maybe. I wondered all the time about my cousin. He wasn’t as
stable as the rest of us were. Vance had his stuff and Luke was good at a
lot of things. I had my sports, school, arts and all that. Coy was sometimes
left in the dark.

Vance was good but he got a lot quieter according to Uncle Jesse’s letters.
He hasn’t been talking as much to Coy even. It was weird because Vance
seemed to talk to Coy nonstop. It made me jealous. I don’t know why it did
but it just always there. Especially when Luke left, I went all green eyed
because I missed the friendship we had.

Uncle Jesse was just plum worried about me. I couldn’t believe what I had
done to him. I didn’t tell him where I was or where I was going or really
even why I wanted to travel there. I shouldn’t have said the stuff I did in
that letter. I knew that it was wrong to make them think I was mad at them.

“Bo, I want you to take these letters and read them over and over again.
When you feel sad you can open them and think of your family. I know that I
would be lost without these letters. I know that you would be too,” Luke
finally said after finishing letter after letter.

“Luke, I can’t take these,” I replied.

“Bo, I know that you need them more than I do. You know what? You are an
awesome person.”

“I love you so much Luke. Thanks for everything. You will always be a great
friend to me. I know I shouldn’t be saying this but I am glad you are here
even if you shouldn’t be. I missed your face. I missed everything about you
Bo. I hated not receiving letters from you and I better receive a million of
them.”

“I will give you many.”

“How many is many?”

“If you want to know the truth I wrote you letters everyday even though I
thought I would never give them to you.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah I am. I have written to Daisy, Coy, Vance and Uncle Jesse too. Though
I will probably never give them the letters I still wrote them.”

“You are wonderful you know that?”

“Thanks Luke. Thank you so much. I am so happy you’re my cousin.”

“I am proud to be your cousin Bo. I don’t ever want to be anyone else’s
cousin. You are too wonderful.”

When Luke left the next day I was saddened by it. I would miss him but then
again he was always close by. I didn’t care though, I wanted him near me and
nothing could replace those feelings. I suppose that maybe I was being
selfish. He must have been one of the best soldiers out there. There was
something about Luke that made me want to be by his side.

Luke and Uncle Jesse had a lot in common and I noticed that too. They were
just so much alike that it was amazing. I couldn’t tell the difference
sometimes. I suppose they were both trying to get the same things through my
head. I suppose they were right but I jumped into another bad situation like
I always seem to do. I didn’t like doing but I did anyway.

It didn’t make me too thrilled being away from home. There was something
about it that didn’t appeal to me anymore. I wanted to be home, I really
did. Through all of this though I thought of my family how wonderful they
all really are. It has gotten me through rough times. They have always been
there for me and I feel good about that. I just wish I could do the same for
them.

by: Essy Jane

I suppose when telling a story you go overboard about yourself. It’s not
your fault it’s that the story has to do with you. Sometimes you think about
other people along the way and other times you don’t. Many people tell
stories about their good times and other stories are about their bad times.
I suppose that this story is both though at first it doesn’t seem like it.

My feelings along the lines of war are one of hatred. I don’t like it and
not a person can convince me otherwise. Just remember that. You see that is
important in the end and soon you will know why. You see all of these war
films talking about how this is this and that is that. You seem them talk
about the romance of war. I don’t think they’re right. War is ugly. It’s not
heroic its plain old dumb. I think no one understands it until they go
through it.

Things happen for a reason a lot of times other times we make them happen. I
choose my own destiny and I hope others get to choose theirs. There are some
people that are born to lead and others that make it happen. I made it
happen. I guess I should just start at the beginning though. The story
doesn’t make sense without the beginning. But it is so hard to remember that
far back…not for me but for some it really is.

I am Bo Duke. At the time I wasn’t all that old. I am younger than everyone
in my house. I live with my Uncle Jesse. Well more than that though. I also
live with my cousins Luke, Daisy, Coy and Vance. Everyone is older than me…I
said that already though. Oh well, repetitive sentences seem to stick in
people’s minds more.

I don’t have a father nor do I have a mother. I don’t care about that
though. My mother died giving birth to me and my father died in an
avalanche. Both died on my birthday which does trouble me some but not too
much. It has been dealt with in my mind for the most part. However there is
one time it does bother me and that’s on my birthday. I often think of what
kind of people they are.

Being a Duke has certain responsibilities. You need to be kind and not take
advantage of girls. Well that’s my Uncle’s rules anyway. You need to be
wonderful all the time. When you have an Uncle like Uncle Jesse you need to
be good. There’s nothing else that would make someone happier than to see
what good your caregiver taught you rub off on you too. I am not saying it
is a bad thing but I am saying you have to live up to large standards.

It had been two weeks since Luke had turned 18 years old. Vance, Coy, Luke
and I were walking back from a nice afternoon of fishing. We should have
brought Daisy but it was a guy thing. I wouldn’t leave her out of things
most of the time but this was one of those days where I just had to be with
my cousins. Okay, okay, she’s my cousin too but I felt that it was a boy’s
day out. I don’t like leaving her out of things.

Daisy’s a remarkable person. She taught me how to knit and everything. But
the only problem is that I just do not know how to cook. It doesn’t matter
how hard she tries, neither Daisy nor anyone else on the American continent
can teach me how to cook. I don’t why I can’t seem to learn I suppose that’s
the way I am.

I tell you, I must have the shortest attention span ever. I can’t seem to
keep my mind on one topic. They roll through my head like bowling balls
aching to hit the pins. Sometimes the ball just doesn’t want stay on course
for the perfect strike. It depends. I wish I could keep my mind on things
just a bit better.

Anyway, back to the fishing trip, we walked home not because we had to. We
thought we could use the exercise. We weren’t like these big chubby guys but
hey, keeping up good exercise was important. Besides that, having someone to
exercise with is wonderful. I like being a string bean. It’s really neat to
have all these girls all around you telling you just how dang gorgeous you
really are. I am not vein or anything even though more teen boys worry about
their looks than average men.

I just mean I don’t need to be fat. I would rather exercise than become
large. I know that just because you aren’t perfect shaped it doesn’t mean
you ain’t nice. Take Lulu, she’s a wonderful person. She does so much for
this place. Lulu can bring out the best in her husband. Well anyway I just
don’t want to loose my figure. There’s something about it that makes me feel
like a Duke. Without it…I don’t know how I would feel without it.

We loved doing anything physical. Luke loved to play football a lot when he
was in school. He taught me how to play of course. I was good at it too.
Then there was basketball and wrestling as well. I especially liked
wrestling girls when it came time to date them. Luke always told me that
this was my best sport out of all of them. I simply replied, “I get lots of
practice.”

These were tough times for everyone. With a war going on and all those women
alone it wasn’t a wonder why everyone was so depressed. There were things
that just didn’t seem fun to people anymore. All these notices went out
about Uncle Sam needing us. Well I would go except I am just too dang young.
Some people talked about how honorable it was to be in the war and how great
people are that join. I don’t know about stuff like that. All that I know is
that sometimes things aren’t always as they seem.

“Luke, what do you want to do with your life now?” I asked him. Luke smiled
and took a deep breath letting it out slowly. He was a smart person and
could go mighty far with schooling and everything. I always thought he
would. Luke had a talent when it came to school.

“Bo, I don’t think I will be doing anything but farming,” Luke replied. How
could he say that? He was much more than a farmer. He could be a nuclear
physicist. He could be anything he wanted to. Luke was always an A+ student.
How could he possibly do this to himself? Luke couldn’t stay here.

“Why would you want to waste your life like that?”

“Are you against farming or something?” Why would he say something like
that? I don’t get him. I have lived on a farm all of my life and he has the
nerve to pull something like that on me? I didn’t understand what his
problem was.

“How could you even think that about me Luke Duke?”

“I can think whatever I want to. I want to follow in my Uncle’s footsteps.”

“I just think you can do way more in your lifetime. I mean look at you. They
offered to give you a scholarship for academic achievement and for sports.
Luke you could go to the best collages with that. You don’t know what you
are missing.”

“Bo I am not an inside guy and you know that. I can’t stay in school any
longer. You don’t need much education to be a farmer.” Luke you are not
doing the right thing. That’s all that I could think about. He wasn’t doing
the right thing with his life. Luke didn’t understand what I was saying. I
wish he would just change his dang mind. Sometimes Luke seemed like the
smartest person in the world and the next he was doing something stupid
again. I don’t understand why he has to hold himself back. Luke is too smart
for something like that. I just wanted to beat him over the head.

All went silent after that for a while. Coy wanted to break the silence and
I could see it in his face. Coy hated silence more than anything else in the
world. He would rather be in a noisy class room then be outside on the warm
grass in summer drinking nothing but lemonade. That kid was an interesting
one for sure. He came here just three years ago with Vance. I didn’t like it
much. I mean that guy was more than annoying. His mom sent him over because
he was getting beaten up at school. Of course Coy wouldn’t leave without
Vance so both of them came.

Vance was an okay creature. He was liked a lot in school. Vance was somewhat
like Luke but not quite. Vance kept to himself more than Luke. I wanted to
talk to him once and it ended up being him that left. I suppose he hated it
here too. He was from farm country as well but just didn’t seem to get the
hang of Hazzard. Unlike normal small farming places, Hazzard was full of
adventure. Coy and Vance both weren’t used to it. “Luke, can you really
understand this war in Vietnam?” Coy questioned his older cousin.

“Well I’m just glad I haven’t been send over there yet,” Luke replied.

“What do you think the boys out there would be doing?”

“There would be a lot of noise. I don’t “I am sorry, I wanted to…”

“You are the smart one Luke, I love talking to you because you’re so smart.”

“I ain’t all that smart. I couldn’t never be all that smart Bo and you know
it.” I didn’t really know what to say to Luke. After all, he was my favorite
cousin. I thought he was smart but then again maybe I was just being biased.
I have admired Luke from afar. I can never quite add up to him but I still
like him. My cousin has taught me a lot about my life. I am still learning
and it will take me a couple of years to get that temper under control but
no one is perfect.

“Luke, you ain’t stupid. You could never be stupid. You’re the one that
comes up with all of these great ideas. Heck I can’t even come up with one.
I suppose you’re better than me in a lot of ways. You are very smart though
and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise,” I told him. Luke laughed and I
wondered why but was afraid to ask. I gave up before trying and just hoped
he would tell me why.

“Luke you are very well known in Hazzard, I just wish I was as amazing as
you,” Vance commented as he picked up a giant rock and tossed in the air.
Vance wanted to belong somewhere. I knew it by his eyes. That kid wanted to
make something of himself. It was hard in this town to run down a reputation
of being great.

“Vance, Bo, you never have to worry about any of that stuff. You two will
find your own way in life. I don’t care if it takes you forever you two will
get it someday. As will you Coy,” Luke said.

“I won’t get far. I ain’t anything but a big sap baby,” Coy answered. I had
to laugh at that one. It was true. This kid couldn’t out run anyone. He
wasn’t a fighter and he wasn’t even close to being a man. I wonder if he
would ever make the cut for a team. Oh well, maybe that ain’t Coy’s thing.

“Don’t put yourself down.”

“I can’t tell lies Luke. You know it’s the truth. That’s why Mom sent me
down here with Vance. I was getting beaten up all the time. Luke they wanted
me to be like you.”

“You can’t be like me; you are your own person with your own mind so just
forget that thing you just said.”

“I wish that I was like you.”

“Don’t, I ain’t the best person in the world to be like.”

“You are a great example.”

“So is Uncle Jesse. You will learn more from him than me. Trust me, if you
want to stop being beaten up you will find a way for it to happen.”

Uncle Jesse is great. He is known by everyone in this town. We are told to
be respectable because of our name being so popular in the County. I don’t
mind it too much. Although I get in trouble a lot Uncle Jesse smiles and
simply shrugs it off. I guess he knows I have to learn the hard way.

We were all kicking the stones down the road when Uncle Jesse’s pick-up
truck drives by. He stops and offers everyone a ride. Luke and I get front
seat and the other two sit in the back of the pick-up dangling their feet as
they go along.

Uncle Jesse gazed at Luke regretfully as if something was wrong with him. He
looked at him with a sense of deep lament. “Luke this telegram was sent for
you today. You’ve been drafted,” Uncle Jesse stated as he wiped the tears
from his eyes.

Luke was shocked, not saying a word. He took a deep breath and looked at me
with worried eyes. I don’t know why in the world he was concerned about me.
He was the one that might be going off to war. I didn’t want this to happen
to him. Luke wouldn’t feel good about himself there just as I wouldn’t feel
good about him being there. I suppose I was being selfish but I didn’t care.
I was hoping he would just say no. Just tell everyone to shove before he
used his powerful fists and sent them all to the ground. I didn’t want this
to happen to my cousin for any reason.

I couldn’t believe that they were doing this. Well I knew my good old cousin
wasn’t about to take a mission like this. In all honesty he was smarter than
that. Luke is an amazing person. I mean he can fight more people than I have
ever seen. Luke is a great person that’s for sure. I couldn’t see him being
in the military.

I couldn’t see myself in the army either. I mean I am not the disciplinary
fellow. I like following my own rules and making my own laws. I would rather
hit someone in the face then follow their rules. It’s just the way that I
am. Sometimes Uncle Jesse says that I am going to regret what I do but I
don’t care. There is nothing like hitting someone to make you feel just a
little bit better. I know I wouldn’t be able to be in the army. If a person
yells at me too much I get mad. I will hurt him too. I don’t care how many
chores I have to do but I will get even.

What Luke was about to say didn’t make me feel good! He was going to leave
me and I didn’t want him to. With all my heart I would rather go with him
than leave him alone there. He couldn’t be going though. We were just
talking about the noise and everything. Luke was afraid of loud noises ever
since he was a child. I don’t know how he will be able to deal with those
kinds of things. He’s my cousin and a good one at that.

Luke wouldn’t want to go over to that dumb war. There are so many bad things
to it. I mean for one you have to kill people. Now does anyone want to have
the blood stains on their hands? Do they want to see the people they kill?
What is the point to this dang war? I hate that they’re doing this. I can’t
stand thinking to what happened to people.

Why are people dying and rotting? Well it is all because of this dang
country wanting to do something about communism. If I said that in front of
the government I would be a communist though I have never wanted to go to
that system. Heck I don’t care for it but there are some that like it. Why
don’t we leave them alone? I am sure they would leave us alone if we left
them alone. Besides that, I am sure that if their system is so dang bad it
will crumble and fall apart.

Luke finally opened his mouth. I didn’t like what he was going to say. I
didn’t want him to even say it. There was something about him going to war
that gave me the creeps. I didn’t want it happening no matter what. I
couldn’t have it happen.

“I guess sometimes this family isn’t as lucky as it’s supposed to be. But
I’ll serve my country,” Luke replied. I pounded on the dash board hard. I
wasn’t willing to let my cousin die out there.

“Run away Luke! You don’t have to do it. Go to Canada or China. Please…I
don’t want you to get killed,” I pleaded. But there was no way he’d fumble.
No way would he take a small turn in life for me. I loved my cousin dearly.
He was more like a brother than any of my other cousins.

“Bo, I can’t. I have to serve my country with liberty and justice. We have
to protect the democracy.”

“But just a second ago you said…”

“That was a second ago. This is now. You know what this war can mean. I have
to do what’s right.” I couldn’t believe how selfish I was being. I couldn’t
accept this. I just couldn’t. He was my best friend. He protected me though
everything. I didn’t want to loose that. I couldn’t loose that friendship.
Luke talked to me when I felt troubled. He helped me out of the tightest
spots. I couldn’t just let him go off to war. I couldn’t let Luke forget me.

But Luke packed to go. This was the hardest thing in the world to deal with.
The bottom bunk would be so lonesome without old Luke there. What would I do
if I had one of those weird nightmares? Vance and Coy just don’t understand
them. Luke will stay up all night listening to me jabber on. Those two
couldn’t hear on episode of a show.

I don’t know I just couldn’t leave him. Or he couldn’t leave me, one of the
two. I Guess I just wanted Luke to stay. But then I was angry. I was angry
he was leaving me to go there. I wanted to fight too. I wanted to go there
and experience what he was with him. I didn’t want to be lonely. I wanted to
show him that I was just as tough as he was…maybe I was even strong than he
was.

But I’m plain old young. Everything about me is young. Right down to the
peach fuzz on my chin. It’s not fair, why couldn’t I be the one to sacrifice
my world? Luke was the better one. He was so much kinder than I. Luke had
this wonderful quality about him that I just didn’t want to ever miss out
on. I on the other hand was the reckless one. I risked his butt every time
I got in trouble. I suppose that he was meant to be there for me.

“Luke you can’t leave,” I pleaded with him.

“Bo this is my destiny. I wouldn’t do it if I wasn’t supposed to,” Luke
replied.

“You can’t leave Luke. Who in the world can I talk to about my day?”

“Vance is here Bo. Vance will be with you always. Even when I am not here he
will be here. Besides, you have a pen and paper. You can write me long and
detailed letters. You can even write me about who stepped on your shoelaces.
Bo I will read every word of it.”

“It’s not the same. I won’t get a response from you for weeks. What if I
have a crisis? Vance and Coy don’t understand. They’re so…”

“You just ain’t used to them. Give them both a chance maybe you’ll find
something in them that you didn’t see before.”

“I have looked for every way I can to get to know them.”

“You will Bo I know you will. You are a strong person.”

“You think so now. You just wait until I have died because you’re not
around. You can’t leave Luke. I can’t let you leave me. I won’t let you go
over there and get yourself killed. I just won’t have it Luke.”

“Bo, that’s like commanding the sun to stop shinning. Only I can decide
where I am going. I can’t tell myself that I won’t be killed but I can say
that I will be careful so that I come back to you safe. Bo you are important
to me. You are like a brother to me. You have been there when I need you and
I have been there for you.”

“Well you obviously don’t care about me anymore.”

“Bo, don’t you ever say anything like that ever again!”

“Why are you leaving me then?”

“Look you know why I am leaving and you know that I have to go. I know you
understand better than anyone why I have to go.”

“I don’t know Luke. I wouldn’t be telling you this kind of stuff if I knew.
I can’t believe you are leaving. It ain’t your place Luke. You shouldn’t
have to go. I won’t let you go. I can’t let you go. It’s suicide Luke.”

Bo we’ve been through this a million times over. We have been through why I
have to go and I want you to respect that.”

“No we haven’t. If we were through with this you would be staying home!”

“Bo you’re twisting my words.” I couldn’t take this conversation anymore. I
hated him. He was ruining my life. Luke shouldn’t have to go to war. I can’t
stand this. He’s too good to be killed and still he’s going.

Two weeks later, Luke left for the airport. I didn’t go to see him off. I
was mad. I couldn’t get over what he was doing to me. I would worry every
moment of the day for him but he still didn’t care. Well he did but I don’t
know…I guess I couldn’t see past that. Luke is my best friend and not a lot
of people have that between cousins. Luke is the only one I can trust with
girls.

How am I supposed to tell Coy or Vance all of my secrets? Coy was still too
childish and Vance was a little too serious. That’s just the way they were.
Besides that, Coy was Vance’s best friend and not mine. Sure they admired
Luke however they didn’t like me. I liked that guy more than anything. I
thought that he could be president of the United States if he wanted to.

I cried in my room and refused to come out. But as more people say over and
over, it is the ones with the emotion that hide in the corner. I am one of
those. I really have an aversion to him not being here for anything. I don’t
want him to die. I love him too much to have him be in some foxhole and die
like in the movies. I don’t want to sit there and beg for him to come back.
I just want him here like he always has been for me. I have known him since
he was born.

Well, when I got my first letter from Luke, I read it over and over to
myself. I missed him more than life. All I wanted was to see his face again.
To just smile at him when he tells me one of his stories or to listen when
he gives me advice on girls; I suppose I was hopeless on that department.
His letter did make me feel a bit better about him being gone. I suppose
everyone should have a letter like that. It went like this:

Dear Bo,

I’m sorry that you feel so rotten. I am not about to argue with you again
about me being here. I know that you were just upset about me going. I also
didn’t want to go. I knew that if I made a big stink about going it would
put me in an even worse spot then before.

Uncle Jesse says that you’ve dropped the debating team. How could you even
think of doing such a thing? You were really good at that. In Junior High
you made top honors. You knew your stuff really well. I wouldn’t quit
something that you’re good at. Don’t spite me with something that you love.

I know that high school is new to you but don’t worry about it. You need to
get in there though Bo. Volunteer in everything. For goodness sakes, please
join the football team. You’re so good at it that it would be a waste for
you not join in. You could be a quarter back and I know it. You have the
guts for it that’s for sure. I think that many people have a gift when it
comes to sports. You are definitely a good guy for that one. I am sure you
can get on the junior team.

Marines are tough. Tell Vance if he gets booted over here not to join the
Marines. I tell you there training is so advanced. I’ve learn lots from my
drill sergeant. But still, he’s not Uncle Jesse. I mean honestly, this guy
only cares about you when you get hit. But I’ve been called a natural in
this stuff. So I’m being shipped out tomorrow.

Bo, take care of yourself and just keep telling yourself that you can do it.
Rejoin the debate club. You’re sure to get another prize. Your school needs
you and so do your friends.

Keep Coy and Vance out of trouble for me. I know they’re in it a lot.
Without me there you are the only one that has lived in that house all your
life. They still have a lot of learning to do. Don’t be so rough on them. I
know they will never be me.

No one can be expected to be me. They are their own person. Coy is a very
good guy even though physically he isn’t as strong as you. Vance can teach
you a lot if you will only let him near you. Bo you know that they are good
people. They may not be who you think they are. There is something about
them both that I know you will learn to find special. They are both amazing
people. They’re Dukes as well and you know that Dukes are good people.

Bo I know you’re hurting right now but don’t think I haven’t thought of you
everyday. I always want to be around for you. Bo you are an amazing person.
I hate not seeing you grow up. I don’t want to miss a minute of getting to
know you.

Don’t worry about loosing me because you never will. I love you Bo. I don’t
think that I can say that enough in this letter. You are the type of person
that needs to hear it often. I know that you will understand later on. You
are a good person and you do have brains. You’re smarter than you let people
think. I can tell that with all those marks you bring home. Don’t lie to
yourself Bo and don’t make people think that you are nothing but a dumb kid
because guess what you ain’t. You will never be a dumb kid I don’t care what
anyone says.

Now I got to get moving but I do love you a lot. I know guys don’t say that
a lot to each other but you’re not just an average guy…you’re my friend, my
brother. You mean more to me than a lot of people do. You know that don’t
you? I know you always will. Thank you for everything.

Love always,

Luke

Now what could I say to him? I guess he was right about the debating team. I
did have a knack for it. But honestly, seeing his sorry butt in the chair
cheering me on every round was why I stayed on. I was going to join the
football team. I’m in the tryouts. The coach told me I had talent.

In fact the next day, he told me I was going to be quarter back. Boy my
cousin was right. Coy joined too but he was on the senior team but he was on
the bench most of the time. I hated being so young. Daisy was the run of the
mill cheerleader, her last year of it too. Smiling like she always could.
She was always placed on the top of the pyramid. It was probably because she
was the prettiest of the bunch but that would be biased.

Girls? I saw a few in my sight. A lot of them liked me this year. I didn’t
know if it was my charm or what. I mean these girls were literally hanging
off of me. The seniors invited me into their circle because I was Vance and
Luke’s cousin. They all liked me. I guess I must’ve had a mature attitude.
But then again if you look at half of these guys you would really think I
was mature. They truly are unique in their own little ways and you could see
it a mile away.

There was Dave, he ate with his hands. Even with ice cream. That guy is huge
though. I swear he could lift the whole cheerleading squad without even
breaking into a sweat. He’s the quarterback of the senior team. And they
don’t call him bulldozer Dave for nothing. If he gets rushed, he has about
half the football team hanging onto him before they can manage to plough him
down.

Sammy is a weird kid. He’s always quoting some sort of poetry before he
scores a goal in soccer. ‘Cast thine eyes upon this soccer ball and they
will fall out’ you know, weird things like that. I guess he’s okay though. I
have never seen a guy stuff so many pieces of pie in his mouth at once.

Then there was Kumar, he’s quite the fellow. He’s very quiet and listens to
all around him. One of those environmentalists that can’t seem to find his
direction in life, weird to say about a child but it’s true. I mean he’s a
basketball player; he concentrates for three minutes before actually asking
for the ball. He’d be quite the nerd if he didn’t play basketball well.

Jacob was one of the real normal guys that didn’t care about too much. I
couldn’t quite get him sometimes. For the first while he was calm and the
next minute he would do whatever it was that made him happy. He was really
one of the football players on the junior team who really liked being
himself in the world.

Basically all the guys fall under Dave, Jacob, Sammy or Kumar’s style of
attitude. But some fell under my code, reckless and smart all at once. My
teachers always ask me how such a smart kid talks the way I do. I figure
it’s ‘cause I’m a country boy. No one can change how a country boy talks.

When I got home that night Uncle Jesse looked at me and smiled. He was happy
to see me for some reason or another. “Your painting has won first place
Bo!” Uncle Jesse exclaimed. I didn’t want him to tell everyone about my
artistic talents. Not many people knew about those. I wouldn’t show them off
either. I would rather pretend to draw stick men than show the world that I
paint and draw.

“You promised not to tell about that. I am supposed to be an athlete not an
arts and crafts guy,” I replied.

“I didn’t promise to keep this a secret. I promised to keep ballet a secret.
That’s why you are doing it in Chickasaw County.”

“Uncle Jesse I thought we were never going to mention that. I told you that
I never want Luke or Vance or even Coy to know about that. They would laugh
at me and you know it.”

“You’re good at it Bo!”

“It makes me look like a geek. I mean I don’t want to ruin my reputation. It
really helps me with sports too.”

“I know it does Bo. You are very good at it and you shouldn’t be so ashamed
about doing something you love. I know it is odd to do things like that but
you shouldn’t think of it as being a horrible thing. You are amazing at it.”

“How would you know if I shouldn’t be ashamed? None of the guys dance like
that. All of the kids are older than me. I hate being in that class. I mean
everyone treats me like I am such a child.”

“Bo, growing up is hard and I know that but you also know that you are
gifted. You can do so many things that other children only dream of. You
know how to draw. Bo you can sing and act and you dance. Plus you play all
of those sports.”

“Country boys ain’t supposed to dance like that. They just are supposed to
farm and not worry about those kinds of things.”

“Who told you that?”

“Sandra Anderson. She said that boys in tights are worse than seeing a cute
stuffed animal in a wood grinder. She also said if she ever saw me in tights
she would die laughing. I didn’t like that all too much but you told me not
to hit girls so I didn’t. She deserved it though.”

“Good Bo, thank you for being the bigger person. However that comment she
made wasn’t very nice. That ain’t very fair to you.”

“Well it is the truth. Do you think that I should be prancing around like a
deer? That’s something I should be killing not acting like. I don’t think
that people know that. But I do it because I like doing it. Thank goodness
no one knows me there. Sometimes…I want to be like every other boy. I want
to just be normal. I can’t be like this.”

“You aren’t like every boy Bo Duke. You’re gifted!”

“What if I don’t want to be gifted?”

“You can’t just throw it away and think it will stay out of your life.”

“I sure can.”

“I am proud of you for seeking your talents. I am just happy you are by my
side. I love you and I know that you will find a way to be yourself.” I
knew he was right, Uncle Jesse was usually right. Sometimes I didn’t like
that. I wish I could be right about something. But it was true that I had a
way to find everything out for myself.

It was hard though trying to think of a way out of these problems. Being a
teenager isn’t all it is cracked up to be. I mean for starters you’re young.
No one really takes your opinion in consideration. Well that is until you
hit like 20 and then it is too late.

I missed Luke that was for sure. I would usually tell him about everything.
I couldn’t do that when it came to dancing though I think he knows. Luke is
very observant. I used to practice in the barn a lot. I guess some things
are noticeable. I didn’t know what to do though. I guess life throws you too
many curve balls.

Doing homework was something I hated. I didn’t like sitting down in one spot
and working out all of this dang math. How much of it do you really use? I
don’t see what triangles and that stuff has to do with farming. I guess I
would never really get it at all but I did it anyway. Being smart sucked. I
hated having to hide it from all of my friends. I wanted to be me but at the
same time become accepted. Was that too much to ask? I guess it was because
I never got what I wanted.

That evening after dinner I lied in bed and looked up at the ceiling. I
wondered if Luke was thinking about us or if it was out of his mind. I
missed my cousin. Coy and Vance had each other. I had Uncle Jesse and Daisy
but it wasn’t the same. I guess I just missed having someone to look up to.
I also wanted my cousin sleeping above me. He would look down when he wanted
to talk. When I was feeling low he would jump off his bed and come to talk.
I loved it…and I missed it with a passion.

I wanted life to be the way it was before Private Luke Duke went off to war.
I wanted to help him start up the tractor when it broke down. I wanted to
laugh at him when he couldn’t get it going again and I could. I suppose I
just want my life back with Luke. These two don’t even match my cousin. I
guess he was right though No one could ever replace Luke in my heart but the
least I could do was try to be nice. What was so good about being nice to
those two anyway? I suppose I was being too hard on them. It wasn’t there
fault that Luke was gone.

I wish I could have gone and have been with him. I honestly wanted to help
him out there. Who knows how strong they are until they get to a pace like
that? Certainly not me that’s for sure. I never know of what I am capable of
until I try it.

Vance walked in and climbed into his bed and Coy followed closely behind
him. They were both laughing and pushing each other. I couldn’t stand them
sometimes. “You know she would like me better,” Vance commented.

“Yeah but you ain’t going for her. She is way too young for you!” Coy
exclaimed.

“Maybe she is and maybe she isn’t.”

“Do you guys mind? I was enjoying the quiet until you had to ruin it all!” I
screamed. They were getting too annoying for my taste. I couldn’t stand them
sometimes. That’s all they did was fight over girls.

“Sorry Bo, Geeze what has gotten into you lately?” Vance asked.

“Well look who is finally talking to me. You think that you’re so much
better is that it? Is that why you don’t ever talk to me? When I try to get
near you, you just blow me off.”

“You blow me off. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You just don’t get it do you?”

“Get what Bo? How in the world am I supposed to get anything if you ain’t
willing to talk to me? I don’t read minds you know.”

“You have Coy and I have no one. You have had Coy since you got here! I
don’t have someone. It’s the Coy and Vance brigade verses me.”

“You have Daisy to talk to.”

“Yeah sure I do. What is she interested in now? Daisy is too busy for me.
She is trying to get her prom all figured out. I don’t have anyone. You have
each other. You spend all day just together. From the time Coy comes home
until the time you sleep.”

“I don’t do that. Look, I will spend more time with you.”

“You don’t care anyway!”

“I do too I am your cousin you know. You have stop hiding from your feelings
or you will never get out of this rut. We’re all worried about you.” They
were not. Those guys cared about two things girls and cars. Not much else
went through their puny little brain. I didn’t like them at all. I didn’t
want them to pretend to me my mother or my Luke. I wanted them to get off of
my case. It wasn’t like I didn’t want to be friends with them. I didn’t like
them pretending to be like Luke. I didn’t want that.

“You don’t and you won’t. Why don’t you go to sleep?”

“You have a chip on your shoulder.”

“You have nothing in that head of yours.”

“Obviously you are not in the mood to be reasonable. I don’t think that
talking to you will make me feel any better. You Bo need some times to just
relax. I don’t want you to have a heart attack because Luke isn’t there. I
am sorry that he isn’t but I can’t pull him out of the army magically.”

“He shouldn’t have gone in the first place Vance Duke and you know it!”

“Coy I hope you don’t have this kind of a fit if I have to go.” I couldn’t
believe he would say something like that! Of course he would have a fit if
Vance left to war. I would have a fit if Vance went to war. It wasn’t far
that this was happening to Luke. I wouldn’t want it to happen to Vance even
if I didn’t like him.

“Well if it was you going off to war I would stop you somehow.”

“Bo, just grow up.” Grow up? I will show you who needs to grow up. You need
to grow up Vance. Vance Duke could be in the Vietnam War? I couldn’t see
that even if I wanted to. He wouldn’t be able to last through basic
training. There’s not a chance that he could do it. I didn’t care how
wonderful Coy thought he was.

“You grow up Vance you get older over waiting for Luke to come home. I have
got grey hairs and I am not even old.” I didn’t want to loose my cousin it
was a comfort thing I suppose. I was melancholy in utter worse sadness. I
couldn’t take him being gone.

“You just don’t get it Bo. Luke is fighting for you and all that you can
think of is yourself. I don’t think you know what it means to fight for your
country. It is an honor to fight for what you believe in. I would do it any
day of the week.”

“You would not. You would be scared for your life and run away I know it in
my heart. You may be tough Vance but you ain’t as tough as you try to be. I
know you couldn’t make it one day or even two. I could see you dying on the
frontline.”

“I wouldn’t talk Bo, you couldn’t make it either.”

“I could too. I bet you that I could get more promotions in one day than you
could get in a lifetime.”

“I guess we’ll never find out will we?” I rolled over; I didn’t want to talk
to Vance anymore. He didn’t know how it felt to be the youngest in the
class. I had to impress everyone in order to be me. I hated this though.
Knowing that he would always think of me as inferior to him made me hate
Vance all the more; I wasn’t worthless.

I would show him. I don’t know how I would show him but I had to do it
somehow. Maybe I could help in a way that he couldn’t. Being young was a
curse. I hated it with a passion. I couldn’t stand always having him look at
me as if I were different from anyone else. I wasn’t different at all. I am
a person just like Coy or Vance or even Luke. I was just sick of it. Sick of
being treated like a baby all the time, it gets annoying.

The next day…

Sitting through all that school was like sitting through a crash course on
how to blow up a balloon at this age. I had the assignment done before she
explained it. For goodness sakes, who wouldn’t get this material? Most
people could get it if they listened a bit. She puts down this science
formula and I figure it out. I can’t stand the teacher either.

Her name was Mrs. Muller and let me tell you one thing, this woman was old.
I never thought you could see a dinosaur that was extinct for millions of
years come alive…until now that is. She wasn’t all that smart when it came
to this stuff. Always fumbling with the overhead projection and such; oh
well I guess it happens when you were transported from the Stone Age.

I want out of school very badly. I was sick of having to take up for
everyone. There was Duncan the geek. He was always getting the tar beaten
out of him. Sometimes he would be trapped in his locker. Thank goodness I
knew his locker combination or he would have to be taken out by the Janitor.

I mean just today one of the school bullies were botherin’ Coy. He wasn’t in
any big trouble or anything but I just jumped right in there. I didn’t think
or nuthin’. Just jumped right in there pounding on that boy’s face until it
turned red; it’s what I do. The principal tried to break us up but we were
too strong for him. I was latched on to that bully like you wouldn’t
believe. I wouldn’t let go for a minute. So they had to bring in the
wrestling coach to get me off.

I sat in the principal’s office for a half hour whiles the man pacing back
and forth pointing his finger to me. He would talk but suddenly stop. Uncle
Jesse knocked on the door. “Hi Mr. Jumbles, what’d he do this time?” Uncle
Jesse asked as he sat down beside me. He put one hand on my neck and
squeezed a little.

“Your nephew has done it again. He’s gotten into a fight with someone that
was picking on Coy. One of the Bullies that don’t care how cool you are,”
Mr. Jumbles replied.

“So what do you propose we do?”

“He’s suspended for the next two weeks. So you can take him home and punish
him how ever you please.”

“Oh I will.” This was bad. I am getting in trouble again. There was nothing
about this that I couldn’t handle before but still. There was always
something that someone had to be mad at me about. Why did my life have to be
so hard? Every time I tried to help I seemed to be doing the same old wrong
thing. I didn’t mean to do it but that’s always what appears to happen. I
don’t know if I need to say anything to him or to Coy.

“Look I am sorry,” I tried to make amends for what I had done but it wasn’t
working. Mr. Jumbles looked like he was ready to kill me.

“Sorry doesn’t count. That boy has a bleeding nose and a sore face. You
think you would know how to be a good young man. You’re so smart yet so
stupid. I wish you would learn something,” Mr. Jumbles lectured me.

“Sir…”

“No more needs to be said.”

“Yes, I need to say this!”

“Look, I don’t need to listen to some dumb kid tell me what is what.”

“You ain’t. I am not a dumb kid. I was put up grades remember?”

“You shouldn’t have been.”

“Sir…”

Mr. Jumbles pointed to the door. I didn’t know what he was implying here but
I was sure I was about to find out what was going on here. “There’s the door
and don’t hit yourself on the way out Bo Duke.”

On the way home in the car, Uncle Jesse wouldn’t say two words to me. I went
directly to my room. I knew that’s what Uncle Jesse would want me to do. Coy
came in and threw his books on the floor. He looked very angry. “Bo! I
could’ve taken care of him myself without you interrupting our little
session!” Coy exclaimed. I didn’t have anything to say to Coy. I was sorry
for what I had done but not really. “You know what, I wish you were dead!” I
wished I was too.

“I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you Coy and you know that. I wish that I
could change it but you’re weaker than me. You are not a strong person. You
get beaten up all the time. That’s why your mom sent you over here,” I
replied.

“You don’t get it do you? I am in loss of my dignity. They always say you’re
taking up for me. I don’t like it one bit. I am sick of having to listen to
all of them bullies telling how much of a baby I was.”

“You’re right. I am going to go and get the mail now.” I walked out of the
room and looked at Uncle Jesse. His face was still sour. I told him what I
was going to do and he nodded.

I rode my bike over towards town. I was sick of this. There was no life out
here for me. Taking all those night classes would get me out of school this
year. I got someone else to sign for it. Thank goodness they believed that
old Arty was my Uncle Jesse. Summer school and other things would make me
feel much better. I was almost home free. I could run away or do something
good with my life.

“Good day Miss Tizdale. How are you this fine afternoon?” I asked her. She
smiled at me and looked me deep in the eye.

“Well I am just fine Bo. How are you?” She asked softly.

“Why I am just fine ma’am.”

“I heard about you punching out that boy. Good work. I know that he probably
deserved it. I bet any son of that sweet Jesse Duke would only do something
like that for a reason.” I told you, a very large reputation to keep. Us
Dukes had to be proper for Uncle Jesse’s sake. I didn’t like doing things
like this to him but I did anyway.

“Well he was after Coy.”

“And you instinctively helped that poor Coy? Good boy, I am proud of you
even if you did get suspended.”

“Well I know I shouldn’t have done that. Neither Coy nor Vance was too happy
with me. I guess they just don’t want anyone around.” I didn’t think they
did anyway. They would call me all sorts of things and ignore me. I didn’t
understand what was so horrible about me. I didn’t think there was anything
that bad.

“They do want you boy. Now take a number.”

“Thanks.”

“Any time for his family. I can’t believe you are related to that sweet man
known as Jesse Duke. I tell you the way he makes me feel would melt your
insides.” I took a number and stood in line for my mail. As I got to the
front of the line, Miss Tizdale handed me my mail. I looked through it.
There was a telegram addressed to Vance. It was the same one that Luke got
to go into the marines.

Oh no, Vance wasn’t going to die for his country. I wasn’t about to watch
him come home in a body bag. It is not going to be the same way for Vance. I
know if he gets this he will go too. I know he’ll follow Luke’s example.

I wasn’t going to be wondering where two of my cousins were. I put it in my
pocket and wondered what I was going to do. Well no one wants me around
anyway so I’ll join the army, yeah sure why not? School was over for me in
two weeks. It’s not like I would be missing anything. They wanted Vance to
report to the training camp in three weeks. That gave me just enough time to
devise a plan.

by: i1976

Uncle Jesse knocked gently on the door of Daisy’s room, then he slowly opened it, “Daisy, how do you feel?”

Daisy opened her eyes.

She had fallen asleep without even realizing it.

She sat up, yawning, “I feel a bit better, Uncle Jesse, thanks”

Uncle Jesse smiled, “I’m glad. I’m going to do the shopping with your cousins, but there’s someone who’d be very happy to stay here with you while we are outside”, and so Uncle Jesse opened the door completely, and Enos came in.

Daisy held her breath, blushing.

Enos looked at the ground, with his hat in his hands, “Hi Daisy. I met Lulu, and she told me you’ve caught the flu, so … .. “.

Uncle Jesse closed the door behind him.

Now they were alone in the room.

Daisy didn’t know what to say; it was a week since that night. In this week they never met, avoiding each other.

“How are you?” Enos tried to break the silence.

Sitting on a chair beside Daisy’s bed, he continued to torment his hat, looking at the ground.

Daisy smiled, “I feel a bit better”

Enos nodded.

Again silence.

Daisy thought back to that day and how she left Enos while he was still sleeping, and then she thought back to how she avoided to meet him ‘cause she didn’t want to talk ‘bout that night.

Enos sighed, his cheeks turning red, “Daisy … I … … ..well … …. I’m sorry”

Daisy looked at him, surprised, “Sorry? And why? ”

Enos kept on talking, his cheeks more and more red, “That night …. I … … the fever. Everything is so confused … … I don’t know how it started …. but … .. The next morning you weren’t there anymore. …. … … and……”, now his face was red like a tomato, “I hope I didn’t act up …well……  I don’t know exactly how it started … .. but I hope I …. “, another sigh, “I hope I didn’t something weird……. It was my first … … .. “.

Daisy looked at him, amazed, “Enos, do you believe I left that way because of you?”.

She giggled, embarrassed, and Enos looked at her, “So you’re not angry…………..”.

Daisy shook her head and became serious, “That morning I left you while you were still sleeping because I was ashamed. It was like I took advantage of you”

Enos was surprised by her words, “Taking advantage? But we both … .. “, he blushed again.

Daisy looked away from him and she kept on speaking, “That night you kissed me, it’s true, but you had a high fever. You were confused. I wouldn’t have ….. slipped in your bed. I acted like a … …”, she sighed, “ I believed you thought my behaviour was regrettable”

The silence filled the room while they’re realizing the misunderstanding.

Slowly the tension broke up.

“So … .. I didn’t anything strange … … but….. Was I a disaster?”

Daisy blushed, “No … … … … it was beautiful”.

Enos sighed in relief, smiling, “I’m glad you’re not angry with me. Well, now it’s better to go, I don’t want to annoy you”

He stood up but Daisy grabbed his hand, stopping him.

“Don’t go away. Stay here for a while”

Enos nodded, sitting on the bed next to her.

“Uncle Jesse and the guys will stay out for a while”, Daisy didn’t complete her thought.

Enos felt his heartbeat speeding, “Are you sure?”.

She kissed him.

After that kiss, and after what happened next, they knew for sure that their relationship was changing. Forever.

 

by: i1976

Daisy got out like a storm, slamming the door.

She rushed to the stairs, fortunately lighted with some candles by one of the boarding house’s lodger in order to avoid disastrous consequences of dashes like Daisy’s one.

In the glimmer of those candles Daisy reached the boarding house’s exit, but she had to stop.

The pouring rain was like a wall of water; she could reach her jeep in Hazzard’s square only swimming, and, moreover, her jeep was soak, and even the roads to the farm weren’t better.

She couldn’t go away, as on a ship during a storm.

She sat down on the last step and she sighed.

What to do? Wait until it stopped to rain? But it didn’t seem it was going to stop to rain and anyway her jeep’s condition and roads condition didn’t let her go. Moreover it was dark and it wasn’t wise to go out in that darkness, without any light around her.

She had no choice.

She sighed again, than she stood up and she slowly headed to Enos’s room.

Before to go in his room she stopped, trying to calm; she knew how much her behaviour was weird, but usually she realized she was overdoing only after she did great harm. It was something she had to correct.

After few minutes she opened the door, “Enos… I’m sorry”.

Enos, burning with fever, was crawling to reach his bed.

Daisy forgot her anger and she rushed to his side, helping him to go to bed; “Sorry, I didn’t want to slap you, Enos. I’m so sorry”, she repeated again and again.

Finally in his bed Enos fell asleep.

Daisy started to roam in the small apartment, lighting candles, clearing away and washing up; so she thought she could avoid to answer to questions filling her minds.

Finally she had to surrender, facing her doubts: “Why did I get so angry? Why do I hate to hear him talking ‘bout another woman? Why do I go mad when I think of him in danger and with another woman by his side?”.

There was only one answer to these questions.

Meanwhile Enos was tossing and turning in his bed.

A lot of questions were filling his feverish mind, between sleep and wake: “Why did Daisy get so angry? I didn’t say anything wrong. Why did she tell me to call Mindy?”

His mind, previously confused by fever, was now suddenly lucid.

There was only one answer to his questions.

Surprised by that revelation, Enos opened his eyes.

The room was filled by a soft and trembling light.

Daisy was sitting on a chair near his bed, and she was sleeping.

He sat up, calling her in a whisper, “Daisy…….”

She started, “Enos…. What time is it? I fell asleep. It’s better to lie down on the couch”

When she stood up, he grabbed her hand, stopping her.

“Why did you get so angry? Are you … jealous?”, his words were so strange, even to himself, “You know there’s no need to be jealous, ‘cause you’re the only one for me”.

Daisy gasped.

His hand was so hot that Daisy thought he was delirious because of fever; it was the first time he told her something like that.

She sat down, “Enos, please, sleep a bit. You need to rest. We’re going to talk ‘bout it tomorrow”

Suddenly Enos kissed her.

Daisy was surprised by his new initiative, but she didn’t move away and she kissed him back, hugging him.

Then their desires (their more or less conscious desires) became true.

 

by: i1976

Enos came close to Daisy, but he didn’t know exactly what to do or to say.

“Daisy… why are you crying? There’s no need to cry. It’s something happened so much time ago”

Daisy shook her head, “You don’t understand, Enos. I’m crying ‘cause you didn’t tell me something so important”.

Enos was looking at her, shocked, “But… I didn’t tell you anything ‘cause I didn’t want you worried ‘bout it. If I had told it, you’d have come to L.A. Oh yeah, I’d have liked to see you, but… your work here… and the farm….. You know, Daisy, I care for you more than for anyone else here in Hazzard, and you know that I usually tell you everything ‘bout me”

After his words Enos blushed, realizing that he was somehow telling his love to her.

Daisy turned away, hiding her face, “You usually tell me only the good things, but when you have a problem you draw away from me. It’s not the first time”

“I draw away from you ‘cause I don’t want to hurt you and I don’t want to put you in danger”, Enos tried to explain, blushing more and more, “Please, Dais, don’t be angry”.

Meanwhile night was falling and streetlamps were spreading light all around; the clouds, the same clouds the wind swept away that day, were coming back; an unwelcome comeback.

There’s silence in the small room, Daisy with her back towards him, and Enos behind her, silent.

But few after that silence was broken by thunders coming closer and closer, and the rain started to thump the windows like a machine gun fire.

Suddenly a thunder burst like a bomb, and the darkness fell on the room previously filled by streetlamps light.

“A black-out”, they whispered.

Daisy looked outside the window: the town was totally lost in darkness.

“Maybe a lighting fell nearby, but I should have some candles somewhere”.

Daisy heard Enos’s voice behind her, then his tread, a thud and a moan.

“Enos, what are you doin’?”, she couldn’t help but smiling, guessing that Enos, clumsy as usual, knocked against furniture; it was impossible to be angry at him.

Finally, after several opened and closed drawers, a dim light filled the room.

Daisy wiped away her tears, gave a deep breath and she committed herself she wouldn’t have been angry anymore.

Then she turned to Enos, “I’m glad you have these candles, sugar. I don’t like darkness”.

Enos sighed in relief, thanking that black out even if, as Daisy, he didn’t like darkness.

They sat at the table, the candle in front of them.

“I’m sorry”, they both said, then they burst out laughing.

After that laugh Daisy calmed down, “Enos, I know that it’s something ‘bout your past, but I’d like you tell me what happened that day in L.A. At that time I wasn’t close to you, but somehow I’d like to be close to you now”.

Enos sighed (what a stubborn woman), “Oh well, you really want I tell you everything. That day I was on shift with Turk, and our chief called us and told us ‘bout a robbery. When we arrived, the robber was coming out the shop, with a gun in his hand. We’re coming out the car when we heard a shot. It was all so quick. I don’t remember much more, only a pain in my shoulder. Then I wake up in the Hospital. Nothing to say more. This scar is the only memory”.

Enos didn’t tell her everything ‘bout that period: his fear, his wish to come back to Hazzard and to see Daisy again. He remembered his awakening in the Hospital; at that time he committed himself to tell Daisy he loved her, but then that initial courage fell down, blocked by the fear she didn’t love him back. So he decided to stay in that sort of relational limbo instead of risking to lose her.

Daisy tried to swallow, but her mouth was dry, “It’s a serious thing, Enos. If you’ve been injured worse than….”, she stopped, her mouth more and more dry, her breath broken by the thougth she could have lost Enos forever.

“But it wasn’t a so dangerous injury, so don’t think ‘bout it anymore. Please, forget ‘bout it”.

Daisy shook her head, “Maybe you’re right. It’s better to forget ‘bout it. I hope you didn’t suffer too much your stay in the Hospital. I know you fear needles, syringes and so on”, she tried to smile.

Finally Enos smiled her back, “Yeah, but it wasn’t so bad to stay in Hospital. There was a very nice nurse who’s taking care of me”.

Meanwhile Enos was telling her ‘bout this beautiful nurse, Daisy was trying to be calm, but in spite of her best intentions she was getting more and more angry.

In his immense naivety, Enos didn’t realize that he was risking to die, killed by his beloved Daisy.

“ENOS STRATE” (again his whole name, and Enos was wondering why) “I DON’T GIVE A DAMN OF THIS…. CINDY… MINDY… OR….. WHAT THE HECK HER NAME IS”

Enos was confused.

He was naive and he had also a high fever, so his thought wasn’t so fluid, “But.. Daisy…. You asked me to tell you everything. You should be happy knowing that someone was taking care of me when I was in the Hospital. Mindy was very kind……. Somehow she looked like you”.

In his recklessness, Enos said what a man shouldn’t say.

Daisy had a homicidal instinct, and she rushed to the door to avoid to put into practice this instinct, “WELL, CALL CINDY AND TELL HER TO COME HERE AND BE AGAIN YOUR NURSE”.

Enos tried to stop her, “Her name his Mindy, not Cindy…. And she lives in L.A. She’s a nurse only in the Hospital. Anyway I prefer…..”.

He didn’t complete what he was saying because Daisy turned to him and gave him a slap in the face, perfectly in sync with a thunder.