by: Susan Porter

Enos Strate strode across the tree-lined lane that
snaked through Duke University, twisting his brand new
black Stetson in nervous hands. He was lost.
In desperation he approached a woung woman eating an
apple beneath the branches of a large shade tree.
“Excuse me, ma’am. Could you please tell me where I
might find Dr. Daisy Duke’s office. She’s in
ecology.”

The young woman swallowed hard, studying Enos. This
was a real cowboy, she decided, real from the tips of
his polished black boots to his tight fitting jeans.
She had no way of knowing that Enos was from Hazzard
and was just a good ole boy. “Doctor Duke?” she
pointed to a nearby brick building with ivy crawling
up its walls. “Her office is on the second floor.
Third door on your right when you leave the elevators.
Her name is on the door.”

“Thank you kindly, ma’am.” he smiled down at her.
“Much obliged.”

As he moved off toward Daisy’s building several other
girls joined the one under the tree. “Who was that
guy?”

“Yeah, he’s cute.”

“I don’t know. He was looking for Doctor Duke’s
office.”

Someone inhaled sharply. “I knew I’d seen him
somewhere before. That is Sergeant Strate, L.A.P.D..
He’s Doctor Duke’s boyfriend.”

“Lucky Doctor Duke! Nice butt.”

Blushing scarlet, Enos entered the building and,
finding his way to the second floor, came upon Daisy’s
office. Entering quietly he found Daisy sitting
behind a piled desk, her auborn head bent as she
massaged her neck. Sympathetically he moved behind
her, his hands moving to massage her neck and
shoulders. Daisy moaned sensually, leaning into his
massaging hands. “I don’t know who you are, but if
you promise not to stop I’ll love you forever.”

“You’d better love me forever,” he told her, moving
his fingers gently through her hair, massaging her
scalp. “I know I’ll always love you.”

Daisy smiled. “Your aftershave gave you away. It’s
the stuff I gave you for Christmas. You weren’t due
for another hour. I was going to come to the airport
to pick you up.”

He bent and kissed the tip of her nose. “I caught an
earlier flight. I couldn’t wait to see you.”

“I missed you. So did Sarge.”

Sarge was the puppy Enos had given Daisy for
Christmas. He was a tiny flop eared, mud brown mutt
who adored them both. When he and Daisy had returned
to her apartment after two weeks of christmas in
Hazzard he had moped for days, rushing to the door at
the tiniest sound, waiting for Enos. He was going
home with them now and it was almost like he knew
that, after six months, Enos was coming for him.

He turned her chair to face him and cupped her head in
his hands. “I missed you too. Every day, every hour,
every minute…” his lips touched hers briefly, “I
missed your eyes…” he kissed each eyelid, “your
dimples…” he kissed each flushed cheek, “your
smile…” his lips caressed her lower lip, “your
laugh…”

As his head bent to pocess her mouth, her phone rang,
startling them both. She pulled away from him, her
cheeks red and her breathing heavy. She touched his
cheek with her fingertip as she picked up the phone.

“Doctor Duke.”

She listened for a few moments then grabbed a pen and
began to scribble notes. “Yes, of course, I can get
that information for you. I’m returning home this
weekend for a class reunion. It won’t be a problem.
I’ll call you on Friday.”

As she hung up the phone Daisy let out a rebel yell
and hugged Enos. “That was an agent from the EPA.
Mr. Luger. He asked me to do some research. Enos, if
I do a good job I could get into the EPA!”

Enos offered her his hand, picking up his discarded
hat to the expression on his face. “Come on, honey,
let’s go home.”

She locked her office door as they left, still
chatting happily. “Isn’t it funny, no matter how far
we go or how long we stay away, Hazzard is still
home.”

He put his arm around her waist as they left the
building. “There was a time I couldn’t imagine
leaving Hazzard, or you. I wanted to get married,
have children and grow old there, with you.” He
turned her in his arms. “I still do.”

Daisy sighed, touching his cheek with one finger.
“Oh, Enos…”

The girl who had given him direction called out to
them. “Have a nice summer, Doctor Duke!”

Daisy waved at the girl as they began to walk across
the quad. “I know her. She was in my freshman
biology class. Failed. I never thought she would
speak to me again.”

“I asked her for directions. She thinks I’m cute and
that I have a nice…butt.”

Daisy slowed a step and eyed a very embarrassed Enos
from behind. “She’s right.”

“Daisy!” his cheeks reddened.

Daisy laughed and hugged him to her side. “Come on,
let’s go home.”