by: Marty Chrisman
Luke sat on a bale of hay watching Bo do the chores. He felt guilty about not being able to help but he just wasn’t strong enough or coordinated enough to do that yet. A physical therapist came to the farm twice a week to work with him and a speech therapist came once a week. He was continuing to improve slowly and he was also getting more frustrated every day. Jesse and Bo let him do as much as he could by himself but there were still times he needed their help. And he hated that but he knew he didn’t have any choice.
He let his eyes drift over to where the General was parked. It looked as good as new. Bo and Cooter had told him how badly it had been damaged in the wreak. You couldn’t tell by looking at it now. A slow smile tugged at Luke’s mouth. Looking back at Bo, he said “Bo…let’s go for…ride.”
“”Sure…” Bo said absently “Where do ya wanna go?”
“Ride in General Lee.”
Bo jerked his head around to look at his cousin questioningly, not sure he had heard him right. Bo hadn’t driven the General since had Cooter brought him back to the farm. “You sure about that?” Bo asked, swallowing hard. He hoped Luke would say no. Bo still wasn’t sure he could get behind the wheel of the General again especially with Luke sitting shot gun beside him. Luke nodded his head in that determined way that told Bo he had made up his mind and wasn’t going to change it.
“Okay…” Bo said in a hesitant voice, feeling the butterflies fluttering in his stomach. As if sensing his uneasiness, Luke said
“I need…to do this. And so ….do you.”
Bo helped Luke over to the General and lifted him so he could crawl in through the window. Then Bo went around to the other side and climbed in under the wheel. He looked at Luke and saw the smile on his face and the trust in his eyes. Taking a deep breath, Bo dug the keys out of his pocket and turned on the ignition. The powerful engine roared to life.
Jesse and Daisy both came hurrying out of the house when they heard the sound of the General’s powerful engine. They came out the back door in time to see the General pulling into the dirt road that ran in front of the house.
“Uncle Jesse…” Daisy said in a fearful voice, grabbing her Uncle’s arm.
“It’s alright, Daisy girl.” Jesse said patting her hand gently “Them boys had to take General out sooner or later. They both need this. They’ll be alright.”
Bo drove down the road, slowly starting to relax behind the wheel of the orange stock car. “You’re driving….like Grandma…Duke.” Luke told him with a crooked grin.
“Oh, yeah?” Bo said grinning back and accepting the challenge. He punched the accelerator and the General shot forward with a burst of speed. Luke used one hand to steady himself by putting it against the dashboard but he had confidence in Bo’s driving and he wasn’t afraid. Not anymore. He felt the same freedom he had always felt when they were driving around the countryside in the General.
“Bo…the accident wasn’t…your fault.” Luke said “I don’t blame you…for what happened.”
“You don’t have to, cuz.” Bo told him with an awkward smile “I’ve been blaming myself enough. But I know it wasn’t anybody’s fault….you could have been driving instead of me and it could be me sitting there instead of you.”
“I’m gonna…be okay.” Luke told him “We both are. I get frustrated…and mad…because it takes so…long…but I know…I’m gonna be…okay. Now let’s see if …the General remembers how to…fly.”
“YeeeeHaaaw!” Bo yelled as he turned off the main road and headed for one of their favorite spots to jump the General. It would take time, maybe a lot of time but Luke would be alright again.
The End (For now)