by: Essy Jane

Over at Emma Tizdale’s place, Essy was pulling the covers up to her Aunt’s chin. She kissed her Aunt on the forehead and held her hand. Miss Tizdale was running a fever. “Auntie Emma, you would think those boys would remember me. They didn’t,” Essy commented. Emma began to cough. She sat up a little on her pillows.

“Last time you came was two years ago. Your hair was shorter than it is now…it was dyed as I recall.”

“Deep ebony, yes I remember.”

“You also went by a different name, though I can’t see why. Diana Grayson…wasn’t a good name for you child. Your mom named you after her and me. Also you grew a little,” Emma replied. She looked at her niece.

“I was stupid…sixteen years old…Mom and Dad just died.”

“You were pretending to be older…those boys thought they were dating someone way out their league.”

“Well I am talented. I made them think I was like twenty…Bo was 18 years old at the time. Man…that was some summer.”

“That was some year honey.”

“You’re telling me…that year was one of the hardest years of my life. Megan went on a rampage and did stupid things that landed her in jail. So much has changed.”

“Yes…for the better, your mother would be proud of you.”

“How is my name connected to you two? Her name was Sybil.”

“Sybil Jane Richmond.”

“Well I see how the Jane works in but what about the rest?”

“The E is from my name…the S and the Y is from your mother’s name.” Emma began to cough again.

“I am keeping you up, you need your rest. Don’t worry about the mail. I have been carrying the family business since I got out of school.”

“You should be in college instead of delivering mail.” Essy hated this topic. She wasn’t about to give up a passion she loved. “You could have been so much.”

“Maybe I don’t want to be a lawyer or a doctor.”

“What do you want to be Essy? You have got to choose something. You can’t stick to the family business. Mail may be an important subject in people’s lives but…” She began to have these hacking coughs. Emma was too involved in the word for a woman her age. She caught pneumonia to win a bet.

“Auntie Emma, I should go.”

“No child…I want you to hear my piece.”

“Okay, but I don’t want you getting anymore sick than you already are.”

“I won’t.”

“You’re so stubborn.”

“Not stubborn, just persistent.” Essy giggled. “Mail is important for people and I know that.”

“Then you understand why I like to do it so much. Auntie, you don’t know how many interesting people I have had the privilege of meeting.”

“That’s because they think you’re pretty.”

“Auntie!”

“Well, that’s part of the reason.”

“Auntie, I love my job. I wouldn’t say that if I didn’t mean it. I like being here. I like showing people just how smart I really am.”

“You need something better than me and your Aunts have.”

“What could possibly be better than what you have? You have friends and family with a job to boot.”

“I never married. I was too stubborn. I wanted Jesse but he and his wife were already together. I couldn’t settle for anyone else so, I am alone.”

“You have me.”

“Not all the time baby.”

“If you want me to move back to Hazzard for good I…”

“Child, that ain’t what I want.” Emma sighed. She looked at her niece with pride. After all Essy had been through, Emma knew she stayed a good girl. “I want you to go somewhere and be somebody. Not how Megan thought she could make a name for herself.”

“I am not my sister.”

“That’s not what I meant. What I mean is, I want you to be someone special Essy.”

“I am someone special Aunt Emma, I am a Tizdale. That’s the greatest gift of all.” Emma smiled and gave her niece a hug. “Now, you get some rest. I promise I will think about what I want in life.” They released from the hug and looked at each other.

“That’s my girl. I don’t know how Jesse does it.”

“Does what?”

“Keeps his sweet boys in check.”

“He’s good, I’ll admit that. Boy Luke and Bo can be a handful, I believe that.”

“Well, that Jesse, when I see him…Oooo.” Emma cleared her throat. I mean, he’s one sweet man.”

“You love him still, oh Auntie.”

“Once you fall in love with a Duke, it is hard to break the habit.”

“I should let you go to bed.”

“Which one do you like?”

“I don’t know…I don’t see myself marrying a Duke.”

“You never know kid, you just never know.”

“Anyway, goodnight Auntie Emma.”

“Goodnight child and may all your greatest dreams come true.”

“The same goes to you.” With that Essy went out of the room and like she said, she would think about her life. Essy got into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. She knelt beside her bed and said her prayers as she did every night. Essy blessed everyone in the world and thanked you know who for the life she had.

A land rich with opportunity…that’s America for you, Essy thought to herself. She wondered if she could be something more. Essy wanted to be a writer more than anything in the world. She wanted to write for people all day long and have them open her books and feel joy. It would be a career to want to come home to.

Essy knew that writing may not pay as much as most jobs she could have. Sorting mail would give her the chance she needed to write. No one in Essy’s family liked what she chose. The young woman could be so much more.

Essy didn’t want to sit there and be something she wasn’t. She wanted to go out into the world and explore…become the first person to live under the sea…anything to be different. There were so many things Essy wanted to do and so little time to do it all in. This isn’t the time to be thinking of this, Essy thought, I need some sleep.

She got into her soft covers and pulled them up to her chin. Essy rolled onto her side. In spite of it being an odd place, she was asleep before she knew it. Hazzard was quiet…too quiet. Everyone who was anyone was in bed. The dogs wailed but soon were quieted by the sweet wind whispering sweet melodies across the starlit sky.