by: Essy Jane

At the Duke farm, the morning came swiftly. Everyone was out of bed before their alarms hit. Now, Bo and Luke were out doing their chores faster than a hunter chasing after a boar. “I can’t wait to go with Daisy!” Bo exclaimed. He smiled as he spread the seed for the chickens.

“Bo, slow down, you’re gonna end up milking the chickens and trying to get eggs from our goat,” Luke joked. He began to chop some wood as Bo got the hay.

“Oh that was a quick one Luke. What are you planning to do with Essy?”

“I want to race her in that car of hers.”

“You like her.”

“I do not.”

“Admit it, you were just trying to tell me to ask her out so I would think she was too good for me so you could ask her out.”

“You sound crazy.”

“Maybe I am, maybe you do just love her car.”

“Maybe it jumps like the General.”

“You want to see another car fly? That’s why you want to go out with her? That’s pretty bad.”

“Okay, I admit it, she’s cute but…”

“But what? Not good enough for you?”

“Bo! Come on, get real.”

“I will when you do.”

“I do want to race her and that’s real.”

“You’ll have to wait until she’s off duty…”

“She’ll be off at four Beauregard.”

“Yeah I know that Lukas…don’t call me by that name, my name is Bo.”

“Okay BO.”

“You like her a lot but then why would you let me take her to the dance?”

“I wanted to give you a fair chance.”

“Luke, I don’t need a fair chance or any free bees. I need you to let me do this by myself.”

“Yeah, if you can ever get the words out.”

“Today will be the day.”

“Yeah, right.” Bo continued speeding through his work like there was no tomorrow. They literally began to beg Daisy to go with her. Daisy couldn’t believe her ears. Bo and Luke wanted to go shopping…that was like an episode of the twilight zone.

“Boys, this must mean you want to see something more than me try on dresses. I know you boys, you must have another motive. I am grocery shopping and picking up the mail,” Daisy commented. Bo and Luke looked at each other. They smiled at each other and knew what they were getting into. Now friends, this is a case of puppy love. Bo and Luke would do anything to see Essy-Jane.

Can you imagine it? It was 9’o clock in the morning and people were actually standing in line for their mail. Most people are too busy farming. Word spreads around fast in a small place like Hazzard. Essy’s arrival was known about before she even went to see Miss Tizdale. Bo and Luke had to take a number this time for sure.

Cletus was in front of them holding his number diligently. He wanted to see this young flower. Bo and Luke thought maybe they could snooker Cletus to give up his space in line. You have never met someone so persistent to see someone. “Now come on Cletus, I really want my mail,” Bo commented.

“Bo, I was always taught one thing in school, never cut in line,” Cletus smartly replied.

“Now Cletus, Daisy needs to get her dress for Saturday.”

“So? I need to go out and catch bad guys and I am in this line. Now you hold up and wait a few minutes will ya?” Bo looked at Luke. Luke was the one who usually had all the good ideas. After last night’s conversation, Bo thought he would even up the score. He was going to prove once and for all he too was smart.

“Hold the place in line Luke…I have to do something quick.”

“Okay cousin but I don’t get you one bit,” Luke replied.

“Oh you will Luke, believe me you will.” Luke wondered where in the world Bo was going. As he saw him talking to Rosco, Luke started laughing. There was a knock on the window from Rosco and one heck of an angry face.

“Buzzards on a buzz saw! I gotta get out of here Luke,” Cletus said. He walked out and was hit on the back of the head by Rosco just as Bo walked back in.

“Since when have you been coming up with plans?” Luke questioned.

“I am smart and I will come up with all the plans from now on if that’s what you want. You could take a break for a while and I will be the genius,” Bo mumbled.

“Fine by me Beauregard, I would rather sleep anyway; you can drive and do all the thinking.”

“Number 35,” Essy commented.

“BINGO! I mean…hey, that’s us!” Bo exclaimed. He walked a little too fast considering the counter was a half a foot away from him. Bo bumped into it. Essy giggled lightly. “Sorry ma’am.”

“Oh it’s you, Nephew of Jesse. Bo Duke, good to see you again.”

“Ah, good to see you too.”

“Well, I am in the presence of a movie star.”

“Who told you that?”

“You did yesterday.”

“Oh…right.” Luke elbowed Bo into hurrying this up. “I think my cousin’s trying to tell me to get the mail. Either that or he’s having a spasm.” Luke elbowed Bo again. “OW! Okay, geeze. Maybe he wants to say something too.”

“First we need to deal with the mail. Can I see some ID cowboys?”

“Sure can ma’am,” Luke remarked. He looked outside at Uncle Sam and wondered if it was a good time to ask about a race. Bo handed Essy the ID and got a big stack of mail. Luke suddenly came out of his gaze and looked at Essy. “How long did it take you?”

“Sorting mail is my business or are you taking about my car?”

“Car.”

“I built him from the frame up…it took me about a year. The sheet metal was great to work with. I had to find the right engine, colors, you know, the whole big engine. I get new parts whenever I can.”

“Do you wanna race with me? I mean after work that is?”

“Ain’t there a law against racing?”

“I suppose so, that don’t change the fun you’ll have when doing it.”

“I guess not.”

“Besides, the day the law catches me is the day I hang meatballs around my neck and jump off a bridge.” Essy shook her head. She couldn’t believe this guy. Luke hadn’t changed much. Though somehow he had a little bit of Bo tied into him today; Luke was acting like Bo in one way, he wanted to show off his wheels. Tell me folks, don’t most men wanna show off their stuff?

“Well then, it’s a date. If I make a date with one I should make one with the other, what do you think Bo?” Bo was staring into her eyes not even paying attention to what she was saying.

“Bo? Hello this is earth calling Bo, are you out there space cadet?” Luke questioned. Essy smiled.

“Do you want to throw the General into the lake?” Essy asked.

“Huh?” Bo said blankly. Luke laughed as snapped his fingers and he finally came out of it. Essy chuckled as she put the mail directly in Bo’s hand. She looked him in the eyes and could see the same thing she saw two years ago. She wasn’t about to tell him what was going on. The young woman loved the excitement of it all. She loved keeping the boys in suspense. It was like magic the way she could keep them on their toes.

“Luke, I will see you after work…but we’ll only race around for two hours. Bo, I will do something else with you.”

“Do you want to go Horse back biting…I mean back riding houses…I mean horse tack lighting.” Luke laughed for a minute. Bo went red in the face. He turned away and tried to get a hold on things.

“Nah, I don’t like those things but how does horseback riding sound?” Luke bit on his bottom lip. He didn’t want to make Bo go red anymore. Bo nodded. He was speechless. Luke elbowed him and Bo cleared his throat.

“Yeah, sounds good,” Bo commented.

“See you later cowboys.” They both walked out of the post office.

“Horse back biting? Oh I must have sounded like such an idiot,” Bo commented.

“Smooth move Bo, real smooth,” Luke commented.

“How can I pull off a date with Essy if I can’t even speak to her?”

“There’s always body language.”

“You’re not helping Luke.”

“Sorry.”

“Maybe if I talked slower.”

“Nah that would be too weird. She would think you were stupider than you are.”

“You really aren’t helping Luke!” Bo didn’t like this feeling. There aren’t many girls he becomes speechless around.

“I don’t know what to do.” Essy was different from the others he had dated. She was the only one that didn’t fall for his lines or his acting. She knew him very well and he couldn’t figure out how to beat her.

They walked out of the post office. Luke was grinning like a chessy cat. He was going to show her what country driving was all about. Bo and Luke walked into the store and saw Daisy with a blue dress on. She shook her head and went back into the change room and got into her regular clothes.

“I like this one but I was set on a white one,” Daisy commented. Luke pulled out a dress. It was black with daisy flowers on it.

“How about this one?” Luke asked.

“Oh, come on, name is Daisy. Wouldn’t it look weird if I wore a dress with daisy flowers on it?”

“I guess you’re right.”

“What to wear?”

“Beats me, I ain’t good at this stuff.” Bo rolled his eyes. He went into the middle of the rack and pulled out a beautiful white dress with sleeves that waved out like a fan. It was silky soft and what was best about it was that Daisy was crazy about it. “Bo, you’re remarkable.”

“It depends on the day,” Bo mumbled. He sighed. Bo sounded like he was lower than a chainsaw without fuel. Now friends, you know with Bo that can only mean two things, one he’s frustrated or two he’s upset. Sometimes it’s a bit of both. Today Bo was frustrated. “Today I can pick a dress, tomorrow I still won’t be able to take to Essy without freezing up or something.”

“Oh, that’s why you boys wanted to go into town. To see that girl you was ranting and raving about huh?” Bo rolled his eyes.

“I wasn’t rantin’ and I certainly wasn’t ravin’.”

“Bo, I was only teasing…”

“Well I have had just about enough of everyone making fun of me!”

“I wasn’t trying to make fun of you.” Bo pulled away.

“No matter what I do I’m known as Bo the screw up. Bo was too dumb to go to college.”

“Bo…”

“Well you want to know what happened, Daisy? He couldn’t afford to send me.”

“I know that.”

“That’s right, he couldn’t afford it at all. So I am not as dumb as you think I am. I didn’t want him to feel bad so I acted dumb.”

“Bo, I didn’t say that you were dumb!”

“Yes you did! First Luke makes fun of me and now you!”

“Bo…”

“Don’t Bo me Daisy Duke! I don’t need this anymore.” Luke grabbed Bo in his arms and held him. “Let me go!”

“Don’t fight with Daisy when you’re frustrated, it ain’t gonna make anything better!” Luke exclaimed. Bo’s shoulders slouched once again into their old position. He looked at his cousins. Bo’s face became warm.

“Dang I can’t believe that I…Oh gee,” Bo mumbled.

“Bo, it’s okay now. She didn’t mean anything by it.”

“I’m such a moron.” He walked away from his family, completely embarrassed. Luke tried to catch him but when he tried, Bo ran.

“Bo, come back!” Now friends, when you try to catch a person who was number one in the state track match you’re not gonna get very far.

“Man, I hope he’s okay,” Daisy said.

“Me too,” Luke mumbled. They both stood there watching as Bo got smaller and smaller. Now friends, this doesn’t look very good for the Duke boys. They’re usually such good friends but right now, Bo is pretty upset.