Garrett Duke shakes his head in disgust as he abruptly turns onto a dusty dirt road as his thoughts return to his argument with Cooter, of the orange car, and of his supposed family. Only to enforce more anger to run deeply within him and to build his yearning to return back to his gang in Atlanta. His true family. The only people that truly understood him. Appreciated him for who he is. Yet thanks to his dad, he's stuck in this little hick town where everyone glares judgmentally at him and where he stands out from everyone else. Where he clearly doesn't belong or fit in. Yet here he is stuck.
Sucking on the last draw of his cigarette, he allows his anger to swell deeply within him before blowing out the smoke and smashing the cigarette butt into the ashtray. "I'll show them and that ugly orange car who's the better mechanic and the better driver...and who has the best car!" he yells out at no one as an old truck runs past the stop sign on the adjoining road. Garrett slams on his breaks while cussing out loud and his heart sinks deeply within him as he hears the screech of metal, and he watches an old black truck run into the passenger door of his beloved car. Shoving his car into park, he angrily gets out and runs across the hood of his car and out of the side of his eyes, he sees two guys climb out of the truck. Ignoring the people in the truck, he runs over to the passenger door to eye the damage and is slightly relieved at seeing the damage is only to the paint the and the door. "Damn it," he cusses, his anger boils deeply within him despite the minimal damage. This was his car. His baby. And it was supposed to prove Cooter and his friends who the real driver was.
"Hey sir," a thick southern drawl voice interrupts his angered thoughts, "we are deeply sorry. I. . .I didn't see the stop sign back there and -"
"You didn't see the stop sign?!" Garrett yells turning to finally face the men in the truck, "What are you, blind?!" He goes silent as he looks at the two newcomer who hit his car and he is struck with excitement and anger all at once as he sees Bill Elliott standing near the passenger door of the truck before he looks at his car to reinforce his anger. Sighing deeply, he takes out a cigarette and lights it. "You're Bill Elliott," he states matter of fact, hiding his excitement, and then pointing to the driver, "And you're his brother. His car chief. What in the world would bring you two to this little hick town?"
Bill laughs to break the tension. "Ask my idiot brother who ran into you. I've been asking him the same dang thing."
Ernie rolls his eyes. "Look sir. I'm sorry about your car. I have insurance and papers that we can show you. We will make this right to you," he drawls pointing to the damage he created before pointing back to the stop sign that is covered in thick green leaves from the large tree that hangs above it, "through the tree branches, I didn't see the stop sign, at all. And being new to town and all, I drove through it."
Garrett eyes the hidden stop sign and nods. "Well. I'll give you credit that it is hidden," he pauses to blow out smoke away from the two men, "but all the same, y'all hit my car. But at least, the damage seems to be minimal." He laughs sarcastically. "That there covered stop sign...pretty much represents this hick town and the law they have around here. But," he pauses to drop the cigarette butt onto the dirt road and steps on it with this black boot, "that doesn't answer my question. What brings a well known NASCAR driver and his crew chief, here?"
"Yeah Ernie..." Bill echoes him.
"Well y'all have this race coming up," Ernie finally comes to the answer that they were waiting for, "with the break in our schedule, it is a great opportunity to enter the race to put in some none meaningful practice laps, support our sponsors, and to hang out with the good people that may not have the opportunity to meet my brother here."
"Your brother don't look too happy," Garrett dryly points out.
"Well truth be known," Ernie grins mischievously, "my brother's just an old grump who doesn't like change or to do anything unless it's his way. I'm here to steer him in the right direction whether he appreciates it or not."
Garrett eyes him momentarily as his answer sends him back a couple of years of his dad kicking him out of the house and sending him to Hazzard to supposedly send his life in the right direction despite his anger and hatred towards it.
"I'm ever so thankful," Bill breaks the silence, "I am sure your town and your race will be great. I just have a family I'd like to spend the break with."
Garrett silently nods. "I'm sure people around here will be excited to see you all and to race against you. They don't get this opportunity very often," Garrett answers to break his silence.
Ernie nods in agreement. "We all come from a small town. We know and understand how it is like. We want y'all know we support you and all that you do," he finally responds as he wipes the sweat from his hair before motioning towards Garrett's car behind him, "you race? You enter this race?"
Garrett glances back at Spittin' Cobra. "Yep. That's Spittin' Cobra y'all just ran into," he smiles proudly, "I am entered to race with him, but I am on my way to Atlanta for a part, because the hick mechanic wouldn't order it for me. He think's he's too good for me and wants to support his friend's and their clunker oranger car. So, I'm off to pick it up myself and show him how's it done."
"I love your enthusiasm," Ernie grins at him and takes in Garrett's car.
"Forget Atlanta," Bill pipes in, "we got some boys bringing parts with our car in our trailer. If we got your part, it's your's. Our boys will even fix the damage ol' Ernie did to Spittin' Cobra."
"For real?" Garrett asks with an hint of excitement
"For real," Ernie responds, "our boys scouted out an old abandoned barn up a couple of miles that isn't in use last week. They were able to convince Commissioner J. D. Hogg to let us use it until after the race. So if you meet us there we can get you set up. Our boys should be in town in another hour or so."
Bill glances at Ernie. "What we do until then?" he questions.
"Well Garrett's gonna take us a ride in his car and show us around town and give us all the information we need about this place, the race, and the people we are up against," Ernie grins and wraps a grease stained arm around Garrett's tense shoulders, "Aren't you?"
"Heck yeah!" Garrett yells, his anger subsiding into excitement that he has gained the trust and friendship of Bill Elliott, even more so knowing how jealous Cooter, Bo, and Luke will be once they find out. "How about I follow you to the barn to drop off your truck, and y'all can climb on in?"
"That's a ten four," Ernie drawls as he opens his drivers door and him and Bill get in.
***************************************************************************
"So Garrett," Ernie breaks the silence as he climbs into back seat of Spitting Cobra as Bill climbs into the passenger door, they both close their doors and the sound thunders against the old wood of the abandoned barn, "what brings you to Hazzard?"
Garrett eyes him momentarily before backing back out onto the dirt road and pulling forward, heading towards the small town. "What makes you so sure, I'm not from here?"
"Well," Bill drawls as he eyes the farm scenery around them, "you have more of a city boy vibe than a country boy attitude to you."
Garrett nods and gives a brief smile as he drives a moment in silence before he slowly and cautiously explains some of his past and what all brought him to Hazzard as well as some of what he feels about Hazzard, his supposed family, and the people in Hazzard.
Cue Roger or Skipper