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hazzard LADIE'S auxiliary (One Armed Bandits)

Nobody wants you to leave Skipper. Why don't you just take a day or 2 to cool off.

It was not my intention to stop you posting, Skipper. This is a forum and not Facebook. It should be a place of integrity where we can have fun, but intelligent discussions and interactions without any of the nastiness which seems to go hand in hand with social media. That's why we keep religion, politics and most bad language away from HazzardNet. It's also not about posting dozens of times a day hoping someone will "like" something you said. The only two things I've asked you to do is to make sure quotes are accurate to what was actually said (this is a pet peeve of mine online, because if I've gone to the trouble of searching out dialogue, I want it to be correct), and to avoid posting quotes with excessive profanity or particularly adult themes (even with censored words). I don't consider either of these requests to be particularly draconian, and everyone else here is able to work within these boundaries.

Right, Skipper, let's get some things straight. Firstly you need to calm down and stop over-reacting. You posted several times last night that you were leaving even though no one asked you to, you posted three or four questions to me and sent me a similar number of private messages despite the fact that it was night-time where I live and I was asleep! I will repeat this mantra - HazzardNet is a forum, not Facebook. Please don't post something just because it pops into your head and then your next thought five minutes later and repeat ad nauseum. Consider your posts and think whether they're worthwhile. As a moderator, I try to read all the new posts, and at moment about three quarters of them are yours. Many times you make multiple posts one after the other when a single, well thought out post would have been much better. In the end you're spreading out the interesting stuff and diluting the content. Being a forum, HazzardNet is about discussion, but you've been starting numerous off-topic threads lately (mainly about movies) and then flooding them with posts even though no one else has shown any interest in the subject. An interaction takes two sides. HazzardNet is not your personal space to post everything you know about a movie or TV show. Either keep that to Facebook or start your own website. As Boss JD Hogg says above, "If you're posting a quote that's not accurate then it's not actually a quote from the show. Why bother if it's not an accurate quote." If you don't think it's worth digging out your DVDs to check them, then it's not worth posting. The fact that you couldn't spend less than 30 seconds googling "draconian" proves that you don't spend much time researching your posts. The quotes should be short one-liners or interactions that are funny and/or memorable - the sort of thing you'd tell a friend. Anything longer is just an excerpt of the script. For the time being, why not try what Roger suggested and "take a day or 2 to cool off". After that, forget about posting in all your off-topic threads unless other members show an interest. Put more time and thought into the posts you do make, and maybe limit yourself to five considered posts a day across the whole forum. Concentrate on quality over quantity!

Darn it I'm outta reactions but ❤️ love this.

Why don't you just look at the episode to make sure the quote is correct?

Good idea Cousin Roger.

OK by me.

Boss Hogg likes to put the Dukes in JAIL.

Hughietown

The GENERAL Lee was built in Cooter's GARAGE.

Morning came with a bang literally as Dixie jumped out of bed, praying she made it to the bathroom before throwing up. Shoving the door with a ‘SLAM’, Dixie ‘threw up’. The bathroom door slamming shut set Sadie and Scrappie into a barking frenzy. BL came out of her room in a gauzy aqua gown to try and quiet Sadie. Luke's clock had gone off, and he was about one leg in his pants when Dixie had jumped out of bed and ran for the bathroom. Scrapie had launched off the bed to follow and was now in the hallway with a barking Sadie. He took the time to get his pants on before going to the hallway where he met BL, Sadie, and Scrapie. The closed bathroom door didn't stop Luke from going in, followed quickly by Scrapie. Dixie was still throwing up and managed to even look a bit 'green'. Luke brushed her hair back, then got a cold cloth to put on the back of her neck and got a glass of water ready. "Can I do anything?" Dixie shook her head.'No'. She had thrown up everything in her system and still managed to heave. After what seemed like an eternity, she was finally able to be pretty sure nothing else was coming out and tried to get her composure while hearing the commotion from beyond the bathroom door. “Hush now Sadie, Luke is there now,” BL held Sadie under her arm, petting the dog, the dog still letting out the occasional woof. By now Cooter and Bo had appeared to see what the commotion was about. “What’s going on?” Cooter asked then frowned at BL standing there in her flimsy nightgown with its too low neckline and too high hem, atleast in his opinion. “Dixie’s sick to her stomach,” BL replied, adding “I’m gonna get her some soda and saltine crackers, see if that helps.” Bo couldn’t seem to take his eyes off his gorgeous scantily clad fiance “Anything I can do to help”? Bo asked “Will you take Sadie out to do her business?” BL answered. “Sure Darlin,” Bo replied, watching BL’s backside through her gown, as she went down the stairs, and he followed a little behind until they reached bottom. Out of Cooter’s sight, Bo rested his hand a bit lower than he should on BL’s lower back. “Come on Sadie,” Bo called as BL got a sleeve of saltine crackers and a glass of soda and headed back upstairs. “See if this helps, I got you some saltine crackers and soda,” BL said, handing Dixie the open pack of crackers and glass of soda. Dixie replied, "Thanks, but not now. Let things settle a bit before I try anything." She knew she needed to be getting ready for work, but the thought of crawling back in bed was so tempting. All she had trusted herself to drink was a bit of water. Dixie opened her closet where her uniforms were. "What are you doing?" Luke asked. "Got to get ready, or I'll be late." Dixie said as the urge to throw up hit her again. She went back to the bathroom. “BL, put some clothes on for goodness sake,” Cooter said as he heard Bo’s boots on the livingroom’s hardwood floor, he was still observing, something wasn’t right he just didn’t know what. “Yes sir,” BL said, being smart, then went to her room to do just that. Luke followed Dixie back to the bathroom. Cooter came downstairs where Bo was talking to Sadie. A bit later, Dixie once again returned to her bedroom, looking from the bed to the closet. Luke stepped up behind her and shut the closet door. "What are you doing?" Dixie asked. "I'm about to tuck you in bed and then go call one or both of us into work. I think our little secret is about to make itself known whether we are ready or not. Now, let's get ya’ll back in bed." Luke said. Dixie hugged Luke and did just that. The fact she didn't protest told Luke how badly she felt. "Do you want or need me to stay home today?" Luke asked. "One of us better work." Dixie said. "I have time built up. Just like you do." Luke said. "Go to work. I just want to sleep. There is no sense in you sitting there watching me sleep." Dixie said. "Alright but I happen to like watching you sleep." Luke said as he headed downstairs. He made two calls. One to tell Dixie's Sargeant that she was sick and not working. The second to call base camp and let them know he and Scrapie would be a bit late. BL put on a knee length denim skirt and a sleeveless top, she didn’t have to be at the post office until 8 but figured she might as well get ready now, she heard Luke calling Dixie in and knew Dixie must feel really bad if she was missing work. “Don’t worry Luke, I ain’t got to be at the post office for awhile still, so I’ll be here if Dixie needs anything and I got help in the afternoons, so I can come stay with Dixie until you get home,” BL offered, hoping to ease the worry Luke was trying not to show too much. Luke replied, "Thanks. Scrapie, let's get you outside real quick." Cooter couldn't put his finger on it, but there seemed to be something going on that he was missing. “I guess I best get back to the farm and get the chores done,” Bo said heading to the door. “I better get going too, with Bo on the road, somebody from Hazzard’s finest will need pulling out of the pond,” Cooter said, getting a look from Bo. BL said, "You are going to work?" "That's the plan at the moment, but I'm not in any hurry to leave. Dixie said she just wanted to sleep. I'll give her a bit and go see if she did get to go back to sleep." Luke said. “The smell of coffee brewing hit Dixie’s sense of smell like a ton of bricks. Usually she loved the smell of coffee in the morning but this morning she thought she was dying as she made another mad dash for the bathroom. “There she goes again,” BL said. “I remember, Mom being sick like that, when she was pregnant with Dixie,” Cooter said, not even realizing he’d guessed the secret they all knew but him. “Catch ya’ll later,” Bo said, kissing BL he hurried to General Lee, he didn’t want to be there if or when 2+2= 4 for Cooter. Luke couldn't help holding his breath even as he replied, "Yeah, Bo. You take it easy out there. Tell Uncle Jesse, I'm gonna bring Scrapie out sometime to get acquainted with the farm." Bo called behind him, "I'll do it. Come on Cooter. Rosco might be out already." Cooter nodded, "Right. Later ya'll." The door shut behind them. Luke replied to no one in particular, but since BL happened to be in the room, "Shhhhhh! Out of the mouths of babies and baboons!" “You said it. I’ve got Dixie if you want to go on to work,” BL said. “I got a little time, called and said I’d be a little late,”Luke replied. “Ok,” BL said, going back upstairs to check on Dixie. “Feeling any better?”BL asked, then continued before Dixie could answer. “You have got to go to the Dr. sooner rather than later, Cooter knows why you're sick, he just don’t know that he knows. Still want me to go with you? I ain’t getting birth control, since me and Bo are getting married in a few weeks but I’ll still go with you if you want.” BL had given Dixie far too much information in rapid succession for her to process right now, "What? Wait. What do you mean Cooter knows why I'm sick but doesn't know he knows?" “Before he left, he said he remembered your Mom being sick like this when she was pregnant with you,” BL said. "Oh, great." Dixie looked at the clock, "I haven't heard Luke leave. He should be gone by now." Dixie was about to toss the covers back when BL stopped her. “He called and told them he was going to be a little late, but here’s how it’s gonna work. Luke is going in a bit but I’ll be here until I have to leave to meet the mail truck, which will be about 5 minutes ‘til 8, then I’ll be back by noon, when Ellen Sue comes in to work her afternoon shift. You’re stuck with me until Luke gets home,” BL said, giving Dixie a ‘no arguments’ look. "Ok. So, I'm gonna go back to sleep. When you get here, I'll get ready and I'll have to just go to Doc's office. Lord knows I can't call a doctor's office for an appointment." Dixie said. “Alright, see you around noon. Call me if you need me,” BL said, wishing there was a CB base here that could be moved upstairs if necessary. She knew there was no CB at the post office either but she could leave the back door open and hear the one in her car. After BL left, Luke and Scrapie came to check on Dixie, then left for work too. Dixie knew they were just concerned, but she couldn't help sigh when the house got quiet. She wrapped up in the soft comforter and went back to sleep. Cooter had stopped by the bakery for doughnuts as he walked to the garage. When Luther got there,the doors were open, the coffee was on and Cooter was already under the hood of a truck. Luther got a cup of coffee then sat down at the desk to look over some invoices “I seen…” Luther started causing Cooter to jump. “Uh, Dad you done scared my dog, I didn’t know you were here yet,” Cooter said. "Well, I wasn't being quiet. I figured you heard and knew every vehicle in the County." Luther said. "I do. Just must not have been paying attention." Cooter said, rubbing his head. Luther laughed, "Something wrong with Dixie's car? Seen it at the house." “No ain’t nothing wrong with it,” Cooter said. Over at the post office BL was talking to Miz Tisdale on the phone, the elderly spitfire might not run the Hazzard post office now but it was still ‘her’ post office and she called for a report from time to time. BL was telling her about Scrapie and Rosco’s reaction. “Haha that’s a hoot, serves him right,”Miz Tisdale laughed. “One more thing before we hang up. Bo and me are getting married,” BL said. ”Congratulations! Now if I could get his Uncle Jesse hooked, we could be one big happy family,” Miz Tisdale said dreamily. Saying their goodbyes, BL hung up the phone grinning and shaking her head. Miz Tisdale might be old but she was feisty. Luther asked, "If Dixie works today, why is her car home, son?" "Oh, she's not working today." Cooter said. Thinking it was one of Dixie's extra off days for when she worked holidays and such, Luther replied, "Oh, ok." At noon right on the dot, BL heard Ellen Sue’s moped motor scooter park out back. “Hi Sadie,” Ellen Sue leaned down to pet Sadie, who made friends with new people quicker than Scrappie. “Hey Ellen Sue,” BL greeted then continued “You got the place to yourself this afternoon, I delivered the mail but you’ll have to make the run upto Colonial City at 3. Dixie was sick this morning and I’m going to the Dr. with her then staying with her until Luke gets home,” BL said. “Ok, hope she gets to feeling better.” Ellen Sue said. BL thought but didn’t say, ‘she will in a couple months’, then said “see you tomorrow, Sadie lets go?” BL. drove through the alley and by the church instead of by the garage, it was almost a straight shot to the house. “Honey I’m home,” BL called as she came in the front door. Dixie had been awake but was still in bed for a few reasons; she was about afraid of being sick again. She was enjoying the peacefulness of the empty house and she was being lazy. "I'm awake. Let me get a shower." BL came upstairs and started idle chit chat while Dixie started getting ready, "I had most everything done when Ellen Sue came in and I was telling her she was on her own because I was going to the doctor with you and..." Dixie stopped in her tracks, "You told her we was going where?" At the Post Office, Mrs. Mabry came in, "Hello, Ellen Sue. Are you here alone today?" "Yes, Ma'am. BL said Dixie wasn't feeling well, so she went to the Doctor with her." Ellen Sue reported. Mrs. Mabry replied, "Oh, Dear. I hate to hear that." "Hear what, Dear?" asked Lulu Hogg as she came in the door. "That Dixie Daven... Duke isn't feeling well." Mrs. Mabry replied. "Oh, Dear." Lulu said, concerned. "Being a newlywed and all, I hope it wasn't something she cooked. “I told her we was going to the doctor that you was sick. Ellen Sue can keep a secret,” BL said, adding “it’s not like I told her you are pregnant.” Dixie asked, "Did you tell her it was a secret? BL replied, "Well, no. I didn't really think it was." Dixie said, "Well, I'm only going to a doctor two counties away." “You’ll think of something to tell folks, if they ask why,” BL said, sounding very much like Bo. Dixie tucked her shirt in, "You have been around Bo too long." “What’s that supposed to mean?” BL asked. “Come on, the sooner we get there the sooner we can get done and back home,” Dixie said, not answering the question atleast not yet. “Whose car we taking?” BL asked once on the porch, a not very happy Sadie looked at them from the livingroom window. Dixie was fine being a passenger. "Yours. I'll ride." The girls had set out for the clinic where Dr. June Quinn the doctor that saw patients at tri- county jail, not knowing things was heating up in Hazzard. Lulu was excited about Bo and BL getting engaged, Daisy must be thrilled she thought as she hurried in the Boar’s Nest, so they could start planning before Daisy opened back up for ‘happy hour’ and the evening crowd. “Daisy you must be thrilled,” Lulu said, not wasting time on a proper greeting. “Thrilled about what?” Daisy asked, a bit confused. “Bo getting engaged to BL Davenport,” Lulu replied. “Lulu are you sure,?” Daisy thought Lulu might have gotten her wires crossed somehow. “Yes I’m sure, I heard it with my own ears,” Lulu replied, then told Daisy about Rosco arresting Bo and just how she’d heard Bo propose, even though she had missed the actual proposing part. Daisy couldn’t wait for Bo to come in, like most days and meet the others after work, she was going to give him a piece of her mind. Lulu left the Boar’s Nest and went to Clyde Davenport’s cabinet shop; she had a job for him. “Afternoon Miss Lulu, can I do something for you” Clyde was behind the counter, when Lulu came in the cabinet shop’s display room’s door. “Afternoon Clyde.” Lulu replied, then told Clyde what she wanted made. “It’ll be ready in about 2 weeks,” Clyde said as he finished writing the order down. “Thank you Clyde, oh and congratulations on the future son in law” Lulu said on her way out. Clyde had to talk to his daughter now and see what all this future son in law talk was about,. BALLADEER: Friends and neighbors I think the sheep dip is about to hit the fan. Dixie and BL arrived at Dr. Quinn's office, which much like Hazzard, was an old house remodeled and turned into a small clinic. Inside Dixie spoke to the receptionist, completed a couple forms and waited with BL. A short time later, Dixie was called back to the nurses desk. "Coming?" "Sure." BL replied. The nurse took down Dixie's vitals and asked why she was there to see the doctor. "A pregnancy test." Dixie replied. She and BL were put into an exam room. When Dr. Quinn came in, Dixie introduced her to BL. Doc asked a few questions. Dixie explained that she had already had not one but three home tests come up positive, she was late and the events of the morning. Dixie was given a cup and sent to get a sample for the lab. When she returned, the doctor told her she would be back in with the results soon and left. Dixie and BL waited. Dixie walked to the window, sat down, and got up again. "What is taking so long." BL said, "Dixie, it's been about five minutes." "That is beside the point." Dixie reasoned. In Hazzard, Jesse Duke pulled into the Boar’s Nest ahead of the crowd. Once inside he said, "Daisy, give me a beer, that blamed Maudine has got to be the most stubborn mule I've seen in all my born days!" Daisy got Uncle Jesse a beer from the tap, sitting it in front of him “there ya go Uncle Jesse,” Daisy said. “Thank ya,” Jesse replied. “Uncle Jesse, Lulu was in here earlier going on about wedding plans for Bo and BL. Why would he tell her before his own kin?” Daisy asked. “He didn’t mean to,” Jesse then told Daisy just how it was that Lulu knew before she did. “He still ain’t told me but I don’t know why,” Daisy said. Jesse took a drink of his beer replying “you’ll have to ask him.” “Believe me I will! Just as soon as I see him,” Daisy said, getting back to work. Doc finally arrived back in the exam room, "Well, it looks like you're gonna be a Mom." Dixie felt tears slide down her face. With those words, everything from age fifteen to now that she and Luke had been through finally made sense. Now she needed to know something important, "When?" Doc pulled out a round paper wheel with dates on it. "When was your last period?" Dixie bit her lip, "Doc, that's where this gets tricky. I want to give you the right date but then I need another date too." Doc nodded in understanding. Dixie said, "It was June 30th." "So conception would have been from July 9 to 16th. Your next period would be due July 28th. So your due date is about April 5th." Doctor Quinn said. Back in Hazzard Clyde decided to go to the Post Office and talk to BL and find out why Lulu Hogg knew his only daughter was engaged before he did. Parking his truck out front, Clyde held open the Post Office door for Mrs.Pruitt on his way in. “Hello Ellen Sue, can I see BL just a minute,” Clyde asked. “She ain’t here Mr. Davenport, she left when I came in at noon...” Ellen Sue said but before she could say why BL had left, Clyde was out the door. Back in his truck Clyde headed for the Duke farm where he’d likely find his daughter. Clyde turned down the Duke drive only seeing General Lee in the yard, BL probably had her car hid “Where is she?” Clyde demanded, when he saw Bo coming out of the barn. “Well howdy Clyde, where’s who?” Bo asked. “My daughter! Lulu Hogg came to the cabinet shop and was congratulating me on getting a son in law, imagine my surprise, when I didn’t even know BL was engaged,” Clyde told Bo, barely able to control himself. “I haven’t seen BL all day,” Bo said, not addressing the engagement until BL was there, Clyde was her father and she should be the one to tell him. As soon as Clyde took off, still looking for BL, Bo reached for the General’s CB mic “Lost sheep 2 to Sweet Talker you got your ears on? Come back.” Bo tried to get BL on the radio on several different channels but nothing but radio silence answered him. Dixie asked, "Ummmm, ... so what would the due date be if conception was say around August 5th?" Doc moved the wheel around and replied, "April 27th." Dixie nodded. The dates were off but not horribly. “You need to get started on prenatal vitamins, we used to prescribe them but you can get them over the counter now, so just pick up a bottle,” Doc said. “So about how far along am I?’ Dixie asked. Doc replied “about 6-8 weeks.” After leaving Dr. Quinn’s BL and Dixie headed back to Hazzard. “I promised Luke, I’d stay with you til he got home. I need to talk to Bo, I wasn’t thinking this morning when I talked to Miz Tisdale on the phone, and told her that me and Bo are engaged, hopefully for once Maybelle Tillingham ain’t been burning up the lines, we never got around to telling Daisy or Daddy yesterday, you feel like going with me” BL said. “Sure it's fine,” Dixie replied. BL turned off on one of the backroads that bypassed town and headed straight to the Duke farm. Bo just happened to be on that same road, going the other way, BL grabbed her CB mic, “Bo we need to talk,” BL spoke with a bit of urgency in her tone. “Boy howdy, we sure do. Go on to the farm we can talk there, I’m right behind you,” Bo replied, turning General Lee around. At the farm BL said as Bo walked over “I think I messed up, I told Miz Tisdale over the phone we were engaged.” “Darlin that ain’t half our problems, your Daddy came out here looking for you. Seems Miss Lulu came by the cabinet shop and was congratulating him on our engagement that he didn’t know about,” Bo replied. “Shoot!” BL said. Dixie could help let the slightest giggle out at their problems. Bo asked, "What's so funny?" "The fact that the problems are ya’lls and not me and Luke for a change." “Cute Dixie, you could try and help us figure out what to do,” BL fussed. Dixie glanced across the yard, "Well, first you likely need to go talk to Daisy. If you can get her on your side, see if you can get your Dad back over here to talk." Bo frowned, "If we're gonna talk to Daisy or Uncle Jesse, we got to go to the Boar's Nest." “He may just take Bo’s head off and MINE, once he sees that I’m ok,” BL said. “Great,” Bo said, rubbing his neck. “We’ll try, we don’t really have any other options.” BL said then asked “are you going to the Boars Nest too or do you want to go home and rest? You’ve had a kinda busy afternoon. If you want to go home, I'll try and get hold of Daddy to meet me back here.” Dixie said, "Luke should be along shortly, I'll ride along and meet him there." “He’ll likely fuss that I’m not at home with you, while you rest but ok, you know what you feel upto better than anyone, I’m doing just like I said I would, I said I’d stay with you until he got off work, I didn’t say where at,” BL grinned. “And ya’ll talk about my logic,” Bo said, shaking his head. Both girls shot Bo a look. "BL if you want to ride with Bo, I'll follow you in your car." Dixie offered. “Alright thanks” BL said, getting in General Lee. They set out for the Boar’s Nest, Dixie followed behind General Lee in BL’s GTO. When they got to the Boar’s Nest, they went in and Bo went to the table where Daisy was giving Jesse another beer, “Daisy we need to talk when you can take a break,” Bo said, part of him was afraid Daisy was going to fly off the handle and pour beer over his head instead of hearing him out. Dixie had taken a seat with Jesse waiting to see this play out. "Can I have an iced tea, Daisy, when you get a chance?" Jesse said, "Did you get off early today or have some sort of a holiday?" "No, I called in." Dixie hoped she wouldn't have to explain all the details at least until Luke got there. “Sure Dixie, give me just a minute, “ Daisy said, giving Bo a look as she went by. Daisy brought Dixie her iced tea, then plopped down across the table from Bo “I’m listening, so start talking,” Daisy folded her arm across her chest. Bo took a deep breath, looked around to make sure no one else was listening, "Yesterday I left the farm planning to propose to BL. Then Rosco got behind me, a tire blew, I was arrested, Rosco found the ring and wanted to charge me with stealing it. I had to tell him and Uncle Jesse why I had it. BL heard most of it. Lulu Hogg heard her accept. Rosco finally let me go and we went to Sunset lake where I could propose right. When we got back to town Luke, Cooter, BL and I had a few too many for us to drive home. All that is why you didn't know before anyone else. "You mean Cooter was told officially before me?” Daisy looked just plain hurt now. “It’s not all Bo’s fault, Cooter got told, I told Dixie and she got all excited, the windows was open and I guess the guys heard her get loud and we had to tell them, what was going on when they all came charging in the house,” BL said, hoping to make Daisy feel better, hurting her feelings was not what BL nor Bo had intended. Daisy couldn’t stay upset, she took BL’s hand “it’s gorgeous and looks just perfect on your hand, welcome to the family officially, you are like Cooter and Dixie, you’ve always been an honorary Duke,”Daisy said, getting up to give BL a hug. “I’ll drink to that,” Uncle Jesse said, raising his glass. Just then Luke came in with Scrapie, Cooter was right behind them. Luke came over to the table and kissed Dixie, "I thought you'd still be at home." Dixie stood up slowly and said, "Walk outside a minute with me." Luke motioned a waitress to bring him a beer to the table on his way as they walked outside. "Do you want to let them all in on this tonight? I went to see the doctor today." Dixie explained. Luke asked cautiously, "The other tests were right?" Dixie beamed, "Yes, it's official. You're gonna be a Daddy in April." He picked her up and swung her around in a circle. Sitting her back on the ground gently, they engaged in a very passionate kiss. Luther pulled in about then and although him and Luke had been getting along since Dixie and Luke got married, displays like this still got to him. Getting out of his truck, he shut the door a little harder than he meant to. Approaching the couple Luther cleared his throat, Dixie and Luke…separated. Luke said, "Luther, ... come on in, ... I'll buy you a drink." Luke and Dixie followed Luther back inside, Dixie said “sit with everybody else Dad, we got something to tell all of you.” Break’s over I gotta get back to work or Boss’ll dock my pay,” Daisy said getting up. “Daisy give us just a minute this won’t take long,” Luke said and so Daisy sat back down. Luke looked at Dixie, giving her the "floor" so to speak, " I know ya'll know that I called into work today. Since I was off, I decided it was a good time to go see my doctor about some birth control, .... as it turns out, ... I was a little late doing that." She beamed as Luke pulled her just a bit tighter. “Oh my gosh,you’re pregnant?!” Daisy half asked, half stated. “Well I always said Bo and Luke getting married and having kids was like hogs producing beef,” Jesse said beaming. Dixie nodded 'yes' to confirm any doubt Daisy may have. "Oh, my Lord. I know you've had beer recently..." Daisy was thinking back to some of the orders she had served the bunch. "No, no, Daisy. I ain't." Dixie said. Luke confirmed, "No, she ain't. All that tea and soda has been hers." Daisy was already seeing booties and bonnets, "We're ya'll trying for a baby this soon?" Luke couldn't help a slight grin. Dixie replied, "Well, we weren't not trying." Luther mumbled something under his breath as he got up from the table and stormed out. BL watched Luther storm out and remembered that her and Bo still had to talk to her father. “Bo, I think we better go straighten Daddy out now,” BL said, not real thrilled with the thought because Clyde wasn’t likely to be over the moon when he heard why Lulu Hogg knew his daughter was engaged before he did. “Alright Darlin lets go, he can meet us at the farm,” Bo looked at Jesse, he wanted a mediator there incase Clyde tried to pull a Luther. “Are you coming Uncle Jesse?” “I’ll be along directly,” Jesse replied. Bo and BL went out but this time BL got in her own car “I got to pick up Sadie, then I’ll be right there.” Bo nodded, heading back to the farm, calling Clyde on the CB enroute, while BL headed for town. Luke noticed Jesse didn't seem to be in too big of a hurry to head to the farm as he continued to sip his beer. "You ain't gonna let them deal with Clyde alone are you?" Jesse gave Luke a look that said, 'don't be ridiculous' then replied, "No, but it's good to keep Bo on his toes." Luke couldn't help but laugh at his uncle's antics. "Right. Are you feeling up to going out for a bit?" Dixie knew that Luke was itching to take Scrapie out to the farm, "I'm good." Bo beat BL to the farm by a good 5 minutes, when she drove up he was pacing the porch like an expectant father did in the old westerns, when it was time for his wife to give birth. Sadie bounced out of the car and ran around the house, jumping up on the porch. BL came around the house and up the steps onto the porch. “You're going to wear a hole clean through, if you keep that up,” BL said. Bo hugged BL close, kissing the top of her head then he kissed his finger, touching the tip of her nose, then he captured BL’s lips in a passionate kiss. After Jesse and Luke finished their beers, they along with Dixie got ready to head out when Daisy called to them, "Hold up just a minute. I traded shifts. I'm going too." The four and Scrapie got in the various vehicles and made their way to the Duke farm. BL heard Luke’s truck then Jesse’s followed by Daisy’s car, “They all came for moral support or a show,” BL said. “My bet’s a show,” Bo replied as Cooter in the tow truck arrived, he’d had a quick tow job to do before he came. “Judgment day is nigh, are you ready?” Bo said, as Clyde came up behind Cooter. As Clyde came up on the porch, Jesse came out the front door, “howdy Clyde.” “Now Daddy, just let us explain…” BL said before Clyde decided to throw a fit. “We didn’t exactly tell Miss Lulu we were engaged,” Bo said. “Then how exactly did she find out before I did, that my daughter was engaged?” Clyde asked calmly. “She wouldn’t have if Rosco hadn’t messed things up,” Bo replied. “How’s that?” Clyde asked. “He was chasing me, said I was speeding, I was going 55 like the speed limit says, General Lee blew a tire, Rosco caught me and arrested me.” Bo said. Clyde looked at BL, he’d told her that just because Jesse had raised Bo right didn’t mean he was as good as she thought. “Arrested? Boy that’s a habit with you, ain’t it,” Clyde said. “Daddy just listen…” BL said. “Clyde let the boy finish,”Jesse said gruffly. “As I was saying, Rosco arrested me, he found BL’s engagement ring in my pocket so tried to charge me with grand theft ring,” Bo said. “Show him sweetheart,” Bo said to BL then to Clyde as BL held out her hand, “it was my mama’s,” “Uncle Jesse came to bail me out and Rosco showed him the ring. I thought he’d listen to Uncle Jesse but he didn’t. By now I was getting frustrated, BL was waiting for me at the lake or so I thought. I told Rosco, I’d been on my way to propose, I looked up and BL was standing there...” Bo stopped to let Clyde process all that. “How did you know he was in jail?” Clyde asked BL. “I called her on the CB,” Cooter spoke up, none of the occupants of the porch had known he was there. Luke reminded Clyde, "You know how Rosco is Clyde. Neither of us has to do anything to be arrested by him." Clyde nodded ‘yes’ “You still haven’t said how exactly Lulu was first to know,” Clyde repeated his original query. “She came downstairs at the jail a couple minutes behind BL and heard Uncle Jesse tell Rosco to let me out of the cell so I could propose and give BL her ring. After Rosco let me go, I took BL to the lake and proposed properly,” Bo added the last, so Clyde wouldn’t think it was just a spur of the moment act and that he’d put some thought in it, to make it perfect. Clyde looked at BL, "You accepted?" “Yes and I want to wear Mama’s wedding dress,” BL replied. Clyde knew it had been BL's plan since childhood. He nodded, "Yes, Dear. I know. But, there's no rush." Nodding BL said “We don’t want a long engagement,” Clyde replied, "Well, a year or so is a proper engagement. Unless, there is a rush?" He looked right at Bo with that question. Bo had to clear his throat, so his voice didn’t squeak like it had when he went through puberty before he could answer “No sir there is no rush,” Bo said, emphasizing the word no. “A year! Daddy that’s a little old fashioned,” BL said, barely keeping an adolescent whine out of her voice. Jesse asked, "Well, have ya'll even talked about a date?" “Yes sir, Labor day weekend, we haven’t picked an exact day,” Bo replied. “Labor day weekend?! That’s less than a month away! You don’t have enough time to get it all planned” Clyde couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Don’t underestimate a Hazzard girl’s planning abilities, especially Daisy’s,” BL said. Dixie figured she may be able to draw some of the heat away from Bo and BL, "I suppose you are gonna want me in a dress of some kind or another. If that is the case, ya'll don't want to wait three or four months for sure." “We do, well I do. I want you and Daisy to be my bridesmaids,” BL said. Why not Dixie”? Clyde asked, looking at his niece. "I hate wearing dresses and she knows that, but if I got to wear one, I'd at least like to have a waistline." Dixie said, momentarily forgetting that Clyde had not been at the Boar's Nest earlier. Clyde just looked at Dixie confused. "Daddy's gonna be a grandpa." She clarified. “That’s great honey! Congratulations Luke,”Clyde grinned, giving Dixie a hug and shaking Luke’s hand. “That’s why you couldn’t find me this afternoon, I went with Dixie to the doctor,” BL said, Bo had told her, Clyde came looking for her. Clyde hummfed, "I bet he was thrilled." Luke couldn't keep his mouth shut any longer, "He was about as thrilled as you are at hearing about this. It is one of your daughter's happiest events of her life and you both can't just be happy for them." Jesse said lowly, "Luke." "I'm sorry for speaking my mind, Uncle Jesse, but I thought when your children were happy that you should be happy for them." “Luke it aint that I’m not happy for BL, I just want her to not jump into something, she won’t be happy with and want out in a few months or a year or a few years from now.” Clyde said. “Daddy I ain’t jumping in, I’ve been thinking about what it would mean, a while now. I been making my own mind up, since I was 13. You taught me to stand on my own two feet,” BL said. “You’ve never made a decision that was a lifelong decision. I need a walk,” Clyde said, leaving the porch and heading away from the house. BL started to get up to follow her father. Bo saw Jesse and Luke looking at him. He stood, "BL, let me go." Bo caught up to Clyde between the house and the barn, "I know you don't like me much, but I love your daughter. We make each other happy. I promise no one will ever hurt her as long as I'm around." Clyde turned to look at Bo, pointing a finger at the blonde Duke boy “You better not neither, marriage vows say ‘Till death do us part’. I don’t want her to realize ya’ll made a mistake, a few months or a year or a few years from now,” Clyde said. Bo nodded, “I know Cly….uh Mr. Davenport, Uncle Jesse’s made sure me and Luke knew that since we was old enough to get a girl in trouble. On the porch, Luke was watching Scrapie checking things out. His nose was to the ground, and he was sniffing for all he was worth. Jesse asked, "So when are we expecting the little one?" Dixie decided that being vague wasn't exactly a lie, "April." Daisy added, "Oh, I just can't wait." On the porch Daisy’s excitement was bubbling over. “Do you know what it is yet? Can I feel it, oh I just can’t wait!” Dixie grinned answering, “It’s too soon to know what it is and I haven’t felt anything, so you probably wouldn’t either.” Around back Clyde was giving Bo the evil eye as he ground out. “Are you telling me BL’s in trouble?” Clyde felt the question justified after hearing Dixie’s news, BL said she had gone with Dixie. Bo took a step back in case Clyde took a swing at him. “What? No sir.” Bo said, adding “we’re getting married because we love each other not “because we ‘have to’,” Bo said. Clyde huffed, "You just make double damn sure you love each other enough for a lifelong commitment." “Yes sir we do, now don’t you think we should get back around there and you should atleast pretend to be happy for BL? I know you would move heaven and earth for her, do you really want to spoil one of the happiest times in her life?” Bo replied. Clyde thought for a minute, then turned to Bo, "Hurt her and you will deal with me." He extended his hand to Bo. Bo took Clyde’s hand, giving it a firm shake “I won’t hurt her, you have my word on that.” Bo said, the two men went back to the porch where the others were. Sadie dropped the ball in her mouth at Bo’s feet then barked, “You want to play?...Go get it,” Bo threw the ball and both dogs took off after it. BL was getting antsy because the two men had been gone so long, finally they reappeared. “BL, come here for a minute,” Clyde said from the bottom of the porch steps. BL got up off the swing and went to Clyde, “I hope you can forgive an old man for acting like a jackass, all I could see was losing my baby girl,” Clyde said, hugging BL. “You’re not losing me now, anymore than when I moved out,” BL said. Clyde frowned, "So I should expect you and Bo home by Thanksgiving?" He said in 'fun'. Once the others saw Clyde was joking they all had a good laugh. Scrapie and Sadie had got the ball and were heading back to the porch when Scrapie seen or heard something and took a turn toward the barn. Luke sat up watching. Scrapie was on a rat, grabbed it, shook it about three times, then brought it up to the porch to show Luke. "Good job, boy. Give it here." He reached for it and Scrapie grrrred at Luke. "Scrapie." Luke said firmly. Scrapie stood his ground with his rat. Luke stood up, "Scrapie. Drop it." Scrapie did but protested afterwards with a woof! Followed by grumbling. Dixie said, "It was his rat." Luke gave her a look. "Well, it was." Dixie said. "Good boy, Scrapie! You got it!" "Yes, you did, but you got to give it up. Here, let's trade. I keep the rat, you get a treat." Scrapie took the treat, but went to Dixie to be petted. “Hey BL where ya’ll going to live after you get hitched? Since you are letting my sister and Luke live in your house?” Cooter asked. Bo looked at BL and she looked back, they hadn’t talked about it yet. “They can live with us, my smokejumper team does it, I lived with them before I came back to Hazzard.” Luke offered a solution then added his reasoning behind it. “We’d be at each other's house all the time anyway.” Dixie nodded. It sounded reasonable to her. "Besides that, four more hands. What better form of birth control." BL opened her mouth to dispute the assumption, then she thought about the positions of the bedrooms in the upstairs layout. There were only 3 and one was right next to the other and the third was across the hall. These 2 rooms were hers and Dixie’s, making babies was going to be tricky. "Speaking of home, Luke, do you mind us cutting out pretty soon? I hope to work tomorrow." Dixie said. Luke replied, "I don't mind, not at all, but you might have to convince the hunter." Scrapie was on the trail of another rat that was just out of his reach. Sadie had gotten tired watching him and came back on the porch. Clyde stood up saying “I better head out too, got goats to feed.” “I’ll be home in a bit,” BL said. Sadie jumped up at the word home from BL but when BL made no move to go, Sadie laid back down on the porch. Before Dixie and Luke left Daisy asked, “When’s your next Saturday off Dixie, so I can give BL a bridal shower?” “Daisy that ain’t necessary, I have everything I need for the house, remember you were there when I bought it,” BL said. Daisy grinned, "I said bridal shower, not household shower." She wanted to point out that BL may have everything for the house, but maybe not for a marriage, but with Clyde and Jesse sitting there, she chose not to. “BL grinned back, she understood what Daisy meant and apparently so did Bo, judging “by the silly grin on his face. Dixie said, "I've got Saturdays off for now unless something changes. Give me the date and I'll make sure I'm off." “Let me see when Boss will let me use the Boar’s Nest,” Daisy said. “Talk to Miss Lulu, she’ll make sure you get it whenever you want it,” BL said. I’m going to be so busy planning and giving a bridal shower, planning a wedding and planning and giving a baby shower,” Daisy said, almost giddy just thinking about it. Jesse gave Daisy a look, "Daisy, Honey, don't you think the bride and groom may have just a few ideas too? And, as for a baby shower, that's a little bit away. “I guess maybe your right Uncle Jesse,” Daisy said, looking at Bo and BL. “We ain’t been engaged but 24 hours,” Bo said. “We'll talk about it and I’ll let you know in a couple days Daisy,” BL said. “Ok.,” Daisy replied Scrapie was trying to convince Luke that the barn wall needed to be moved for him to get a rat. "I have never heard so much complaining from such a little dog. Scrapie, let's go." Scrapie sounded as if he were talking back to Luke. "You can get it next time." Luke said. "Truck." Scrapie recognized that command from conversation. He left the area and headed to the truck but not without 'talking back' just a little. Luke opened the truck door and helped the long small dog up into the truck, "Dixie, come on while I'm ahead here. Night ya'll." Luke called, then helped Dixie into the truck before getting in the driver's seat. Dixie said her 'good nights' as Luke pulled out, Scrapie looking out the back glass much like a small child would. Jesse shook his head and laughed at the pup. Cooter just had gotten a call on the CB from Luther, there was a call for the big wrecker and he couldn’t turn loose so Cooter needed to swap wreckers and go. “Catch ya’ll later,” Cooter waved out his window as he headed toward town. Clyde had been sitting in his truck, while Cooter had stood outside his driver’s window now pulled out behind his nephew heading home. Luke heard Cooter's and Luther's radio traffic. "I hope they forget about me." Dixie replied, "Me too." Cooter hadn’t though and thought he might need both wreckers, picking up his CB mic, Cooter called “might be crazy but I ain’t dumb. Lucas Dukas, you home on the Hazzardnet come on.” “Luke here Crazy C, what’s up?” “I thought I might need both wreckers and figured since you’re going to town, I’d get you to bring the big guy.” Cooter replied. “10-4” Loke said, then hanging up the mic added “shoot!” “I better get going too,” BL said. “Will you at least stay for supper?,” Jesse asked. “I can’t Uncle Jesse, thanks anyway,” BL said, giving Bo a peck on the lips. “C’mon Sadie, time to go home,” Bl said, Sadie jumped up, ran to the car jumping over the side. Bo walked BL to her car, kissing her more deeply, now they were out of Uncle Jesse and Daisy’s sight. “See you tomorrow beautiful,” Bo said, watching BL. Luke sighed, "So much for forgetting about me. I'll stop at the garage and you and Scrapie can head on home." Dixie nodded, "You know, I think I'm getting old. Any other time I'd have raced you to the big truck, but tonight I'm not feeling it." "You've had a big day. Go home. I'll be along." Luke stopped his truck, kissed Dixie on the cheek and headed for the big wrecker. Dixie threw her hand up to Cooter and her Dad as she pulled Luke's truck away, heading for home. Luke took the big wrecker back to the garage after he and Cooter had gotten the bobtail semi and the ‘wide load’ escort pickup truck back on the road. Luke saw Luther was in the office doing paperwork, “Here’s the keys to the big guy,” Luke hung the keys up on a hook. Luther looked at Luke, "Are you happy now?" Luke was sure the question was meant more than its face value, but he answered it that way, "Very." With that, Luther came out of his seat. Luke stepped back a step or two. Luther mumbled something under his breath, then asked, "So when is it due?" Luke looked his father-in-law right in his eyes, "Dixie said, April." Luther did the math. August to April added up to eight months, not nine. "That's a might shy of nine months now, ain't it?" Luke did the math himself for the first time, then replied, "Well, they count by weeks or some strange way now, but you are barking up the wrong tree." Luke said what he’d said to Clyde earlier when BL and Bo announced their engagement. It is one of your daughter's happiest events of her life and you can't just be happy for her?” Luther huffed. Luke replied, "You asked me if I was happy. I am. My wife, your daughter, the mother of my child," Luke saw fire dance in Luther's eyes. "Makes me very happy. As for Dixie, the way I see it is, she has the life she wanted when she was fifteen. Would it have worked then? Who knows. But you should know, I'll break my back to make sure they have everything they need." Luke was still looking Luther straight in the eye. Luther worked his jaw, Dixie and it seemed Luke too was going to keep throwing it in his face, what they had done when Dixie was fifteen. "Look, Luther, I know Dixie could have done better than me, but she didn't. And if I make her happy, can't you just let her be happy? I told Clyde much the same thing tonight." “All his talk about her being a grown woman and him letting her live her own life is just him blowing smoke and he wasn’t too keen on getting a new son in law? Luther asked. “It wasn’t that so much as the when,” Luke replied. Luther snarled, "So when is the big day?" “They ain’t picked an exact day, just sometime labor day weekend,” Luke replied. Luther grumbled under his breath, then said, "So we can expect us another baby real soon like." There was so much Luke wanted to say right then, but he knew if they kept this up, it could end badly, "I'm going to the house." At Clyde Davenport’s, brother and sister sat on the front porch, BL was snapping green beans and LB was sharpening his pocket knife. “LB there’s something I want to tell you before you hear it through the gossip mill,” BL said. LB stopped sharpening his knife and looked at her, asking, ”what’d you do?” “I ain’t done nothing, it’s what I’m gonna do that’ll set tongues wagging. I’m engaged to Bo Duke,” BL replied. “Congratulations, when’s the wedding? LB asked, like Clyde he thought it would atleast be a few months from now. “Labor Day weekend,” BL replied. “Are you pregnant?” LB asked seriously, if the answer was yes he had half a mind to Knock Bo into the middle of next week. “WHAT? NO, Longstreet B you know better!” BL shot him an offended look. “Sorry,” LB said, going back to sharpening his knife. "Sorry, Sis, it's just that I know Bo. I've known him differently than you have and with the wedding date so close, ... and all. I just felt the need to ask. You are my sister and all." “I appreciate the concern brother but I ain’t naive, I know Bo ain’t no saint,” BL said. LB nodded. "As long as you are happy and he didn't take advantage of you, then I'm good. Me and Bo are friends, but you are my sister. You just let me know if he hurts you." “Bo hasn’t done anything I didn’t want him to do. I grew up with a brother and two boy cousins, I think I can pretty much take care of myself,” BL said, grinning. LB replied, "True, but I want you to know I got your back.” While Luke was gone, Dixie tried to figure out something that sounded good, was good for her, and yet was light enough that it wouldn't be too much for lunch tomorrow. She was in the middle of chopping sweet pickles, boiled eggs and onion into a bowl of tuna to make tuna salad when Luke came in. He had walked the long way around the Square to calm down from his and Luther's conversation. The morning had been a quiet one when Ellen Sue came in at 12 for her part time job at the post office. “Afternoon BL, did your father find you yesterday? He seemed upset when he was in here looking for you,’ Ellen Sue said as she put up the wanted posters, BL hadn’t got to yet. ”Yes he found me or well we met up actually, he’d heard something about me,” BL replied,while stamping some outgoing mail with Hazzard’s postmark. “It must have been bad,” Ellen Sue said. “It’s not, he was just upset that he heard it from Lulu Hogg instead of me,” BL replied. “Oh?” Ellen Sue was intrigued. “I’m engaged,” BL said, holding out her left hand with the diamond ring glinting in the light. Ellen Sue didn't get out a lot, or at least with the same people, BL did. She had seen BL around the Dukes but hadn't seen her even talk to anyone else. "Engaged? Wow! BL I haven't even known that you were going out with anyone steadily. Engaged to whom?" “Bo Duke, we’ve known each other since we were kids, dated a little over the years but we got serious over the last year, maybe a little less,” BL replied. "Oh, wow. I had no idea. I mean, I know he's in here a lot and all, but I never knew either of you were dating anyone seriously. Wow, it was hard enough to believe Luke Duke was gonna settle down, but now Bo, too?" “Speak of the devil,” BL said when General Lee pulled up out front and Bo slid out the driver’s window. “Hey Darlin, Ellen Sue,” Bo greeted as he came in. “Hi Bo, congratulations,” Ellen Sue said, heading for the restroom. “Thanks Ellen Sue,” Bo replied. Then asked BL “can you, help me later, say about 6?” “As far as I know, what’s up?” BL replied. “I told Sherry Tolliver we’d exercise a coupla horses for her,” Bo said. “Sounds good to me, we need to talk about what kind of wedding we want or Daisy’s going to go overboard,” BL said. “Ok, I better get going, Uncle Jesse sent me to the hardware store,” Bo gave BL a quick kiss before leaving. Dixie, thankfully, had a much better morning and day. She had changed clothes at work and was making the drive back to Hazzard. The temperatures were pleasantly warm. Dixie had the windows down, enjoying the warm breeze as she crossed the County line into Hazzard. From the other direction, Luke and Scrapie were also crossing into Hazzard when the CB came to life, "Hazzard garage to Lost Sheep 1." It wasn't Cooter but Luther calling. "This is Lost Sheep 1, go ahead." "Would you care to take the wrecker tonight?" Luther asked. That had not been anywhere in Luke's plans, but figured if it kept peace, he could go get the truck and babysit it. How many calls happen on a weekday evening? "I can do that. I'll meet you at the garage in about twenty minutes." Dixie was monitoring the CB and heard the traffic. "Little Shotgun to Lost Sheep 1." "Lost Sheep 1, go ahead Little Shotgun." Luke said. "I'll park at the house if you want to swing around and get me." Dixie said. "You got it." Luke replied. Then, said to Scrapie, "So much for a cold beer and quiet evening." Scrapie woofed. BL got to the Boar’s Nest just ahead of Bo, she planned to have a couple drinks with the others, go home and cook supper and then meet Bo at the Tolliver farm after supper. “What do you say we mess with Rosco, Sadie girl,” BL put the official USPS vest that she'd made, with assurance from Miz Tisdale that it didn’t violate any regulations. “Rosco’s just gonna love this,” Bo said, stopping to wait for BL so they could walk in together. Bo signaled Daisy for 2 beers. Daisy brought over two beers and a mug of water. "Bo, you didn't order Sadie anything." “I thought she was driving,” Bo grinned, thinking he was funny. “You have my deepest apologies Sadie, am I forgiven?” Sadie put a paw on Bo’s leg and woofed. Dixie, Scrapie and Luke came in a few minutes later. Daisy asked, "One beer, Scrapie a water and Dixie, what will you have?" "Iced tea with a lot of lemon." Dixie said. Luke almost switched his beer to a tea but he figured he'd have one beer and then switch to something else if they stayed longer. "Where's Cooter tonight?" Luke asked. Bo said, "He'll likely be along." "I'm not so sure. I inherited the wrecker tonight." Luke said. “Maybe all this getting engaged and marrying stuff sounded good and he decided to try it,” BL said jokingly. Bo nearly spit his beer everywhere. Daisy brought over Luke’s beer and Dixie’s tea, along with 2 bowls usually used for popcorn and pretzels. “I forgot to get this before for Sadie’s water,” Daisy handed BL the bowls. “Thanks Daisy,” BL replied, sitting a bowl of water down for each dog. “I’m off tomorrow, thought I’d cook supper for everybody, to celebrate Bo and BL;s engagement just like I did when Luke and Dixie got married,” Daisy said. She was met with a chorus of agreements. Daisy went back to the bar to get another table’s beers when in walked Rosco who immediately spotted Sadie. “Alright what is the meaning of this?” Rosco asked, coming over to the table. “What’s the meaning of what, Rosco?” BL asked, looking at the others, all of them were trying to keep a straight face. “You know what, you ain’t supposed to have that dog in here,” Rosco said. “Why not? She’s wearing a vest like Scrapie. She’s not running around bothering other customers and she isn’t on a table or even in a chair,” BL replied. Rosco looked at Sadie's vest. "Oh good grief! A vest! What does a vest have to do with anything? I could dress Flash up too. ”Rosco these vest means something, they ain’t just for dressup. They mean the dog wearing them is a working dog,” Luke said, laying it on thick. BL had made the vest navy blue, the color used to represent the US mail, it also had a US mail logo patch, making it look as legit as possible. "They don't look like they are working." Rosco said. "Working dog, my foot. What does she do?" He asked. BL explained that she delivered the mail to people on her route. “Good grief,” Rosco muttered “Just what does Flash do? The only time I see him walking is when you take him for a walk,” BL said, a murmur of agreement came from the others at the table. "Flash is a trained police dog." Rosco defended. BL replied, "Sadie is trained too." Rosco looked at Luke, "Rosco don't even go there with Scrapie. The cost of his training alone would probably equal your salary." Luke said. “Fine but you both better keep those animals under control,” Rosco huffed, leaving to go home. The dipstick deputy on duty could handle this bunch of riff raff. BL and Luke looked at each other then the dogs when Rosco said keep them under control. “How much more under control can we keep them?” BL asked with one eyebrow cocked. Scrapie was asleep on Luke’s lap and Sadie had laid down by BL’s chair. “Beats me,” Luke replied. “Hate to break up the party but we better scoot Darlin, if we are going to get anything done at home before being at the Tolliver farm by 6,” Bo said. Dixie said, "Ya'll have fun. We'll likely be heading out soon too. This place is going to the dogs tonight!" BL, Luke and Bo groaned “Dixie, I thought Bo was the one with all the bad jokes,” BL said. “Sorry couldn’t help myself,” Dixie replied. They all said their goodbyes and BL stood up “come on Sadie let’s go home.” Bo and BL with Sadie at BL’s side, went out to the cars. At BL’s car BL took off Sadie’s vest and leash telling her ‘load up’. Bo kissed BL saying “see you in a little while, Darlin.” BL replied “see you in a bit.” BL got in her car, Bo pulled in behind in General Lee, to follow BL until she turned off toward her house, as he often did, just incase she had a flat or car trouble. Daisy came by the table, "Ready for a refill?" Luke frowned a bit, "Not tonight. I have the wrecker." Daisy looked from Dixie to Luke for answers. Seeing none, she asked, "Why?" Luke replied, "I'm not real sure. Luther radioed me on the way into town and asked me to take it tonight. I figured if it keeps this civilized, I can park it at the house tonight." Luke was implying that he didn't expect a lot of calls for the wrecker, especially since it was a weeknight. After a meal of minute steak, gravy, mashed potatoes and fresh hot biscuits BL cleaned up the kitchen and fed Sadie. “I’ll be back in a couple hours,” BL said on her way out, leaving Sadie crying because BL had managed to slip out without her. “I’ll believe it when I see you drive up, you have a tendency to come up MIA lately” Clyde replied. “Horses don’t have headlights, Daddy” BL said getting in her car, heading to the Tolliver farm. Sherry Tolliver came out of the barn as Bo and BL pulled up, “Hey Bo, BL thanks for helping out, it’s tough to get all the chores inside and outside, plus exercise the horses too, since Burl broke his leg” Sherry said. “No problem,” Bo said. “Happy to help where I can. Where’s the horses?” BL replied. Sherry went back in the barn, leading out a chestnut with a white star on its forehead and a golden palomino. “The chestnut guy here is Rebel and the palomino is Dolly,” Sherry said. Luke, Scrapie and Dixie made their way home, parked the wrecker in the driveway and headed out back to let Scrapie run off some energy. Dixie cooked pasta with meat and tomato sauce with garlic bread for supper. She and Luke ate on the back porch to let Scrapie finish his adventures and enjoy the cool evening air. Dixie cleaned up their dishes and put the leftovers up for lunches and supper tomorrow, or she would freeze it for another night. By dark, they all went in and upstairs. Tonight was one of those nights when the newlyweds intended to find out if it really was quicker for two people to shower together. Bo and BL were riding side by side, enjoying the cool breeze and break in last week’s high humidity, Bo looked over at BL and asked, “What do you want the wedding to be , like, it’s your day not Daisy’s,” “I know she wants our day to be special but I just want a simple, traditional ceremony without all the songs during it and the candle lighting, writing our own vows and such. Mama’s dress ain’t fancy, so you don’t even have to wear a tux, a regular sunday suit is fine,” BL replied. “Sounds perfect,” Bo said, then nudged Rebel with his heels saying over his shoulder "race ya back.” Luke and Dixie found out the theory that two people could shower quicker together was wrong, at least when you are newlyweds. They had made it back to the bedroom and moved on to some slow love making. Afterwards, Dixie had fallen asleep on Luke's arm and he was just about to drift off to sleep when the phone downstairs rang. Bo and BL were having a great time until Dolly spooked and reared, sending BL to the ground with a startled yelp. Bo reigned in Rebel, going back to see what was wrong, when a riderless Dolly ran past, headed for the barn. Bo saw BL sitting in the dirt. “Are you hurt Darlin?” Bo asked worriedly, sliding to the ground from his horse. “No, just my pride, help me up,” BL replied, holding her hand upto Bo. Bo pulled BL to her feet, getting back on Rebel, holding his hand down for BL to grab and swing up behind him. BL wrapped her arms tightly around Bo’s middle as they rode back to the barn. “What happened?” Bo asked. “I don’t know, she spooked, reared and next thing I knew, I was setting in the dirt,” BL replied, sliding down from behind Bo. Sherry Tolliver came out of the barn after unsaddling Dolly, returning the mare to her stall. “BL are you ok? I was worried when Dolly came back alone,” Sherry said. Luke carefully eased his arm from under Dixie’s head, getting up he headed for the bedroom door, stubbing his toe on the dresser. “Ow dammit!” Luke yelped, causing Scrapie to wake up, going into a barking frenzy. Luke hobbled downstairs, his toe still throbbing with every beat of his heart, each step punctuated with a string of curses. “Tomorrow we’re having an extension put in upstairs,” Luke said to himself. Scrapie was still raising cane but had followed Luke downstairs. “Scrapie hush!” Luke scolded then answered the phone without really paying attention to his words although they’d be accurate soon enough, “Duke residence, this is Luke.” Maybelle said, "Luke, I hate to call, but it seems some of those teens in those souped up hot rods done ran Cletus off the road on County Route 7/11." "Of course they did. Tell him I'm on my way." Luke went upstairs with Scrapie on his heels. "Stay here with Dixie, Fella. I'll be right back." Dixie barely opened her eyes, "What's wrong?" As she tucked Scrapie in tight beside her. "Kids ran Cletus in a ditch. You know, one of these nights, me and Bo need to go teach those kids a lesson that only General Lee can teach them." Luke said, stomping into his boots. Gloria was sleeping good when Scrapie started barking, she didn’t know a little dog could make so much noise.. Just as she had dozed off, after Scrapie had stopped barking, Luke cranked the wrecker, its loud motor easily heard through the open window. Looking at the clock it said 12:00 am. “Now what, don’t those hoodlums think anybody ever sleeps” Gloria fussed while Abner slept like a baby. Luke got Cletus pulled out and the cruiser was basically fine. Luke made a ticket and put it in the clipboard then headed back home. It was just after 2 am when he eased the loud wrecker into the driveway hoping to be done for the night. Bo had fussed over BL all the way back to Clyde's where he talked her into going back out. So BL, Sadie and Bo had spent the evening up around still site number 3. It was pretty late as they neared town on their way back to Clyde's. Just as Luke put the wrecker in park, the CB came to life, "Thanks again Luke." Luke keyed the mic, "No problem, just keep things between the ditches." "You got it." Cletus said. Luke was reaching to turn off the CB when he heard, "Lost Sheep 2 to Lost Sheep 1." Luke replied, "Go ahead, Lost Sheep 1." Bo keyed the mic, “what mess did you have to get Cletus out of so late? General Lee and me ain’t moved an inch in oh 4-5 hours, since me and BL parked at still site 3,” Bo asked. “Some kids ran Cletus in the ditch. We oughta take General Lee one night and teach those kids a lesson,” Luke said. “That’s a big 10-4,” Bo replied. From somewhere, low and crackled came the reply. "Anytime old man. You just name the time." “How about Saturday night,” Bo keyed the mic saying. Before Luke could respond with agreement, Cletus cut in, “Now fellas ya'll know racing in Hazzard County’s against the law. Bo I don’t want to arrest ya so close to your wedding.” BL wondered how Cletus knew when the wedding was, the wedding announcement hadn’t been put in the paper yet. “I don’t want you arrested either,” BL said. Luke was tired of cleaning up messes these 'kids' had been making around the county. They were reckless and needed stopped, but he was wise enough to take Cletus's warning. "Ya'll take this off the air. We're at the Boar's Nest most any evening if you snot-nosed brats are old enough to come inside." Luke said, keying the mic. “Or brave enough to talk face to face,” Bo said. “Booo,” BL said. “What?” Bo replied. “On the air may not be the best way to have this conversion,” BL said. “What do you suggest?” Bo asked. “Let’s go see Luke and Dixie. I really don’t want to sneak in at 2am, you and Luke can talk freely too,” BL replied, Bo made the turn toward Luke and Dixie’s instead of Clyde’s. Bo replied, "Lost Sheep 1 leave the door open. I'll be there in a few." Luke clicked the mic in acknowledgement, cut the radio off and headed inside. Gloria’s sleep was once again disturbed as General Lee rumbled from across the street as Bo parked in front of the house. ”Good grief now what,” Gloria huffed. “Daddy’ll probably have a fit tomorrow but I ain’t calling this late neither. Come on Sadie,” BL said, climbing out the window then reaching back in for Sadie. Sadie smelled Scrapie’s scent in the yard and trailed him to the door. BL opened the door letting Sadie in. Luke watched Sadie head upstairs nose to the floor. “She’s hot on the trail,” BL replied to Luke's unasked question, in the meantime Sadie had tracked Scrapie to Dixie and Luke’s bedroom all the way to the bed, jumping up to continue following the trail. Dixie turned over without opening her eyes. When she felt Scrapie jump up she expected him to be greeting Luke. Just then she felt a wet, warm tongue lick her from chin to nose. Opening her eyes she was greeted by Sadie. Scrapie decided now was a good time to playfully bite Sadie who bit him back then the two took off in a barking chase with both dogs now having a case of the zoomies! “Life is going to be interesting with those two living in the same house, when me and Bo move in,” BL said leaning against the doorjamb. Luke opened the back door to let the two romp in the back yard and hopefully settle down. Gloria heard the dogs yipping and yapping in the yard as they chased each other around the back yard. “That’s it, enough is enough I’m calling the police,” Gloria stomped out into the hall, doing just that. “Sheriff’s office, deputy Cletus Hogg speaking,” Cletus said.. “Deputy this is Gloria Kravitz, I want to make a report,” Gloria replied. “Ok, what do you want to report?” Cletus asked, ready to write down the complaint. “Those Duke and Davenport kids! Starting at midnight it’s been one disturbance after another. That blamed dog Luke brought home, started barking its head off, then Luke left out in that loud wrecker,” Gloria complained, Cletus cut in before she finished.“That was my fault ma’am, I needed pulling out of a ditch.” “Then that boy with the orange car came not long after the wrecker returned, now the dog Luke brought home and that Davenport girl’s that helps her deliver the mail, have been barking for the last ten minutes, maybe you can quiet them down,” Gloria finished her rant. “Yes ma’am I’ll get right on it,” Cletus hung up with a sigh and headed out to his patrol car. Sadie and Scrapie had both found a human to snuggle. Sadie was with BL, and Scrapie had followed Sadie upstairs, so he was under the covers snuggling Dixie. Bo and Luke had kicked their boots off and grabbed a beer ready to discuss the young trouble making punks when there was a knock on the door. Before Luke could get up Scrapie and Sadie were at the door barking. Luke firmly said, "Quiet." Both dogs hushed before Luke opened the door a bit to see Cletus standing on the porch but not enough to let the dogs out. "Cletus. Don't tell me you are in another ditch." Luke said. “No Mrs. Kravitz called to complain about all the racket, ya’ll keep it down will ya” Cletus said. “We’ll be quiet Cletus, promise,” Luke replied. Satisfied Cletus said goodbye and left to go on patrol. “Who was that?” Bo asked. “Cletus, Mrs Kravitz called and reported us, making too much noise,” Luke replied. Sadie and Scrapie had gone back upstairs when Luke spoke gruffly to them, Scrapie had crawled back under the covers but it was too hot under for Sadie, so she laid on top with her head on BL’s leg. Bo asked, "What noise, Luke?" "I don't know but he's gone. I'd like to finish my beer and maybe get a couple hours sleep before I have to go out of here in the morning." Luke said. “I got to take BL home to get her car before she has to open the post office and then go on to the farm and do the morning chores. I reckon leaving here and going out to the farm to do them is a routine I best get used to,” Bo said. “Yeah and you might want to start looking for a part time job at least, so you can still help Uncle Jesse but show Clyde you're willing to work, not just let/make BL support you,” Luke replied. Bo and Luke talked about what to do about their faceless challenger, while they finished their beers. “Can I borrow a pair of pajama pants?” Bo asked as Luke was going into his room. “Yeah, hold on,” Luke replied, getting a pair from the dresser. “Thanks,” Bo said, going to the bedroom across the hall, changing then getting in bed beside BL. Luke snuggled into bed and wrapped his arms around Dixie with only the slightest grunt from Scrapie, who had to move just a bit. "Missed you. What was Scrapie's problem?" Dixie said sleepily. Luke replied, "Tell you about it in the morning. Oh, yeah, I'm pretty sure Bo is across the hall tonight." "Um, 'K." Dixie went back to sleep.

Skipper - I don't know how many times I have to say this, but if you can't quote accurately, don't post it as a quote! I don't know if you're mixing up the quotes yourself or copying them from an unreliable source, but please stop. In the post above you've merged the two parts of the scene while missing bits out and misquoting others. Here's what was actually said: Bo: "I bet that dang trial's started already." Luke: "The stork had to pick this morning for delivery." Bo: "All right, we'll still make it." Luke: "Come on, Doc, let's hit the road." Doc Appleby: "Sorry, boys, looks like it's going to be twins." Doc: "Be right with you, boys." Bo: "We'll still make it, right?" Luke: "Yeah." Doc: "Uh, Boys..." Luke: "You gotta be kidding. Not triplets." Balladeer: "They're lucky he ain't a vet. Some dogs have a dozen to the litter." I haven't had time to check your previous post from 'The Ghost of General Lee', but that's another whole scene for which you created a separate thread. Stick to the couple of quotable lines at the end - we're not after an entire script here.

Monday morning found Luke and Dixie heading out of Hazzard in two different directions. Luke had pushed his truck a bit harder than normal to get to work just minutes before he was late. This was totally unusual, so his crew was wondering where he was. As Luke pulled in he saw a Forestry truck that wasn't usually at Base Camp unless something was going on. He looked at the truck clock and mumbled curse words under his breath as he hurried inside. His crew had the good graces not to rib him in front of the Regional Supervisor. Randy looked a bit relieved to see Luke walk in. After greetings were made, the Supervisor asked to talk to Luke and Randy in the office. Once alone the Supervisor began, "I came over this morning because there is an experimental program the Forestry Service is wanting to try here." He paused, "with your team." Luke and Randy looked at each other, then back to the Supervisor waiting for more information. "It's gonna mean some extra training for you all, more for a few of you." He explained. Normally Luke was all in for additional training but he had a lot of new things on his plate, but he was interested in making his team better. The Supervisor explained that the crews on the East Coast didn't get as many calls as the crews out West, so they were wanting to incorporate canines that could be used on arson, rescue and cadaver calls. The trainers and dogs were on their way there. The crew would be getting one dog for now with the possibility of more later. The Supervisor then retired to the coffee pot while Luke and Randy explained all this to the team to see who was most interested. It didn't surprise Luke at all when Lisa and Casey were the most eager to be official handlers. Back in Hazzard BL was training her new help, Ellen Sue Henderson, a widow about 10 years older than BL herself. BL hoped with part time help she could take time off more easily to do things with Dixie and Daisy who didn’t really have a regular off day. She wanted off Saturdays too, so she could spend the day with Bo once he finished his farm chores. “You put the mail to be delivered here and mail going out here,” BL said. “Got it,” Ellen Sue replied. Luther Davenport circled Hazzard Square a bit earlier than usual. As he passed Miz Tisdale's house, he noticed both Dixie and Luke's vehicles were gone. Looking to the garage, he saw the wrecker backed in, ready to go on a call. He had been through several drivers since Luke last drove for him, so from habit, he walked to the door of the truck and tried the door handle, it was locked. Luther unlocked the truck and saw in the seat a tow ticket for the Sheriff's Department. The description read, 'Pulled Cletus's patrol car out of ditch.’ Luther took the ticket to put in the Sheriff's file. As he walked over to open the garage, as much as he hadn't liked the idea years ago, or a couple months ago, he couldn't deny that it was good to have someone around the garage who did things his way. As soon as the truck pulled in with the dogs, Luke saw Casey and Lisa light up. "They are not pets. They are working dogs." he cautioned. Luke was expecting German Shepherds, German police, or any other form of big working dog. What came out of the back of the truck were miniature Dachshunds! At the Duke farm, Daisy was hanging out some laundry to dry while she did the rest of her housework before going to work this afternoon. Boss Hogg might have given her the weekend off but was making her work overtime all week to make up for not having his best waitress those days. Bo was up on the house nailing down some tin, Saturday night’s storm had blowed loose. As Casey and Lisa turned from trained professionals to how most people do around newborn babies, Luke's mouth let fly what he was thinking, "What are they?" The trainers had several dogs with them. One replied to Luke's question, "Is it ready?" The supervisor nodded 'yes'. The trainer gave the dog a command, its nose went to the ground and began smelling the ground from side to side, pulling at its harness, trying to get the trainer to walk faster. As the dog went around the side of the building, there were two charred areas of dirt. It took a brief sniff at the first pile and hurried to the second, sniffed a few times and began a cross between a bark, a cry, and a total conversation as it sat down looking very proud of itself. The Supervisor nodded 'yes' again. The trainer explained the Supervisor had gotten there early, before anyone and set two places of grass on fire. One had an accelerant, the other didn't. The dog had alerted to the right one. The trainer said, "OK. Now that you all know their noses work. Let's go see what else they can do." One of the first questions was why they were using such small dogs. They were informed so the dogs could be harnessed to their chest and jump with them. In Hazzard BL was still showing Ellen Sue all the stuff she needed to know to run things at the post office if BL wasn’t there. “If someone’s wanting to rent a PO box, you need two forms of identification and one must be a photo ID. Then you look in this book here that’s under the counter to see what’s available.” BL said. Just as BL finished her instructions, a middle aged couple entered the post office. “Hello, how may I help you?” Ellen Sue asked. “We’d like to get a PO box, please,” the man replied. “Alright, I’ll need two forms of ID,” Ellen Sue replied. Getting the book from under the counter Ellen Sue asked what size box was needed, then found a vacant one in the list, wrote down the information and checked both forms of ID making sure all the information was correct, before accepting pay. “Good job Ellen Sue, you did that perfect! Now I don’t ask everybody to show ID and take a number the way Miz Tisdale did, I just ask for ID from those I don’t know very well, so ask everybody if that makes you more comfortable when I’m not here,” BL said. At Base Camp, Luke and his team got to know the dogs. See how they were harnessed up for jumps and searches. The instructor asked before the break, "So, are there any questions?" Casey spoke up, "Which one is ours?" The trainer laughed, "Well, if you all are on board with the new program, ..." He walked over and took the leash of a medium brown miniature Dachshund and brought him over to Casey and Lisa, "This is Scrapie. Why don't ya’ll get to know each other on break." Meanwhile back in Hazzard, BL was getting ready to show Ellen Sue how helpful Sadie was delivering the mail. “You ready Ellen Sue, delivering the mail is the funnest part of the job, for me and Sadie, Miz Tisdale seemed to enjoy it too. She tickled me the way she zipped around on her motorcycle,” BL said grinning. “Ready when you are. What's so fun about driving all over the county:? Ellen Sue asked. ”You’ll see, C’mon Sadie, time to deliver the mail,” BL replied. Sadie ran to the post office’s back door wagging her tail. In the car, Ellen Sue got in BL’s passenger seat and they headed out of town, first stopping at Grannie Annie Coggins “here Sadie take this to Grannie,” BL gave Sadie the small stack of mail. Ellen Sue was about to get out of the car and let Sadie out, when the dog leaped over the side of the car, leaping back in with one graceful jump, her task complete. The same performance was repeated at the Widow Baxley, Tolliver, Marley and Venible farms. “Wow BL that’s amazing, How’d you teach her to do that”? Ellen Sue asked, amazed “I didn’t teach her to take the mail to folks, just told her to and she did,” BL replied. At Tri Counties, Dixie was having her own difficulties. It was Monday morning and she was dealing with everyone who had been arrested, transported to tri counties over the weekend who had not bonded out but desperately wanted to contact friends, family, anyone who would come post bond for them. Dixie worked her floor with all the normal activities that went on while trying to give the inmates in the holding cells ample time in the booking room where they had access to the phone at an unheard of cost to call across town. By lunch, anyone who could have bonded out had done so. Dixie sat down after lunch was served on her floor for the first time in her shift. Her boots felt tight as she loosened her laces a bit. At Base Camp, Scrapie wasn't all that sure that he wanted to meet new people and managed to give a low growl as he was petted and loved on by all. In Hazzard, Daisy finished her housework, brought in the laundry and folded it but she didn’t have time to put it away before leaving for work so left Bo’s on his bed, Uncle Jesse’s on his bed and her own in the chair in her room, she'd put it away tomorrow. Bo was hoeing the garden as Daisy left, waving as she went by. Bo couldn’t wait for ‘happy hour’ at the Boar’s Nest. He was looking forward to a cold beer or 2 and hearing about everybody’s day. Back in the training room, the Trainers began going over the care that was expected for Scrapie. One of the requirements had the girls and even the crew begin to look from one to the other when the trainer advised that when not working or at Base Camp Scrapie would live with one of the handlers. He noticed something was amiss with the crew, "What? Is something wrong?" It was Luke who responded, "During fire season, these guys all share a house. There is a no pet clause." He said knowingly as he too had shared the house previously. "Well, that really should not be an issue. Scrapie is not a pet." the Trainer said. Luke nodded, "That may or may not work, but what if I take the training to be a handler? If their landlord raises a fuss, then I could take him home with me." The crew was all for that. "I don't see a problem. The more handlers we have, the better the program should do." At the garage in Hazzard, Cooter had tried to keep out of Luther’s way. So when a wrecker call came in from Dobro Doolin he wasted no time saying he was on his way, “be back as soon as I can Dad,” Cooter said as he walked toward the wrecker. What he saw when he got to the right place on route 4 was the two prettiest girls he’d ever seen, pulling around in front of the old Buick that was spewing steam like a geyser. Cooter parked on the shoulder of the road. “Whewee she sure is hot, where you ladies headed?” Cooter said then added “I’m Cooter Davenport.” “I’m Susie and this is my best friend, Katie Beth. We’re on our way to Dixville County” Susie replied. “Nice to meet you ladies, looks like its the radiator, tell you what, I’ll tow ya’ll back to town and while I work on your car you can go to the cafe or coffee shop, get out of this heat awhile.” Cooter said. In no time flat the car was hooked up and they were all headed back to the garage. A few minutes later, Dobro pulled up to the garage, slicked his hair back with his fingers and went into the garage trying to look innocent as he was looking around for the girls who were in the Buick. Not seeing them, he had to ask, "Where's the girls?" Cooter motioned toward town, "The coffee shop, Cafe, likely somewhere cooler than here." "You let them get away?" Dobro said glumly. "It's not like they won't be back for their car." Cooter said. "Is it serious?" Dobro asked, a bit hopeful. "Hole in the radiator. Some stop leak should have them on their way." Cooter said. Dobro looked at him like he had three heads, "Are you crazy? Surely, it would be better to drain the radiator, clean it real good, and weld that hole up proper like. That way we could get to know them a bit, maybe talk them into staying a bit longer, go to the Boar's Nest with us." Dobro was too busy talking to notice Cooter trying to hush him as the girls in question walked into the garage behind Dobro. “Well what's the problem,”Susie asked, getting straight to the point. “You got yourselves a hole in the radiator, ladies,” Cooter replied. “How long will it take to fix it? Katie Beth, spoke for the first time. “Well not long, maybe half hour to an hour, if I just use some stop leak of course that ain’t no permanent fix, you’ll still need to take it in to a garage and have that hole welded up,” Mary Beth spoke up again, asking “how long will that take?” “A few hours atleast, the radiator will need a good cleaning after it’s drained before it can be welded,” Cooter explained. “We got a nice hotel, real affordable if ya’ll got time to stick around. You should get that radiator fixed proper as soon as possible and Cooter’s the best mechanic in the state,” Dobro boasted. The young ladies looked at each other for a moment then Katie Beth asked “where’s the hotel?” “Hop in my car there yonder and I’ll take you,” Dobro said. “I’ll get those for you ma’am” Cooter helped Susie put a couple suitcases in Dobro’s car, adding “I'll get on this radiator first thing tomorrow, I got a coupla jobs to wrap up before I can start on this.” Dobro saw Cooter was being all business, so he knew if they were gonna ask the girls out, that he'd be the one asking. "Ladies, since ya'll are stuck here tonight and all, would ya'll maybe care to join us for a bite to eat, maybe a beer." "That sounds good, Susie said. “Ya’ll give me about an hour and we’ll all go over to the Boar’s Nest, the beer’s watered down but they got the best barbeque this side of the Mississippi,” Cooter replied. Dobro took the girls to the hotel and got them settled. At the garage Cooter did a few more small jobs then went to the bathroom in the back of the garage to get cleaned up and put on a clean shirt. An hour later exactly Dobro picked up Katie Beth, in his car and Cooter picked up Susie in the wrecker, then they all went to the Boar’s Nest, where Daisy saw the guys come in with two girls she’d never seen before, going over she asked, “what can I get ya’ll? I’m Daisy by the way.” “Daisy this is Susie and Katie Beth, they had some car trouble and are staying at the hotel tonight until I can fix it tomorrow,” Cooter replied, then continued as he looked at each girl, “is the barbeque plate ok with ya’ll? It comes with fries and coleslaw.” Both nodded ‘yes’ so Cooter ordered 4 BBQ plates and 4 beers. Dixie's day at Tri-Counties was pretty normal, if there was such a thing. She had changed into jeans and was heading home, figuring to meet everyone at the Boar's Nest. Luke's day had been anything but normal. After the training, it was decided that the best course of action for Scrapie until they could get it approved with the girls' landlord would be to go home with Luke. So with a carrier in the back of the truck, a blanket, toys, leash, food, food bowls and Scrapie himself in Luke's passenger seat, he set out for Hazzard. Occasionally, Luke reached over to pet the little guy who seemed content enough to be petted after he had warmed up to the crew. By the time they reached Hazzard, Scrapie was standing with his front paws on the dash, the window seal, then on the arm rest. His nose was constantly going, his ears were flipped back. He was enjoying all the new smells of the country. BL smiled as she checked to make sure the post office back door was locked, it seemed like Ellen Sue was going to work out just fine. “Well, what do you think Sadie, you think Ellen Sue’s gonna work out?” BL headed for the Boar’s Nest. Sadie woofed her approval from the passenger seat, watching all the cars they met. Bo sat the last haybale on the stack, then picked up his shirt putting it back on and walking over, getting in General Lee, “Cold beer here I come,” Bo said aloud as he headed for the Boar’s Nest. Dixie pulled into the Boar's Nest only seeing the wrecker, Dobro's car and a few more cars, but not Luke's truck, the General Lee nor BL's cars were there yet. She checked the clock and shrugged her shoulders. She must have been thrifty as she was a few minutes earlier than normal. She took a minute to run a brush through her hair and went in to see if it was Cooter or her father in the wrecker. As she walked in Daisy asked on her way to take drinks to a table, "Hey Sugar. What will you be drinking?" Dixie replied, "It's hot out there. Iced tea and a lot of lemon." She wondered how long she could not order beer without raising people's suspicions. Luke pulled into the Boar’s Nest, put Scrapie's official training vest on him, attached his leash and said, "Alright, Scrapie, ready to have some fun with Ol Rosco?" He let Scrapie explore and wash his tires before they headed inside the bar. BL noticed the wrecker, Dobro’s car and several other cars were at the Boar’s Nest as she turned in. Dixie’s car and Luke’s truck were there already, she had dropped Sadie off at the cabinet shop, it was just too danged hot to leave the poor thing in the car while she was inside. BL checked her watch thinking she was bad late because both Dixie and Luke had got there before her. Bo came in, dust flying as he came to a screeching halt, climbing out the window, his boots hitting the gravel hard, he hurried to catch up with BL. Putting an arm around her waist, making it look like they’d come together instead of just meeting in the parking lot. “Hey darlin,” Bo kissed BL’s cheek. ”Hey Bo,” BL replied. No one paid Luke anymore attention today than they ever did when he walked in. No one even noticed the leash he was holding. Dixie was at an empty table, but it was beside Cooter’s table. She looked up from her conversation, saw Luke walk in and turned her attention back to the conversation at hand, "You'll get to meet my husband in just a second. He just came in." Dixie said to Cooter’s date. Luke leaned across the table, greeted Dixie with a kiss, sat down and patted his leg. Scrapie jumped immediately into his lap for a couple of reasons; one, he was trained to follow the handlers and two, the room was beginning to get crowded and Luke was the only one he knew. Now, Luke was getting more attention than normal all at the same time. Dixie asked, "Luke, who is your friend?" She saw the vest and though she wanted to love on the little guy knew better. Daisy was bringing Luke a beer when she saw the dog in the bar, "Luke, Honey, your friend sure is cute and all but he can't be in here, you know that. Though I'd rather have him than most of the paying customers." She let her hand drop to pet Scrapie. He backed up closer to Luke but gave Daisy the lowest growl. Luke scolded them both, "Scrapie hush. Daisy, you know not to come at him that way. He don't know you." Bo and BL went over to where Dixie and Luke sat, not really thinking he reached to pet the little dog on Luke’s lap the same way he did Flash, getting the same low growl Daisy had. Again Luke scolded both dog and cousin, “Scrapie hush, Bo you're as bad as Daisy, you know better than to reach out like that. He don’t know you.” “Aww Luke don’t scold him, the dog that is not Bo. Scrapie was only giving Bo a warning, you’d growl too if you was his size and seen that big ol’ hand coming at you, could be trouble,” BL said then continued, grinning “I should know.” “Cute,” Bo said, pretending to be put out. “I know I am,” BL replied, smirking. Cooter cleared his throat to get the other’s attention “Susie, Katie Beth this is Bo Duke, Luke’s and Daisy's cousin and the sassy blonde there is mine and Dixie’s cousin BL,” “Luke you know Rosco’s gonna have a conniption if he sees that dog in here,” BL said. Luke didn’t look worried and replied, “let him, ain’t really nothing he can do about it, as long as Scrapie’s wearing his vest.” “Speak of the devil,” Bo said when he saw Rosco come out of Boss Hogg’s office with Flash in his arms. As Rosco walked through the bar, he glanced around, seeing the Davenports and Dukes. There was Cooter, Bo, Luke, Luke's dog. Rosco thought. Then he said aloud to himself lowly, "Luke's dog. Luke don't have no dog. Luke does have a dog. That dog can't be in here." He turned to Luke and said louder, "Alright, Luke Duke you can't have a dog in here." Luke knew all eyes were on him.Dixie gave Cooter's lady friends an assuring look. Luke took a sip of his beer and asked, "Why not?" “Dogs ain’t allowed. That’s why not!” Rosco replied with an attitude. Bo put a few pieces of popcorn in his mouth, watching Luke spar with Rosco was better than anything on television. “You got Flash,” Luke said. “That’s different,” Rosco replied. “How so?” Luke retorted. BL took a drink of her beer watching the ‘show’ like everyone else in the bar. “Flash is a police dog,” Rosco said as justification for the basset hound’s presence. “Scrapie is a certified arson dog,” Luke said, pointing to Scrapie’s vest which said Arson Response K-9 In Training. "Certified Arson dog. My foot. What's this in training about?" Rosco questioned. Luke took another sip of his beer. "He's fully trained in Arson Detection, but still in training while he and my team complete training with him. Right now, he's working on his social skills." “What’s he need social skills for if he detects arson?” Rosco kept coming up with a new question for every answer Luke gave him. Dixie decided to see if she could ‘help’ since she had some knowledge on dogs who sniff out drugs, bombs and even aided in finding lost people, “Scrapie ain’t just going to encounter the same people everyday the way Flash does, he’s going to encounter strangers and lots of them. He can’t growl at them or worse try to bite them just because they try to touch him.” “Ok well I see your point there, biting is a naughty, naughty,” Rosco said. BALLADEER: The entire time Rosco talked, Flash never acknowledged that Scrapie was there. Most likely because he didn't have the energy. Scrapie also just watched the Sheriff and paid no attention to Flash. Luke instructed, " Scrapie let's work. Rosco put your hand out and let him smell it." Rosco did. Scrapie sniffed the Sheriff's hand once, twice, then sat back down on Luke's lap content. Luke replied, "Good job." And then gave Scrapie a small treat. Bo said, "Now wait a second. He growled at me when I tried to pet him." Luke nodded, "Put your hand out for him to smell." Bo did. Scrapie took a couple sniffs and sat down contently. Luke said, "Relax Scrapie. Now Bo, pet him." Scrapie sat there and let Bo pet him, but watched him closely. Luke gave him another treat. ”I gotta get, Daddy was moaning and groaning this morning about me abandoning him all weekend and he about starved to death. Luke, why don’t you and Dixie come for supper and bring Scrapie so him and Sadie can play,” BL said. “You coming Bo?” BL asked. “You bet darlin, I never turn down food, unless it’s pecan pie,” Bo replied. Luke waited for Dixie to answer. Dixie replied, "Sure, just as long as ya'll don't let your Aunts know. They would be beside themselves if they knew I wasn't cooking Luke's every meal." Bo replied, "Well, he has gotten a little thinner." Luke shot him a warning look. “Keep talking about my cousin that way and I’ll see that Daisy puts starch in your shorts and gives you cold grits for a week,” BL threatened. “I’d hush while I’m still ahead if I were you cousin,” Luke said. “I’ll see ya’ll in a while,” BL replied, heading for the door. Luke gave BL a little wave, "We'll be along in a bit. We'll likely drop a vehicle off and ride together like we like each other or something." "Cute." Dixie said. Taking a line from Bo, Luke replied, "I know." "Lucas Duke, one of these days...." Dixie said playfully. BL went by the cabinet shop before going home, just to see if Clyde was working late and she needed to pick up Sadie, the closed sign was in the window so she headed home. At home, Clyde was sitting on the porch swing, Sadie lay beside him. LB pulled in the driveway behind her. Dixie, Luke and Bo are coming for supper,” BL said to the men. Sadie hopped off the swing, barking a couple times to get BL’s attention, “And Luke has a new friend he’s bringing for you to play with,” BL leaned down to pet Sadie. “Luke got a dog? Did he talk it over with Dixie? I know she likes dogs but…” Clyde asked. “Well not exactly,” BL told them about Scrapie being an arson dog. “Luke can tell you more about it when they get here,” BL went inside to change clothes and cook supper. About 10 minutes later Bo pulled up at Clyde’s farm, getting out of General he saw LB and Clyde coming back from the goat pasture “hey LB, what’s shakin’? “Howdy Clyde.” “Not much was just another day, another dollar earned,” LB replied. “Come on up to the porch Bo, BL’s in the house cooking supper,” Clyde said. After parking her car, Dixie waved at Mrs. Kravitz then opened the door to Luke's truck. Sitting in her seat was Scrapie. "Alright fella. You got to move it a bit." Scrapie just looked at her and rolled over. Dixie moved her hand intending to move Scrapie. Scrapie gave just the smallest low growl. Luke reached over and picked him up, "You can't be growling like that. Scrapie licked his face as Dixie got in the truck. "It takes him some time to warm up to people." Luke said. "Not that I mind, ummmm, .... how and why do we have Scrapie," Dixie asked. Luke had expected this conversation sooner, "He's a new program. He's gonna work with the team, the girls will be the primary handlers, but Mr. Short won't stand for 'pets'. Yes, I know he's not a pet, but out here in the country is better for him. Besides, it keeps the crew from being hassled. After getting a beef roast in the oven, BL came back out onto the porch. It would take the meat awhile to cook, so she had a bit before she needed to put everything else on. “The beef roast will take about an hour,” BL said sitting beside Bo on the porch, Sadie getting between them, the same way she had at the movies last night until BL had moved her. Clyde had been keeping an eye on Bo and BL the last couple months, he believed Bo was a good man but he’d also heard the talk around the county for years, he didn’t want to see his baby girl hurt. Dixie let Scrapie sit on the folded down armrest / console, but put her hand near him. Then let him smell her hand, then began stroking his head. Scrapie let her pet him, even licked her hand but occasionally gave just a grr or gruff of a growl. "Look, Scrapie, if you are gonna be around, we may as well be friends." Dixie said. Luke gave a slight grin and asked, "Do you mind?" Dixie smiled back, "You know I love animals. No, of course, I don't mind, but I do want to be friends." Luke reached in his pocket and handed her some treats. "Try these." Dixie laughed, "Bribery?" She fed Scrapie a treat, then said, "OK, Scrapie. I'm gonna pet you and you're not going to growl." Scrapie replied with a small whine. Dixie patted his head then scratched his ears. No growls. Dixie said, "See you are a good boy." She gave him another treat as they pulled into BL's. Luke got out of the truck then reached in to get Scrapie, although he seemed willing to be friends enough to let Dixie pet him, he wasn’t ready to let her pick him up yet. Putting Scrapie’s leash on but not the vest this time, he set Scrapie on the ground “alright Scrapie you be nice, no growling, ain’t nobody here gonna hurt ya,” Luke said, going around to open Dixie’s door. Dixie got out and walked with Luke and Scrapie toward the others on the porch. Luke had the leash in his left hand with his right gently around Dixie's waist. Clyde was watching the older Duke's interaction with his niece more than he was watching the new dog. Luke's familiarity with Dixie was easy, real easy. Clyde could see how that could get under Luther's skin. Sadie jumped to her feet emitting a low growl seeing a strange dog in her domain, not really a sound of aggression but definitely not friendly, “Sadie hush! What’s gotten into you, you don’t act like that with Flash,” BL scolded. “It’s alright BL, she just ain’t used to another dog on her turf,” Luke said, keeping Scrapie on a short leash, while BL held onto Sadie’s collar letting the two dogs get each other’s scent a safe distance apart for now. After a few minutes, both dogs seemed alright with each other. Luke and the crew had worked with Scrapie enough that Luke trusted him enough to let him off his leash. "Want to play? Here, Scrapie, go play." Luke said, unclicking the leash. Scrapie noticed Sadie was a girl. Sadie, who was much bigger than Scrapie, wasn't interested and ran. Scrapie ran after her. A playful game of tag ensued. Luke told Clyde and LB about the program the forestry service was trying out with the arson dogs and how his team shared a house but the girls that had trained to be handler, couldn’t take Scrapie home with them due to a no pets clause in their lease so he had taken the training and brought Scrapie home with him, meanwhile BL and Dixie finished cooking supper. “Why don’t we eat out here at the picnic table, that way we can keep an eye on the pups while they play,” BL suggested to everybody when she came to tell them it was done. “Sounds good to me, it was hot and stuffy at work,” Dixie said. The men agreed. So they had a nice supper in the cool shade of the oak tree. Sadie and Scrapie took a rest on the porch but were now back at it, Sadie was pinning Scrapie to the ground by putting her leg over him. To some watching at a distance it might’ve looked like the bigger dog was being aggressive but as soon as Scrapie got loose another game of chase ensued. After supper LB left to go see Polly Parker, a girl he’d been seeing off and on for a couple months. The girls left the rest of the men to watch the dogs and talk while they cleaned up, then returned to the porch. Dixie sat down on the step below where Luke sat resting herself against him as he talked. Luke had anticipated her movements and had changed position so she could sit down. Bo saw BL walking toward where he sat on the swing. He had shifted to the end of the swing with his arm on the swing back. When BL sat down, Bo's arm fell easily around her shoulder. He couldn't put his finger on why, but these little movements by the kids were getting under Clyde's skin. Then the why had hit him. He knew his niece was married to the oldest Duke, so he knew she had been in his arms and his bed. Clyde looked to his daughter and Bo Duke. Something had changed, this wasn't just his daughter beating him in pool. No, in his mind, something here had changed. The dogs had worn themselves out and came up on the porch, Scrapie flopped down beside Luke and Sadie went over to where BL and Bo were on the swing, flopping at BL’s feet, it was a bit cooler down on the cement porch. Luke was telling Clyde about how Rosco had reacted to Scrapie being in the Boar’s Nest. “You should have seen the look on his face when I told him about Scrapie being an arson dog and showed him the writing on Scrapie’s vest,” Luke chuckled. “Wouldn’t it really bug him if Sadie had a U.S.A postal carrier vest,” BL said. “Yeah it would, can’t you make one?” Bo asked, grinning. “Bo, I can’t just make a vest and pretend it's from the postal service, just to get Rosco’s goat,” BL replied then continued “can I Dixie?” BL asked her cousin, the only law enforcement in the county that didn’t try to pass off phony laws, usually at Boss Hogg’s orders. Dixie thought about it, "I don't really know, but we all know someone who knows those blamed postal regulations up one side and down the other. We can ask Miz Tisdale the next time we see her. Sadie does help deliver the mail, so it's not a stretch. If it can happen, she would be all game to get Rosco." They all had a good laugh. Luke looked down where Scrapie was laid out by his foot, "Scrapie, are you ready to go see your home away from home, at least for awhile?" Scrapie jumped up at his name, ready for anything. “I best be getting home too, still have to do the evening chores,” Bo said, not moving though. “It’s still early, we can come out and I’ll help ya,” Luke offered. “It’s alright, go on home and get Scrapie settled,” Bo replied. “Ok, we’ll see ya tomorrow, come on Scrapie let’s go,” Luke helped Dixie up, then put his right arm around her waist, leaving Scrapie off his leash as the three went to the truck. Bo finally stood up and BL stood with him, Sadie coming alive, not about to be left behind. Walking to General Lee, Bo put his arm around BL’s waist in the same comfortable, familiar way Clyde saw Luke do with Dixie and it just set the wrong way for some reason. Bo stopped when the cab of Clyde’s truck blocked the view of the couple from the porch. Bo pulled BL to him and cupped the back of her head, lowering his lips to hers for a slow deep kiss. BL and Sadie came back on the porch as Bo headed out. Clyde let his chair come back down on its four feet, looked at BL, and asked, "Ain't you been seeing a lot of that boy lately?" BALLADEER:Friends, this don’t look good. BL shrugged, not sure what the big deal was all of the sudden. Sitting back down on the swing, rubbing Sadie’s belly with her toes. Clyde asked, "So when is the last time you went out with anyone else?" “I don’t remember but what does it matter? I ain’t in high school now, back then a different boy every week was ok, they call girls my age trollips if they change guys as often as socks,” BL replied. Clyde wouldn't disagree with BL’s points but said, "It's just that how many young men are gonna ask you out if they think you are someone's steady date. You aren't, are you?" “So what if I am? Me and Bo have known each other our whole lives just about and I know just about all there is to know about him. Wouldn’t you rather I know a guy before things get serious than find out bad things he did after things get serious?” BL asked. Clyde said, "Well, Jesse raised them boys right, but as for bad things, he's done, .... I could likely make a list a mile long. Just for starters, he's dated every waitress at the Boar's Nest besides Daisy. He's led them on and then showed up with another one. If you look around that there Post Office of yours, I'm sure you'll find about a half a dozen wanted posters on Bo and Luke, for that matter. “I mean really bad things Daddy like forcing himself on a girl and taking advantage of her. He has played around I’ll give you that but so have alot of guys,” BL said, thinking LB for one. Her brother was on his third girl this month but she kept that to herself. The only wanted posters the post office gets are big time criminals,” BL said, having what she thought were reasonable explanations for all her father’s concerns. "It seems I remember one for bank robbery, another for armored car robbery. " Clyde knew Rosco and Boss, but he was trying to prove a point. “Those were frame ups and you know it! Bo nor Luke for that matter would ever do those kinds of things,” BL said, adding “anymore than I would commit mail fraud, which Boss Hogg framed me for and I was arrested,” BL was trying to make her own point. Clyde huffed, "Don't mention all that to me. My girl arrested for the love of God. Your mother would have a fit." Clyde took a breath, let it out and asked the question he knew he may not want to know the answer to, "Are you serious about that Duke?" “Yes sir, Bo ain’t flirted with or even really talked to another single girl since we’ve been going out," BL replied. Clyde shook his head. It was true. He hadn't seen Bo with any other girl but he hadn't been watching him closely like he now planned to do. "Alright, so ya'll are steady dating. BL, is it more serious?" BL knew exactly what she was being asked but wasn’t about to open a whole new can of worms so asked a question back, “what do you mean exactly by more serious?” Clyde suddenly stood up, walked to the far end of the porch then back stopping in front of BL, "I'm trying real hard not to be Luther. But, Brandy Lou Davenport, ... are you sharing his bed?" BL’s eyes opened wide, she could not believe he’d asked her that straight out. Not wanting to tell a bold face lie about being with Bo even though it was just once, she answered truthfully to the direct question “you know Uncle Jesse don’t allow no such behavior in his house,” BL continued before Clyde could say more “and he ain’t been in my bed either, he don’t have a death wish to do that in your house right under your nose.” Clyde felt he needed answers now or never, "You lived in town for months, Brandy Lou." He said sternly. “He stayed ONE night, during that time but so did Cooter, Luke, Daisy and Dixie,” BL said, putting emphasis on one. “The guys all camped out downstairs in the livingroom and us girls slept upstairs. Clyde dropped his head a bit, "I'm sorry, I just want what's best for you even if you don't agree with me all the time. I know both those boys seem to have calmed down some. But, I just don't see that one ever settling down. Just don't make the mistake of getting knocked up. He'd drop you like a hot potato if he was given half a chance." Clyde stomped off the porch. He needed a walk. BL put her head in her hands, she hadn’t told a bold face lie but she hadn’t been totally honest, truth was she knew the disappointment she’d have seen in Clyde’s eyes had she told him she had been with Bo. He’d been wrong about Bo’s actions if he ever got her pregnant, he’d stayed with her all week when he didn’t know for sure, he could have cut and run but hadn’t. “C’mon Sadie, Mama needs a drive,” BL went inside to get her keys and leave Clyde a note. Gone for a drive needed to think’ BL left a note on the door and went to her car and headed out to where she didn’t know exactly.. In town, Luke parked his truck behind Dixie's car. "Scrapie, do you want to see your yard boy? Come on." Luke, Dixie and Scrapie walked to the back of the house for Scrapie to explore and mark his territory everywhere that Sadie had marked it. Dixie watched the playful dog going from place to place peeing, "This could take awhile. Want anything?" "A beer would be good." Luke said. Dixie returned a few minutes later with Luke's beer, her iced tea and Scrapie a bowl of water for the back porch. "I figured he'd be parched by now as much as he has peed." Luke grinned as he took a sip of beer. He saw the iced tea Dixie held. Before Luke could say anything, both he and Dixie heard BL's car pass the house. "Wonder where she's going?" Luke asked. Dixie replied, "Well, it wasn't here, it's not to see Bo, ..." She said, noting the direction BL was heading. “Hang on, I’ll radio and see what she’s doing,” Dixie said, heading inside grabbing her car keys then going out to her Thunderbird, sitting in the seat and cranking it. Picking up the CB mic and keying it, “Little Shotgun to Sweet Talker, come back,” Dixie hailed her cousin. “Sweet Talker here,” BL picked up and keyed her mic. “Something wrong? Me and Luke heard your car pass the house but you didn’t stop,” Dixie said. “I got some things on my mind, was just driving and thinking,” BL replied. Dixie replied, "Alright. Yell or stop back by if you need anything. Scrapie is watering the yard so we are out back." “I could use a little girl talk, if Luke don’t mind me borrowing you for a little bit. Say at the old playground, where we all met up when we skipped school or work in Luke’s and Cooter’s case,” BL replied. "I can do that. Give me a few minutes." Dixie replied, then went to the backyard. "Would you mind bonding with Scrapie alone for a bit? BL needs to talk a bit." Luke waved her on, "Go ahead. I'm gonna take his crate in with his bowls, toys and such, then get him fed so we can all relax when you get back." "Sounds good. I'll be right back." Dixie said about to head to the car. Luke said, "Come on Scrapie, let's go move the truck." Luke said. Dixie nodded, "It would be easier that way." After Luke moved his truck, Dixie got in her car and headed to the old playground. BL paced back and forth in front of her car until Dixie pulled in behind the GTO and Sadie put a paw on the back of her leg. “I think, no I know me and Bo are busted,” BL said, by way of greeting. Dixie was confused, "Busted? How? What are you talking about?" “After you, Luke and Bo left, out of nowhere Daddy asked me and I quote, ‘ain’t you seeing alot of that boy lately?’, BL replied. Dixie nodded, "Gosh I hated those talks, though most of those actual talks came from Mom. I think that is why I just didn't go out much. But, you know, .... you have been seeing a lot of Bo." Dixie couldn't resist egging BL on just a bit. “Hey now! You’re supposed to be on my side. It got worse from there. Daddy asked was I serious about Bo, no big deal there really…But then he asked if I was sharing Bo’s bed. Dixie I was mortified,” BL replied. "Surely not as mortified as I was getting caught in the back seat of the General with Luke by two State Troopers." Dixie reminded. "You are an adult. You were living on your own. Wouldn't he rather ya’'ll to share a bed than roll in the hay." “No that was worse,” BL said remembering well. “He’d rather we don’t do either. I took the question at face value and answered literally, that he knew Uncle Jesse wouldn’t allow that to go on in his house. I added Bo didn’t have no death wish to be in my bed right under his nose. I left out the other night at the house in town, ALL we did that night was sleep, you should know cos you and Luke were across the hall,” BL said. Dixie gave BL a look. "You can tell him anything you want to, but if ya'll hadn't gotten real lucky, it wouldn't have mattered what you had told before. Everyone would have known just how close ya'll have become." “I know that. I would have told him if there was reason to but there’s not. So no harm done right?” BL said. "Right. So, why are we out here with you freaking out?" Dixie asked. “I don’t know, he just blindsided me. Go home to your husband and Scrapie. I’ll see ya’ll tomorrow. BL said. 'I'm here with you. Now, what gives that this is picking now for you to freak out about." Dixie said. “I don’t know,” BL said, she really didn’t know why she was so freaked out. Dixie replied, "So sit down over here and let's figure it out." Dixie said. BL gave the chains on the swing a good yank, the swings frame was rusted and so were the chains, it all seemed sturdy enough still, so she sat down on the swing’s seat replying. “Maybe I freaked because we were being watched closer than I realized.” Dixie knew the feeling of being watched too closely for her liking, "Now you know how I felt when I first got back." “Yeah I do and I have the feeling it ain’t over,” BL replied. Sadie had wandered a ways away once Dixie had calmed BL down, sniffing at some weeds the dog jumped back startled when a rabbit hopped out. Startled quickly turned into a chase. "Why do you think that? Have you and Bo come to terms with ya’lls 'near miss'?" Dixie asked. “Why do I think that?” BL repeated. “Because as reasonable as Daddy usually is, has its limits and like it or not, I’ll always be his baby girl. Same way you’ll always be Luther’s,” BL continued. “What exactly do you mean by 'come to terms’?”, BL asked. Dixie nodded. She knew BL was right about being Luther's baby girl. "I mean, there is only one sure way for it not to happen again. Are you both really gonna go back to holding hands or risk that happening again? Next time, it might not be a false alarm and if it's not then are you both prepared to face that?" Dixie added, "With Luke and me it was only a matter of time before we would have married. This just forced us to hurry things along." Dixie said, rubbing her flat belly. “No we ain’t going back to just holding hands. Yeah we are, the night of the reception we took Sadie for a walk and Bo asked me was I ready to settle down even if there was no baby,” BL replied. Dixie listened to her cousin. Then asked, "So,.... are ya’ll engaged? Officially?" She thought for sure this was something BL would have told her by now. Caught a bit off guard, BL nearly fell off the swing, “engaged? No, not officially or unofficially, that has been the only time the subject has ever been brought up,” BL shook her head ‘no’. Dixie couldn't help herself, she had to repeat what she was hearing, "OK, So ya'll are just gonna keep messing around and if and when you get pregnant, ya'll are both good with settling down because there is a baby coming? BL? Really?" “Dixie the ONLY baby coming is YOURS and LUKE’S,” BL said, stressing the words only, yours and Luke. “I told you I was getting birth control as soon as you went to the doctor, remember, unless you ain’t going anytime soon,” BL said. Dixie reminded, "No birth control is full proof." “I know that proof is sitting next to me. But maybe if Bo wears protection AND I’m taking birth control we’ll be atleast partially safe,” BL replied. By now Sadie had given up on her rabbit chase and come back, laying under the shade. "Maybe." Dixie said, "But if you want Bo as your husband, waiting until you might get pregnant may not be the best way to get him." “I agree but it’s not just the matter of me wanting him as a husband. He has to want me for a wife,” BL replied. Dixie replied, "Exactly. So if he asked you if you were ready to settle down, was that a proposal or not?" “Could have been, I really didn’t answer him. I suppose me and him should have a conversation and put all our cards on the table and make sure we’re on the same page, huh? BL asked, looking at Dixie. Dixie looked at BL. "You need to know where Bo stands and what you expect before you put yourself in a situation that you think that you know what you are expecting from him." “I know, it just never seems like a good time for what may be the most important conversation we will ever have,” BL replied. "I understand, but you both owe it to each other before you both continue. You both may be expecting far more of each other than either of you know and that's just not fair." Dixie explained. “You’re right, I’ll do my best this weekend to make time for us to go somewhere quiet and talk, BL said. Dixie said slowly, "You have to know where each other stands. Luke has my back no matter what. Just like with Scrapie, I have his. He didn't have to ask." “I hear you and understand,” BL assured her cousin. Dixie added, "Bo is a good guy, but you both need to know what the other expects. Now I got to get home before Scrapie thinks he can sleep in my spot." “Who says he won’t think that even if you’re home?” BL grinned, getting off the swing. “C’mon Sadie, let's go home,” BL called, heading to her car. When Dixie walked into the living room, Scrapie was up and barking. Luke laid his hand on the dog's back, "Easy fella, she lives here too." Scrapie gave another half woof and laid back down by Luke's left leg. Dixie went to the couch to sit beside Luke. Scrapie moved closer to Luke with a grunt of protest. "I think you are becoming his human." Dixie said, snuggling against Luke around Scrapie. "He'll learn that Lisa and Casey are his humans." Luke said. At the Duke farm, Bo was going through his dresser drawers, looking for the velvet ring boxes that contained his mother’s engagement ring and the wedding band his father had put on her finger when they got married. He couldn’t have really explained why it was so important to locate them, this very night but something told him it was. Daisy came in the house quietly after closing the Boar's Nest. As she quietly made her way down the hall she heard a dresser draw shut, then another. She could see the light shining under Bo's door. Knocking quietly, Daisy asked “Bo did you lose something?” “No, just didn’t remember which drawer I put the chore money I been saving in,” Bo replied. He knew if he told Daisy what he was really looking for, she’d wake the whole county and have his wedding planned before he even gave the ring to his girl. “Ok, goodnight,” Daisy said, going to her room. “Night Daisy,” Bo replied. Daisy heard several more drawers open and close before Bo laid down. He had laid down but sleep was nowhere near. He was trying to come to terms with what he would have done if BL had been pregnant. He knew after the fact, what Luke went through to convince Dixie he was not marrying her because she was pregnant. Bo drifted off into a half sleep....he and Luke were driving down a Hazzard back road when he glanced in his rear view mirror and saw a backseat filled with pink car seats. Bo sat up so fast he fell right out of his bed and landed with a loud thump on the floor. Bo scrubbed his face with both hands, he hoped atleast two of those carseats had belonged to Luke. Jesse Duke had trained himself long ago when the boys and Daisy were little, to wake at the slightest sound from their bedrooms and which room it came from. Hearing the loud thump, he got up and went to his nephew’s room, “Bo are you alright,”? Jesse asked as he came in just as Bo was getting off the floor. “Yes sir, I’m fine Uncle Jesse,” Bo replied. Bo got out of the floor and sat on the side of his bed. His breathing was short and fast as if he'd been running a foot race. Bo tried to go back to sleep but he kept seeing those pink carseats and he thought about David and Jeannie Ann having twins, the thought of having twins of his own scared him but not as bad as the idea of having twin girls. In town, Luke had set up Scrapie's small crate across the bedroom, put a small bowl of food and water out and an emergency training pad. As Dixie sat on the bed, she gave Luke the biggest puppy dog eyes, "You aren't gonna make him sleep in there are you?" Luke knew he was beat. "It's set up and open. If he feels more comfy there he can sleep there." Luke sat down on the bed leaving Scrapie in the floor. Scrapie checked out the pad, the bowls and went in the crate. He laid down looking out the open door giving his own puppy dog eyes. Luke merely said, "Alright,...." With that alone, Scrapie went to the bed’s edge to be picked up since he had been trained not to jump on furniture because it is bad for their backs. "Just don't rat me out to Lisa and Casey." Luke said as he and Dixie were being covered in wet puppy dog kisses. BL had gone home thinking about all she and Dixie had talked about, mentally exhausted from the talk with Clyde then Dixie, hugging Sadie as she drifted into a restless sleep. The next morning Bo came in first thing before the Post Office got busy, he had an important question for BL. “Morning Bo, you’re kind of early to pick up the mail, I just barely got started sorting it,” BL said. “It’s ok darlin’ I ain’t here for the mail. I wanted to ask ya something that ain’t nobody’s business but ours, so thought it best to ask in person,” Bo replied. BL said, “Ok, what is it?” Bo took a breath, picturing the General Lee’s backseat full of carseats “are there twins in your family?” BL replied, “I don’t think so, Mama was an only child.” Bo nodded, feeling a bit better, "What about in the Davenports? I ain't really ever paid attention before." “No just Luther, Daddy and BB’s dad Uncle Bufford,” BL shook her head ‘no’ replying, wondering why the family tree quiz. Bo took in a deeper breath, feeling that it might be safe to breathe now. "Ok. Good. Great, great, yeah,... really great." “Something else on your mind Bo?” BL asked, Bo was acting strange plus he seemed to be at a loss for words. "Do you think we could skip the Boar's Nest tonight? Maybe go for a drive up by the lake for a while?" Bo asked as the post office door opened for Mrs. Smith. “Sure, I can even let Ellen Sue close up for me, if I need to,” BL said, turning to Mrs. Smith before Bo could say anything. She wanted to get rid of the busy body as quickly as possible, so that the conversation with Bo wouldn’t become the latest gossip. “Hello Mrs. Smith What can I do for you this lovely morning? BL asked with a smile. “Morning Mrs. Smith ma’am,” Bo said politely, remembering his manners. “Good morning. Is my mail ready?” Mrs. Smith asked, seeing that BL was still in the process of sorting the mail. “Yes ma’am, here you go,” BL handed over Mrs. Smith’s mail and waved goodbye as she left. Bo suddenly felt better as he climbed in the General Lee heading for the farm. A bit later he glanced in his rear view mirror when a case of deja vu hit him as the image from his dream flashed before his eyes. It had been a slow day at the Post Office, giving BL plenty of time to think about Bo’s questions this morning and what he wanted to talk about at the lake. Ellen Sue was sick and had called midmorning to say she wouldn’t be in for her afternoon shift. “C’mon Sadie we gotta meet Bo at the lake,” BL headed out for Sunset lake once Sadie loaded up in the GTO. BL picked up and keyed the CB mic“Sweet Talker to Lost Sheep 2, you got your ears on? I’m headed toward the rendezvous spot, what’s your 20?” BL was vague about giving details over the air figuring Rosco was listening but he was going to have to look high and low to find them, if he had ideas of giving bogus tickets or false arrest. Luke, Scrapie and Dixie had all left pretty much together, but with Luke heading to Base Camp and Dixie toward Tri-Counties jail. When Dixie got to work, it was no surprise that the daily count was up. It happened over most weekends, but payday weekends were known to be worse. Dixie had poured a cup of coffee and began looking at the paperwork from the weekend when she couldn't help notice a particular name....Ernie Leadbetter. She couldn't help but both dread him being there and finding just a bit of humor in it. Luke and Scrapie arrived a couple minutes early. Today would be a day of routine training while adding Scrapie into the routine. Bo was just about to tell BL he was leaving the farm when he saw Rosco jump in behind General Lee as Bo passed Rosco’s favorite speed trap “dangit Rosco!,” Bo said to the empty car. “Alright Bo Duke, pull over so I can give you a ticket,” Rosco said in his CB mic. “No way Rosco, I wasn’t speeding,” Bo replied, pressing the gas pedal to the floor. “Hot pursuit, I love it, I love it. Buckle up for safety Flash,” Rosco said to his basset hound in the passenger seat. “Lost Sheep 2 to Sweet Talker, I’m headed that way too but I picked up 1 Rosco P. Coltrane, be there soon as I shake him,” Bo said. “10-4,” BL replied. Going down to the water, skipping rocks while waiting for Bo. Bo in the meantime was trying to outrun Rosco. Part of the training with Scrapie was for him to find a 'victim', which meant various team members took turns being the victim. Luke went out in the nearby wooded area, waded a small stream, stepped from rock to rock and did everything he could to make his tracks and smell hidden. When Scrapie was given Luke's jacket to smell, he took off in a flash, pulling and tugging on his leash. He took Casey over logs, rocks, in and out of the stream, up and down the creek bank. His ears were flipped back his nose on the ground, up in the air to catch the wind, back to the ground, then up stream on the creek bank to a large fallen log, over the log and onto Luke's back, up his torso. Scrapie then promptly began licking Luke's face while still standing on his back. Casey hit the stop watch, "Good job, Scrapie!" She praised. "Good boy! ... Here's your treat...." Scrapie kept licking Luke, who was trying to get up, with a face full of dog tongue. Finally able to sit up, Luke picked up the miniature dog, "Good boy, see, I'm alright." Luke said while Scrapie was still licking his neck, face and ears. "Come on boy. Let me up. You did good. You 'saved' me." The more Luke praised him, the harder Scrapie's tail wagged and the more he licked. Luke finally got Scrapie in a position where he could stand up, then tried to put him down. Scrapie was not having it. Luke ended up taking the leash from Casey and carrying Scrapie back to the others. At the garage Cooter was pounding out the dents in Cletus’s patrol car as Bo flew by in the General Lee with Rosco right behind him. Cooter looked up, grinned and went back to work. Bo led Rosco out of town on Mill Road, back shifted and sped up for a clean getaway when his right front tire blew, sending the General into a hard spin to the left. Bo gripped the wheel tighter, attempting to get the General back under control. He slid to a stop just after passing under a low hanging branch that just happened to break the CB antenna clean into. Bo slapped the steering wheel as he cut the car off and slid out the window. He was greeted by the familiar voice of none other than Rosco, who was having a much better day than he was. "Freeze, just freeze, freeze it right there." Rosco said. Bo didn't stop until his feet were on the ground. "Just get against the car. You are under arrest." Rosco said. Bo looked at him confused. "For not speeding or getting a flat and nearly getting killed?" Bo asked. Rosco was pulling his cuffs out, but Bo was so surprised at Rosco's reply that he never saw them until Rosco had him cuffed, "For resisting arrest!" Rosco giggled, "Now, I just got to search you for weapons." Bo replied as Rosco started patting him down, "I ain't got no weapons and you know it." Rosco felt a bulge in Bo's left front pocket, "No weapons? Then what is this?" Swearing to himself, Bo replied, "It's not any weapon. Rosco, don't open that!" Rosco had already retrieved the small box from Bo's pocket. "Rosco! Don't! Don't open that or you're gonna spoil everything!" "Tiddly tuddly! Spoil what? Your hiding weapons, or drugs, or, or, ....'" Rosco opened the box, "Or a ring! A ring!! Now, I got you, you have been gotten! You are under arrest for resisting arrest and grand theft ring!!!" Later, back in Hazzard, Rosco pulled up in front of the Courthouse towing the General with a chain behind him. When he stopped the unattended General Lee bumped the patrol car. Rosco unhooked the chain connecting the cars, tossing it in his trunk. “Jjit, your car done scuffed my patrol car! Get on out of there,” Rosco said, opening the back door of his patrol car. Cooter looked over at the courthouse and saw Rosco towing the General Lee, “Well now this can’t be good,” Cooter said, reaching for the CB in the car he was working on. Bo was only allowed one phone call and naturally he’d call Uncle Jesse but he had a meeting at the lake he’d be very late for, that is if he didn’t miss it altogether. BL had brought the mail on her way to lunch and said she and Bo were meeting up to talk instead of meeting up with the others at the Boar’s Nest like usual. “I might be crazy but I ain’t dumb, Crazy Cooter looking for Sweet Talker. BL you got your ears on?” Cooter waited a minute or two then tried again. “BL wasn’t hearing her cousin though because she’d decided to take a stroll along the bank, sure that Bo would show up any minute. Bo was taken downstairs to the booking area, uncuffed after Rosco had locked the gate at the bottom of the stairs. It took at least 10 giggles and a dozen "I have got you nows." to get Bo booked. "Can I use the phone now?" Bo asked, even though he was in no hurry to talk to Uncle Jesse, he knew he had to call soon or he'd be eating breakfast here. “Yes but make it quick, it’s nearly time for my supper break”, Rosco said. Bo picked up the receiver asking the operator, “Maybelle, will you get me the Duke farm.” Maybelle put the call through. Jesse was outside but had set the phone in the open window so he’d hear if it rang. “Duke farm, this is Jesse.” Bo asked, "Uncle Jesse, ... can you come down here to the Courthouse pretty quick?" “I’ll be right down…should I be bringing bail money with me?” Jesse asked even though he figured he knew the answer already. Bo sighed, "Yes, Sir. Maybe more than usual." Bo was glad Uncle Jesse hadn’t asked why he needed to come to the jail, he knew Maybelle had likely been listening and would have ruined all his plans. “I’m on my way,” Jesse hung up the phone, went inside to get all the bail money that was kept in the cookie jar, going back out to his pickup, heading for town all the while wondering what frameup Boss Hogg and Rosco had going this time. After several attempts to call BL on the CB, Cooter had given up but now decided to try one more time. “This here’s Crazy C looking for my sweet talking cousin. You out there BL?” “Right here Cooter what’s up?” BL propped one hip against her car door as she and Cooter talked. “I don’t rightly know what’s going on but Bo’s likely gonna be awhile if he gets to ya’lls meeting at all…..Rosco arrested him, I seen the General chained to the patrol car,” Cooter replied. “Much obliged for the info cousin,” BL said, not real sure what to do now…should she wait at the lake a bit longer, go home or go back to town to the garage. Jesse barreled down the stairs to the jail, "Alright Rosco. What in tarnation is going on and why is my boy locked up." Rosco gave Jesse a smug look, "Well, now Jesse, I'll tell ya. He's done, done it this time." Rosco giggled, telling Jesse nothing. Then said, "He was speeding, then ran from me, and when I searched him I found this." Rosco said as pleased as punch as he opened the ring box containing a ring that Jesse knew very well. "I got him on Grand Theft Ring!” “He didn’t steal no ring! That there ring belonged to his Mama,” Jesse said, he didn’t know exactly why Bo had the ring on him but that didn't matter at the moment. Bo piped up, "I've been trying to tell him that Uncle Jesse! He's gonna mess everything up!" Rosco said, "Just hush! His Mama's ring! Well, what in tarnation is he doing with that out speeding around in the General Lee." "I weren't speeding Rosco!" Bo said. BL had had enough waiting after another 10 minutes and decided to see for herself, what exactly was going on, “c’mon Sadie we’re going back to town,” BL let Sadie in the car then got behind the steering wheel, headed for town. In town Bo pinched the bridge of his nose, he didn’t know if Rosco was just being more ornery than usual or if he really was stupid. “Rosco, what does a man usually do with a diamond ring?” Bo asked more than a little exasperated. “He uh…” Rosco hesitated, unknown to any of the men, BL was coming down the stairs when Bo lost all patience blurting. “He proposes! Which I’d likely be doing right about now if you hadn’t arrested me.” BL came through the gate at the bottom of the stairs, Rosco had forgot to close and lock just as Bo spoke, looking up blue eyes met brown, ”See I told you Uncle, he was gonna mess everything up,” Bo looked like he’d been punched in the gut. "Pro,....pose?" Roscoe stammered, then regrouped, "Propose, my foot. Bo, you just lie! Bo Duke propose!! That's a good one!" While Rosco ranted, Jesse read Bo and saw the truth in his nephew, which soon turned to pain. Jesse turned to see BL coming through the opened gate. BL smiled, happy didn’t describe accurately how she was feeling. The talk she told Dixie she was going to have with Bo wasn’t necessary. Ignoring the line on the floor marking how close visitors were allowed to get to the cells. Which had never really worked anyway, BL reached through the bars taking Bo by the hand, what she wanted to do was kiss Bo but that was going to be hard with bars between them. “The answer is yes, I’ll marry you,” BL said. Jesse Duke had long thought that his boys would never get married, was in awe of the moment. He had actually seen Bo propose, well sort of. " Alright, Rosco, that there ring ain't stolen, now let my boy out of there." Rosco dug his heels in, "He was speeding and resisted arrest! I even had to change the tire on the General Lee to drag it back here and it hit my vehicle!" Bo had tuned both Rosco and Jesse out at the moment, "You will?" BL nodded, 'yes'. Jesse was adamant, "Rosco, you let that boy out so he can propose and give BL her ring without it being through bars!" Lulu Hogg was coming down the stairs looking for Rosco when she caught Jesse's rant..... “Propose? Rosco you let that boy out immediately, or I will!” Lulu threatened. “But Lulu, he….” Rosco started but was cut off by his older sister. “But nothing, unlock that door,”Lulu said. Rosco saw Lulu and Jesse both giving him the same look, "Ah, shoot!" He took the keys and unlocked the cell door. Bo stepped out and took the ring box from Rosco saying, “I believe this is mine.” He then hugged BL, lifting her off the floor saying,“I’m sorry Darlin’ this ain’t how I’d planned to propose.” “You can have a do-over if you want, we’ll go to the lake and you can do it just like you planned,” BL replied. Bo pulled BL closer to him with a rebel yell he then said, "Alright, but we ain't going to the lake." Bo hoped to throw Rosco off in case he had plans of wanting to follow them. “Ok,” BL replied. She didn’t know if Bo was pulling a fast one on Rosco or if he had a new plan, either way she was going along with it. “Congratulations you two,” Lulu said. “Thanks Miss Lulu,” they said together. Hand in hand they went upstairs and out of the court house, “I’m going to drop my car off in front of the house, so I don’t block Dixie or Luke from the driveway and change into something cooler, how about getting us a couple to-go plates from the Busy Bee or Dixie diner and we’ll have a picnic,” BL suggested. Bo liked that idea. It could fit right into what he had originally planned. "Ok, I'll grab us something, then while you are changing, I'm gonna check that tire. I don't exactly trust Rosco as my pit crew." “Hey Bo your CB antenna is gone,” BL said, letting go of Bo’s hand, heading toward her own car, where Sadie waited. BL had put the top up for shade, not knowing at the time, how long she’d be inside and there was no shade around. "Dang it!" Bo said, "I'll stop by the garage on my way around town and grab another one." Bo hurried off toward the garage and supper, while BL and Sadie headed to Dixie's where BL had left some clothes for days like this. Gloria Kravitz heard BL’s motor before the GTO convertible parked in front of the house, she stayed in her chair, the young lady was likely picking up something she’d left, nothing terribly interesting to concern herself with. "Sadie, what should I wear girl?" BL was torn between shorts or a sundress. Sadie yapped a couple times, giving an ‘answer’. “Shorts it is,” BL shucked off her jeans and put on a pair of hemmed denim shorts that were only slightly longer than Daisy’s. Bo had managed to catch the garage with only Luther there. He noticed the wrecker gone and figured Cooter had it. He got the new antenna, headed for the diner where the dinner special was fried chicken. He took their orders and headed around town to Dixie's where he checked Rosco's tire change. Surprisingly enough, Rosco had managed to do a right proper job. When Gloria heard the sound of General Lee’s powerful engine getting closer then stopping on the other side of the driveway on the street she got up from her chair. Going out to her sweetshrub bush to see and hear what the young folk were upto. “We ready?” BL asked, coming out of the house, Sadie bouncing around her, full of energy after being cooped up in the post office all day . Waiting for Bo, BL had fed Sadie, so she wouldn’t get hungry if Bo and BL stayed out a few hours. At Tri Counties, Dixie had been working the Control room. It was time for the arrestees that had not had a bond set to see the judge whose office was just down the hill and across the road. Dixie was glad that the officer transporting the inmates down was an old seasoned no nonsense officer. As she handed him the cuffs, key, and legions to him, Dixie said, "Pat this one is bad news. He is slipperier than a snake and twice as mean." Pat nodded his thanks, "Then give me a belt too." Dixie gave Pat a look of approval and passed him a long leather belt with a D ring in front for the handcuffs to go through after the belt was fastened in the back. Ernie was brought around to the booking area to be readied for transport. When he saw the belt and legions he began running his mouth. Pat explained the only way he was going down to see the judge was wearing the jewelry. Ernie was not happy but complied. A bit later, Pat returned with an even more unhappy Ernie after he learned the cost of his bond for last night's mischief. Then he got a glimpse of Dixie. He recognized her but couldn't remember from where but he was sure it would come to him. At the lake Bo parked General Lee sliding across the hood, reaching in the floorboard he got the sack with the food, sitting it on the car roof. “Oh boy Sadie girl, you been eating too many dog biscuits,” Bo sat Sadie on the ground then he helped BL out, giving her a kiss as he set her back on her feet. Grabbing the picnic blanket from the backseat, he got the bag of takeout and took BL’s hand, leading her to the shade of a big oak tree. Spreading out the blanket he sat the bag of food down. “Before we eat, there’s something I want to do first,” Bo said, getting down on one knee, taking the ring box out o hisf shirt pocket. Opening the box, a small diamond in a ring was nestled inside continuing Bo asked, “BL will you be my one and only for the rest of my life?” BL nodded ‘yes’,”yes”. Bo put the diamond on BL's left ring finger. It looked so much better on her hand than it had just sitting in the ring box. Luke's team was finishing up for the day and everyone was heading for the vehicles. Scrapie was right on Luke's heels just like he had been all day unless told to work with the others. Luke opened the truck door and before he could do anything else, Scrapie had jumped into the truck and onto the seat waiting on Luke to get in. Luke laughed at the little pup, "Are you ready to go?" Scrapie let out a woof and frantically wagged his tail. Bo took BL in his arms for a long, slow kiss. BL wrapped her arms around Bo’s neck, both lost in the moment until Sadie ran over carrying on, BL stopped kissing Bo long enough to look at the dog sitting beside them. She had stopped carrying on when the kissing stopped but she was still whining. “You’re just going to have to get used to sharing,” Bo told Sadie. “We better eat before the food gets any colder,” BL said. “Yeah, guess so.” Bo replied, he had other activities on his mind. Bo dropped his arm, releasing BL, Sadie hushed her whining making BL giggle. Bo sat down on the blanket getting one of the foam takeout plates and the can of orange soda, he set the other foam takeout plate and a can of 7up out for his new fiance. Dixie had hoped to get off work before Ernie figured out who she was. Unfortunately, someone called her over the radio by "Duke" and Ernie was close enough to hear. That one word was all it took to figure out who she was. Luckily, shift change happened before Ernie could stir up too much trouble. Casey looked at Scrapie, "I thought you were my partner." Scrapie never moved from Luke's side. Luke replied, "I think he's your work partner, but I promised to take him out to the farm soon." Luke lowered his voice, "There might be a rat in the barn for him to find." Scrapie woofed. Luke said, "We're going, be patient. I'll see you all tomorrow. " He headed the truck toward Hazzard. Dixie didn't take the time to change, so she'd run into town and change before meeting the others. At the house, she saw BL's car out front. "BL. BL?" Dixie called from the living room. Nothing. Dixie went in the kitchen to see Sadie's bowl with water and a few leftover crumbs. Upstairs, she saw BLs door was open, jeans and top on the bed, a sundress across a chair, but no BL. 'Oh, well.' Dixie thought to herself as she went in her own room and pulled out a top and jeans. She changed in a hurry and noticed the dryer must have been on high as she noticed her jeans just a bit tighter than usual. Dixie was in the car and headed to the Boar's Nest in no time. At the lake BL looked thoughtful for a minute then looked at Bo saying ”you know Daisy’s going to plan the biggest wedding, Hazzard has ever seen cos she didn’t get to plan Luke’s.” Bo sighed already dreading his cousin’s countless lists of things to be done or things she needs. “Maybe the less time she has to plan and get it together, the less she can go over the top.” Bo continued, “how do you feel about a short engagement?” ”How short?” BL asked, Clyde and lots of others would think she was already pregnant if they eloped like their cousins had done. “Labor day weekend too soon?” Bo asked. ‘BL shook her head ‘no“No that’s about 2-3 weeks away, I can have my wedding dress and the bridesmaid dresses can be bought already made,” BL replied. Bo let a rebel yell fly as he picked BL up and spun her around, which caused Sadie to bark at him. Dixie laughed as she went to pull into the Boar's Nest. She saw Luke coming from the other direction. They pulled in side by side. Dixie was out of the car and at Luke's door when she saw he was slipping Scrapie's vest on. "Did my fellas have a good day?" Luke replied as he sat Scrapie on the ground, "Better now." "I agree. Guess who showed themself in Placid last night and is currently a very unhappy guest at my place of work?" Dixie said chipperly. For half a second, Luke was concerned but saw Dixie's light mood. "Well, judging from your mood, it's not Jeb." Dixie gave a half grin, "No, not Jeb. Ernie." Luke laughed, "Really? Well, good. What did he do?" Because Ernie being in jail and his charges were all public record, Dixie wasn't telling anything she shouldn't as she ticked his several charges off. Luke replied, "Well, the best part of all that is that I wasn't anywhere around." "Right." Dixie said. BL laughed as Bo spun her around, then got serious, “Bo how soon do you want to start a family?” BL asked. Continuing before Bo could answer “I am still going with Dixie to the Dr. when she goes. I was going to get on birth control for extra protection from anymore scares like the one we just had, but I won’t now we're getting married if you want to start a family right away,” BL said. Inside the Boar's Nest, Luke asked, "What are you drinking?" "A Pepsi, and I'll be right back." Dixie said, heading toward the restroom. She had just gone in town but had to go again. Bo didn’t really know how to answer so was just honest “I wasn’t planning to start a family or not start one, if it happens, it happens and if it don’t, it just don’t,” “Ok works for me, I feel kinda the same,” BL replied. Bo was still being haunted by his earlier dream which spooked him a lot more than he wanted to admit to BL, but he did want to explore and totally enjoy all the perks that came along with marriage. Dixie found Luke and Scrapie settled at a table with drinks already there. Luke was talking to Cooter as she sat down and sipped on her cold Pepsi. It was good and cold and tasted great since she hadn't really had time to drink much at work today. Daisy wondered where Bo and BL were, they weren’t usually this late in fact they were usually the first to arrive after work. Taking a tray of drinks over to the two nearby tables she stopped and asked. ”Anybody know why Bo and BL ain’t here yet?” Dixie and Luke shook their heads ‘no’, Dixie said, “BL’s car was in front of the house when I ran home to change before coming here. Her bedroom door was open and there was a pair of jeans and a shirt on the bed and a sundress on the chair. There was a bowl of water and crumbs in the kitchen, where she fed Sadie no doubt.” “I saw Rosco towing General Lee earlier and he marched ole Bo off to the hoosegow,” Cooter said. Luke sat up putting all four legs of his chair back on the ground as he said. "What? Why?? And you're just now mentioning it?" "Didn't see no point. Uncle Mr. Jesse done come sprung him. General Lee was gone by the time that I got Cletus out of the ditch." Dixie shook her head at the two while patting Scrapie's head. Jesse decided to get a beer while he was still in town, he’d run a few errands after Bo was out of jail thanks to Lulu Hogg. Parking beside Daisy’s roadrunner, Jesse went inside, not knowing he was walking into a discussion he might not want to be a part of, he went over to the ‘kids’ table, “hey, how was ya’lls day?” ”Bo didn’t say nothin’ to me about him and BL having plans. Did she say something to you Dixie?” Luke asked. Dixie shrugged her shoulders, "No. Not to me." Jesse tried to change the subject, "Well, now I wouldn't worry about it." Dixie felt the sudden urge of needing to pee again, she’d just gone 10 minutes ago. Getting to her feet a mite too fast made her ‘swimmy headed’, making the room spin. Luther and Clyde had just walked up, each grabbing an arm and easing Dixie back into her chair. “Dixie are you alright? You look kind of peaked.” Luther said, as Daisy brought over a damp towel, giving it to Luke, who wiped Dixie’s face. Everyone was so concerned about Dixie, all thoughts of Bo and BL’s absence was forgotten. BALLADEER: Or atleast put on the back burner for now. Dixie took the cool cloth, "I just got up too fast. Must be the heat. I’m just a bit swimmy headed." Dixie replied. “I think it’s time me and you slide on outta here, get you somewhere cooler. Hey Cooter, you mind towing Dixie’s car home?” Luke said. “Consider it done, Lucas Dukas,” Cooter replied. Dixie opened her mouth to say she could drive home, it wasn’t far but one look at Luke, Luther and Cooter told her she’d be wasting her breath. Luke saw the look, "The air conditioner in my truck is better. Come on, Scrapie." He stood up, finished his beer as they headed for the door in one motion, "Take your time with the car Cooter." Luke called behind him. In the truck, Dixie said, "I'm fine. I could have driven home." Luke didn’t say anything he didn’t want to fight so he just cranked the truck And drove home. It was hot out at the lake too, Bo being Bo didn’t always learn from his previous mistakes, looked at BL in her short shorts that fit just a tad too tight to be decent and suggested without too much thought, “Let’s go for a swim”. “A swim? You do remember that’s what nearly got us in trouble already,” BL said. “We’re gonna get married next month, so noone will know if you’re expecting,” Bo replied. “Oh that makes it sound like a much better idea,” BL said but her hands were already removing clothes. Bo’s blood was nearly at a boil, watching BL undress. An image of the General’s backseat holding 3 carseats flashed in his mind, it was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped on him. Gloria saw Luke's truck pull in with both him and Dixie getting out. "Abner, Abner, that Duke boy pulled in with his wife, but they don't have her car. Just his truck and a dog. Another dog over there. I hope it doesn't ruin my flowers." Luke opened Dixie's door while letting Scrapie down in the front yard. Since protesting that she could have driven home, Dixie had been quieter than normal. "Come on, you ain't mad at me about riding home in good air conditioning, are you?" Luke asked. Dixie shook her head, 'no'. "No, I'm not mad. It's just I feel 'funny'. It feels like a burning deep down, like low in my throat." The feeling of ice water being dumped on him quickly passed when Bo got a good look at all 5’4” of the cute little blonde that was going in the water. Bo’s brain didn’t have to tell his legs to follow, Bo put his arms around BL from behind and started nuzzling and kissing the side of her neck “I can hardly wait to make you my wife next month,” Bo murmured against BL’s warmskin. “Me either,” BL turned to face Bo. It wasn’t long before kissing had turned into a heavy petting session and was becoming more rapid, until the image of those carseats in General Lee’s backseat flashed in Bo’s head leaving Bo with a ‘limp noodle’. “DA’ IT,” Bo fumed. “Bo, what’s wrong?” BL asked. Bo replied, "Nothing, Darlin." They went out deeper in the water, and the heavy petting continued. Bo was all in, except for one very important part of him that refused to join in on his planned activities. It might have been the cold water, maybe the image from Bo's dream, or maybe both, but the fact remained that in the water there was no way Bo was gonna be able to please BL or himself. When it was clear things weren’t going to cooperate, Bo scooped BL up in his arms, heading for dry land and he hoped for a lot more action. Laying BL in the soft grass, Bo was doing everything he could to please his fiance but nothing was working, he was broken atleast that part of him was, panic crept up his body as Bo thought about his wedding night. Luke had gotten Scrapie settled and was currently working to try to figure out Dixie's ailment when he heard Cooter out front. "I'm gonna go help Cooter get unloaded." Dixie replied, "Ok." She was not sure what was going on or what would fix it." Luke left Scrapie inside while he went outside. Frustrated that nothing was going as planned this afternoon, well after a hiccup because of Rosco, the asking BL to marry him, had gone perfect. It was now that there was a problem, that both frustrated and worried Bo. “I’m sorry Darlin, I don’t know what’s wrong,” Bo said. “It’s not your fault, maybe we should head back,” BL replied, adding ”it’s been a wonderful afternoon. Getting dressed and gathering the blanket and trash from their picnic and calling Sadie, the newly engaged couple headed back to town. "Lost Sheep 2 to Lost Sheep 1." Bo called on the CB. Cooter heard the call as he pulled up to Dixie and Luke's, in town. A second call rang out. Cooter frowned, but picked up the CB mic, "Lost Sheep 2, this is Crazy C. I'm at Lost Sheep 1's. Give me a minute to get him on the air." Cooter said as he saw Luke coming out the front door. “Luke, Bo’s hollerin’ at you on the CB,” Cooter said, holding out the mic. “Thanks Cooter,” Luke replied as he took the mic, keying the mic continuing, “It’s Luke, what’s up Bo?””Luke we need to talk, like NOW,” Bo replied, like it was a do or die situation. Cooter was trying to look busy as he listened to Bo near hysterics. Luke replied, "We're at the house. Come on by." Luke gave Cooter a 'I have no idea' look. "I guess we'll know when he gets here. Cooter went back to letting Dixie's car down into the road behind BL's car. Bo looked over at BL saying “hang on tight.’ BL still didn’t really understand what was wrong to put Bo in such a tizzy but she sat Sadie on her lap, putting both arms around the dog as Bo threw the stock car in gear, taking off cross country. ‘Bo what is the matter?” BL asked again as they bounced along toward town. Bo replied as he turned into Hazzard Square, "I just need to talk to Luke a minute." He said as he slid to a stop in front of BL's car. Gloria had tried not to look like she noticed or even cared what was going on with the young people but when Bo slid to a sudden stop she made no attempt to hide her curiosity. The street was lined with vehicles, one of which was the wrecker blocking her driveway. ”Abner there’s something going on over there, that blonde Duke boy just slid, that orange eyesore he calls a car, in the space on the street behind that girl that works at the post office’s car and the wrecker’s blocking our driveway,” Gloria said, craning her neck from her own porch. Bo climbed out of General Lee, heading straight for the wrecker where Luke and Cooter were. “I’m ok Bo, you go ahead,” BL muttered, not really mad though, she was perfectly capable of getting out of General Lee on her own, it was just strange that Bo didn’t help her. Grabbing the take out things to put in the trash, BL got Sadie, ”Sadie girl, let's go ask Dixie what’s going on out here,” going in the house BL asked “what’s Cooter doing?” Dixie was sitting on the couch with Scrapie with several partially drunk glasses in front of her. She was currently trying to drink some apple juice. The iced tea and soda had not helped the burning in the bottom of her throat. In fact, they seemed to make her feel worse. "Unloading my car, I figure." “Why would he be unloading your car? Did you break down?” BL asked, letting Scrappie sniff her hand before she tried to touch him, because he still wasn’t used to her yet. "No, I didn't break down. I just got a little dizzy at the Boar's Nest from the heat, I guess, and so I was banned from driving." Dixie said as she rubbed her lower neck / upper chest area and took another drink of the cold juice. The action didn’t go unnoticed and BL thought something must be really wrong “you sure you’re ok?” BL was concerned then asked grinning "what’s with so many glasses, you got Luke on KP duty and making sure he has plenty to do?” Dixie gave BL a look, then said, "No, Luke doesn't have KP duty. It's just that for the last little bit, I've got this burning in my throat. It's like right here." She again rubbed the area, "I've been trying to drink something cold. It feels good going down but then seems to make the burning worse. I have no idea why. So, where have you and Bo been?" BL didn’t have anymore questions, any advice she might have no matter how unhelpful all was forgotten as she held out her left hand, her ring finger now adorned with a small but decent sized solitaire diamond ring, “Out at the Sunset lake, Bo proposed,” BL said with a big smile. Dixie was now up and off the couch, "BO? Bo Duke? Actually proposed? Oh my Gosh! Are you sure he's not sick or something?" Dixie kidded, "That's great! Oh, just wait til Hazzard hears this!" “Oh, I figure Hazzard will hear, just as soon as Daisy finds out,” BL said. The three men outside, heard Dixie’s raised voice of excitement but couldn’t make out the words. “What in the world,” Luke said, walking toward the house at a fast clip and Cooter was right on his heels. “BL probably told her, I proposed,” Bo replied nonchalantly just as Luke yanked open the door, setting Scrappie barking, in turn setting Sadie off. Luke stopped in his tracks turning around, nearly getting mowed down by Cooter. "Told her, you did what?" Luke said, "Bo I don't think I heard you right." “You did, I said I proposed,” Bo replied. Luke started with a handshake, which quickly turned into a hug, "Well, congratulations!" Cooter wasn't far behind with his own handshake and back slap, "Wow, now that is news!" Dixie and BL were both now trying to settle Scrapie and Sadie down. "Abner, Abner! I think they are all in a fight or something over there. I heard the girls' voices, then all the men ran in the house! They are still blocking our driveway!" Gloria said to her husband, who was reading his paper. “Stay out of it, they’ll work it out themselves,” Abner said, he knew Gloria would call Rosco if he didn’t say something. After a round of back slaps the men came into the room, Bo sat on the loveseat beside BL and Sadie,putting his arm across the back. Cooter came over giving BL a hug. “Congratulations little cousin.” “Congratulations BL!” Luke said. “Thanks,” BL replied. Cooter declared, "This is call for a celebration." Dixie added, "Alright, there is tea, , and juice here." "That is not a problem!" Cooter said, extracting his garage key. "I'll be right back." He was up and out the door heading to the garage for the beer stash that was there. Once Cooter cleared the door, Bo gave Luke a look, "Let's take the dogs out while he’s gone." ”Alright,” Luke said, now he could find out why Bo had been in a panic when he and BL arrived. “Want to go out, Sadie?” Bo asked, Sadie jumped off the loveseat with a woof, in answer. "Come on Scrapie." Luke called. Scrapie left Dixie's side and headed outside. Luke looked at Bo, "Alright, what is wrong?" Bo said, "It's broke." "What's broke, Bo." Luke asked. Bo looked downward, "IT." Luke said, "Can you be a mite clearer?" Bo said, "We went out to Sunset lake and I proposed. We were going for a swim, you know skinny dipping and nothing. I thought maybe the water was too cold. We got out and nothing. Luke, I'm telling you it's broke." “Bo ‘it’ ain’t broke, there has to be an explanation,” Luke reassured. “How do you know it ain’t broke?” Bo retorted. “Did everything seem ok in that department at first?” Luke asked, figuring Bo was freaked out over nothing. ‘Well yeah but then I saw an image from my dream and all I had was a ‘limp noodle’,” Bo replied. ‘What dream?” Luke asked. Bo told him all about the dream then said “Luke we can’t have twins, I don’t know much about babies, especially a girl let alone 2!” Bo said, getting wound up again. “Calm down Bo, that there’s your problem. It’s all in your head, you’re getting so het up on a maybe that you can’t enjoy a sure thing, which is BL. Bo frowned, "Really?" Luke replied, "Really. Now, just calm down, that was just a dream. You know how dreams are, nothing to them." “Yeah you're right,” Bo said, relieved, trusting Luke’s words like he always had. "Good, now let's go have a beer, Cooter should be back soon." Luke said. "Alright! Come on Sadie." Bo called. Sadie ran by them with Scrapie on her tail as they ran in the house, through the kitchen and then made laps around Dixie and BL. Cooter came through the front door, a box of beer in both hands as Luke and Bo came in from the back. Luke said, "I didn't hear you pull back up." Cooter waved him off. "I left the wrecker at the garage. The curtains were moving when I went out." Bo began handing out the beer. When he handed Dixie one, she took it politely but had no intention of drinking it. Luke made a toast, "To the next Mr. and Mrs. Duke." Dixie went through the motions of taking a drink and then sat her beer on the coffee table with the rest of her undrunk glasses. A couple minutes later, Luke leaned up and put his empty bottle on the table and picked up Dixie's bottle. BL took a drink of her beer watching the two dogs making circles around the couch and coffee table then it was back through the kitchen and around the table. BL was also watching Dixie, something she had seen was teasing her brain, it had to do with the way Dixie had said her throat burned. “Dixie, can I see you in the kitchen?” BL asked, she didn’t want to say anything Dixie might not want the guys to hear. “I think I know what’s wrong with you, I remember seeing something awhile ago about pregnancy and heartburn. Have you got any tums or rolaids? I can run to Rhuebottom’s if not,” BL said. "No, I've never had heartburn, so I have no idea if that's what it is, but I'm willing to try it." Dixie said. "If you're gonna go to Rheubottom’s, grab something quick for supper. Luke hasn't eaten. Cooter probably hasn't either." Dixie reached for her wallet, handing BL some cash. “Ok, Bo and me had a picnic at the lake but by the time it’s ready he’ll probably be ready to eat again, I’ll get you something light, can’t skip meals now you’re eating for 2. Be back in a jiffy,” BL said. “You fellas need anything, I got to run to Rheubottom’s,” BL asked as she headed out. BL was met with a chorus, "More beer." "Why did I ask?" BL said as she left for the store. Figuring the fellas would be more worried about drinking than eating, she decided to get sandwich and snack foods. That way, they could all eat when they had a mind to. Once back to Dixie’s, she gave her a roll of tums and Roland's. Dixie read the labels of both and chose one while they put out the sandwich and snacks. A bit later, Dixie said, "I think that worked. I just may live." “Good,” BL replied. Everybody enjoyed the evening drinking a few beers and hanging out, as usual Cooter had switched from beer to a nonalcoholic beverage after a couple beers. Around midnight BL yawned, “ya’ll mind if I crash here tonight? I’m liable to fall asleep before I get home,” BL asked, her jaw cracking with another yawn. “Of course not, it’s still your house, we’re just borrowing it,” Dixie replied. “Mind if I stay too? I don’t think I should drive, those weren’t watered down Boar’s Nest beer and I had more than I should and drive,” Bo said, already thinking about testing Luke’s theory it had all been in his head and ‘it’ wasn’t really broken. “Sure Bo you're always welcome you know that,” Luke replied. “Hey Luke Dixie, ya’ll got room for one more?” Cooter asked, then continued “I got the wrecker tonight, figured since I was already in town, I’d let Dad get a full night’s rest without the phone ringing and disturbing him. The couch has to be better than sleeping at the garage”, Cooter had only asked because he wanted to keep his eye on Bo, he knew Bo and wanted to make sure he didn’t try to get the benefits of marriage before the wedding night. Luke looked over at Dixie to see what she said before he answered her brother, his best friend since they were kids. Dixie replied, "That's fine by me. There's pillows and such in the closet. Ya'll make yourselves at home, but I'm gonna head up." Dixie saw Luke put his feet on the floor, "It's still early yet if you want to stay down here awhile. I'm gonna rinse these glasses out first." Dixie said, picking up her three glasses. By the time Dixie had the glasses rinsed, Luke had his boots in his hand waiting on her, "It's not that early. Night ya'll." Bo looked a tad deflated, his plans for the night going out the window. Gloria looked out the window, still seeing BL’s car and General Lee parked on the street in front of the house. “Abner the blonde Duke boy and that girl that works at the post office is still there and I just saw all the lights go out, upstairs and down,” Gloria said. Bo hadn’t put his sleeping bag in General Lee before leaving the farm, so he made himself a pallet in the floor, while Cooter fixed up the couch. “Night ya’ll,” BL said, kissing Bo then following Dixie and Luke up the stairs, Sadie at her side. Scrapie was running in and out of Sadie's feet as he ran upstairs. Once in their room, Luke a, "Alright, spill it." Dixie looked confused as she slipped out of her jeans and top. Her boots had been long gone. She found her gown and slipped it on. "What are you talking about?" "First, the dizzy spell. Then, three glasses of something to drink which you might have drank one and now heading to bed this early. Not that I mind that at all. You are much better company." Luke raised his eyebrows and wrapped his arms around his wife. Dixie shrugged, "I just got dizzy for no reason earlier but since I've been fine. Then, I guess I had heartburn. That's why BL went to the store. The medicine seemed to help, but I didn't know what it was cause I'd never had it before." Dixie explained. Luke held her tighter, "Next time something is wrong, let me know, please." Dixie replied, "I will. I guess I'm just tired for no reason tonight." "Well, that I can fix." Luke turned to turn the bed down. Before the covers landed, Scrapie had gone from a low stool to the middle of the bed and under the covers. "Looks like you aren't the only one who's tired." Luke said. Dixie curled into Luke's arms. It wasn't even minutes before Luke heard Dixie's breathing change. He moved enough to turn out the light and lay there holding Dixie in one arm while petting Scrapie with the other.

Draconian is a harsh law.

(Season 4 Goodbye, General Lee) Luke Duke:"Everybody in Hazzard County knows this car is held together by spit an' bailin' wire."