DaisyMaeDuke

"I'll take my truck. Knowing the way you drive we might need it," he teased. He knew from experience that if Luke wasn't being himself then likely the banter between the cousins was minimal at best. He figured he was as good a person as any to step in where needed. "By the way...got a message for you at the Boar's Nest earlier..." He dug around in his pocket, his tong peeping out the side of his mouth. Finally he fished out a greasy napkin. "Hope you can read it....Mary Jane...that new waitress...wanted you to have her number...."

Cooter soon came in, but stayed quiet for the most part figuring Bo would open up when he wanted. When Bo stayed quiet for an extended amount of time, however, Cooter decided to take things into his own hands. "Take it...old Lukas isn't doing so great...." He really didn't even have to ask. If Luke had been doing fine, he would be here, telling Bo not to worry and thinking up a scheme that would make Boss regret the day he put Bo in a santa suit.

In that second, Boss Hogg did grow silent. In Jesse Duke he had lost more than a town Santa, he had lost a fellow ridge-runner and, admittngly or no, a friend. His stubborn nature refused to apologize, although his tone softened as he said, "You can pick up the costume any time..." Coter just shook his head. He had seen Boss Hogg do some pretty mean and low down tricks before...but this took the cake. He wanted to pummell him but the last thing Bo needed to be worried about was his friend being in jail for assaulting a marshmallow. So he consoled himself by biting his tongue and clenching his fists.

Cooter looked at Bo curiously as he said that, but didn't ask questions figuring he'd have a chance later. "I don't care what you're tryin' to do Bo Duke...fact is, our county funds are low," said Boss in a sweet voice implying that he didn' have any idea how they got that way. "And we can't afford a town Santy Claus this year...now your uncle used to do it every year an the kids liked him for some reason...we need a Santa Claus that the kids will like...(and put him in my stores so the mothers can shop....which I'll like!)" whispered Boss to Rosco. "A town Santy Claus?" asked Cooter. "And if you don't, the REAL Santa will be visitin' you in the pokey!"

Boss gave a huff. "Now you listen here Bo Duke! I have half a mind to have Rosco arrest you right here and now! But...given that it is the holiday season...I'm gonna let ya off easy...with community service," said Boss a sense of triumph in his voice. Cooter snickered from where he stood on the steps. "Community Service? What type of community service would that be Boss? Linin' yer big fat wallet?" Boss Hogg glared at him. If he wasn't the only mechanic in town and the only one who could fix the wrecked patrol cars in such a short time they were back chasing speeders the same day he would have had some choice words for him. But Boss knew who he had over a barrel and who he didn't. And right now he had Bo Duke.

"That ain't nothin' compared t' what yer gonna be feelin'" began Boss smugly as he took out a cigar. Cooter came down the stairs. "What're you playin' at Boss?" "Me? I ain't playin' at nothin'... I'm here on official county business. Show him Rosco!" At Boss's command Rosco handed Bo a stack of tickets. Now, these here are all the unpaid tickets you got away with...but I'm not gonna make ya pay 'em...not so close to Christmas..." He smiled angelically to Bo it clear that he had other intentions.

Agree

Cooter slid out from under the car grinning like a cheshire cat. "Well now buddy-roe....someone's gotta work." He stood up, wiping his greasy hands on his greasier pants, though there seemed to be no improvement in his hygeine. "Just let me change an' we can go." With that he hurried upstairs and changed into a not-so-dirty shirt and pants, calling down, "We going same place we went last year?"

Daisy returned to the kitchen, continuing with the holiday baking. Luke soon finished up with Maudine and slowly climbed the rickety steps to the loft. He remembered as a kid spending a lot of time up here. It used to help him sort his thoughts, and often times calm him when his quick temper exploded. Now it was a refuge...a place of solitude to mourn for the uncle he longed for. He allowed himself to sink into the sweet-smelling hay, losing himself in his thoughts.

Daisy hugged him gently. "Maybe he needed to hear it honey...half the time I don't know that he even realizes..." she hesitated. "It's almost like he is in his own world...his own...hurt...reminds me of Nam...when he came home and didnt talk about it...didnt think we could understand...." She shook her head softly. "You did what you had to do...now why dontcha go hang out with Cooter a bit...get your mind off things.... and pick out a nice tree...one that wont lose its needles all over my floor like last year," she teased gently. Luke, meanwhile, was softly curry-combing Maudine the mule. If anyone noticed the extra attention Luke gave to the mule they probably would have laughed had the reason not been so sad. He brushed her twice a day, fed her apples and sugar,her water was always fresh and her bed of hay always clean enough to eat off of. He scratched behind her ears whenever he passed, talking to her whenever he could. The night before he even brought her out an extra blanket to ensure she wasn't too cold from the barn drafts. Maudine made no complaints. Rather she just rested her head on Luke's shoulder, or nibbled his sleeve gently as if to say "I know what you feel....I miss him too."

Luke simply nodded. "Whatever you say," he said meekly. The truth was he was too tired to argue his point. Besides, he knew himself that he had been rude with them lately...of course he had his reasons for it, but they didn't know that and he wasnt sure he could actually put a name on them anyway. "I...best get started on the chores," he said softly. With his head hung low he slowly made his way out to the barn. Daisy sighed. "It's been a long time since I seen him that upset..."

Luke went to say something but the words refused to come out. So long as no one mentioned his uncle he could manage...almost pretend that he wasn't truly gone...that this was indeed a nightmare from which he'd wake. Daisy sniffed softly feeling trapped. Always before their uncle had been there to oversee any spats between them. It was times like this where she missed him most. "I...I'm sorry Daisy...I...I didnt mean...t yell at you," faltered Luke looking very much on the verge of tears with every word though in typical Luke-fashion he refused to let them fall. Daisy nodded. " I know."

woops:oops: I didnt even see your post about the deadline...my bad. It doesnt matter if Im not included....I just thought my tombstone was funny:)

Daisy swallowed, nodding slightly. "Okay Bo...if...if you think that's..." She stopped as the bedroom door flew open. "You think I cant hear you?! Why don't you say it to my face?!" fumed Luke angrily, his face a shade redder than it had been. If I'm such a damper on your damn holiday, maybe I'll just leave...then you all can really celebrate!" Daisy shook her head. "No...Luke please...please...." Luke clenched his jaw, anger evident on his face, but in his eyes a deep look of loss. "We're just worried about you sugar...we both are..." she added, not sure if the latter was true or not but hoping Luke believed it. "Just cuz I don't wanna celebrate the stupid holidays aint no reason to get your feathers in a ruffle," he countered back.

Daisy hugged into Bo, life-size teddy-bear that he was, whimpering softly against his shirt, "Why...why is he doing this?" She just couldn't understand. When things bothered her, the last thing Daisy wanted was to deal with them on her own. She would seek out girlfriends to talk to, take long confiding walks with Luke, and in the past crawl into her uncle's lap and tell her tender troubles to him just as she had when a little girl. Luke had never been one to ask for help, though he usually never shut people out like this. Sooner or later he would open up....particularly with Bo. But now even Bo was being shut out..it was almost as if the eldest Duke was refusing to care about anyone or anything again...Christmas meant nothing to him.

What Daisy might have said never got voiced because as she went to say something, Luke walked in going straight to his room without a word to anyone. "Luke? Luke you hungry? There's food in the..." She swallowed as his bedroom door slammed shut. "Fridge," whispers softly. She looked down sadly. She WAS worried for Luke....and there seemed to be nothing she could do to help him.

Daisy hesitated. Normally she loved to go Christmas Tree hunting with the boys. It was something they did every year. But now... "No...I better stay near home.... Luke...he ain't actin' right..." She didn't say what she feared...that he was slipping away from them much like he had when he first returned from Nam. Quietly she picked up a bow laying on the floor, securing it to the wall. "I'm real worried about him Bo...ever since Jesse died...he...he's drawn further and further away...it scares me..."

Daisy smiled gently as she heard Bo, going back inside. "Looks real nice, sugar," she said in an attempt to sound more chipper than she felt. Already the small farmhouse seemed to have begun its transformation, with strings of holly all around, mistletoe hung inconspicuously over the doorway, and the stockings bearing their owners' names, hung on the mantle. The scent of cinammon was in the air, and the hint of sugar cookies danced in the air. Luke did his best to not notice any of it. Why his cousins even wanted to celebrate was beyond him. To Luke Christmas was just another day; another day without his uncle. He wanted nothing to do with it. Sighing he leaned his head against the tree. His heart panged with hurt, but he told no one. After all, Jesse was gone. There was nothing anyone could do about that.

***Just when you thought it was safe to read these forums, BoJames and I return. This is a little story that I came up with that Bo so graciously agreed to write with me...dedicated to those who need help getting into the Christmas spirit this year*** Daisy leaned against the weather-beaten back door of the farmhouse, her slender arms around her stomach, just watching her cousin some yards away. Her lip quivered a little, so she bit it gently to stop it- the last thing this family needed was for her to break down crying...especially now that she was able to get to sleep without sobbing herself into it every night. It had been a hard year for the Duke family...financially, yes, but that was nothing new. The Dukes never had had much in the way of material posessions or monetary gain...and because you don't miss what you never had, they never thought of themselves as poor. Especially not when they were so rich in things like love and family, the things money couldn't buy. This year though, they had lost Uncle Jesse, and the whole Duke family was rocked to its core. His passing affected all three cousins considerably, before the gentle healer called Time slowly enveloped Daisy and Bo, disipating the pain little by little. Luke was another story. It surprised her somewhat how hard Luke was taking this. After all Jesse was not the only father he ever knew as was the case with Bo. And it wasn't as if he had never experienced death. He had seen it with his aunt, and every day in the jungles of Viet Nam. Swallowing the words of her uncle came back to her when Luke had unknowingly swallowed a personality-altering drug: "Ive been through everything with Luke..." Everything. That was the key. Luke and their uncle had had a bond that surpassed even the fatherly bond he had with Bo. Of the three cousins, Luke alone would sometimes call him Jesse, without the uncle. Daisy had always thought that a bit disrespectful but now...now she began to understand. Uncle Jesse had been more than an uncle and father to Luke...he had been one of the few people that Luke considered a friend. "I'm worried about him," she'd said to Bo before Jesse had passed, but when they knew it was just a matter of time. "You know what he's gonna do....it'll be just like with Auntie...he'll work himself sick." Bo had agreed and together they came up with a plan of labor that would keep Luke occupied, but nothing too strenuous. To their surpise, however, Luke didn't overwork himself. In fact, he didn't do much at all. Luke had always been quiet- the reflective one of the family. Now, aside from chores, he did nothing except sit outside, in the loft or under a tree as he was now. Last night she woke to find the attic light on. Going upstairs, she discovered Luke had fallen asleep, a picture of Jesse in his hands. She covered him gently with a blanket and left quietly, not wanting to embarrass him in any way. She didn't know if Bo realized how sad Luke really was. Bo, in typical Bo-fashion, was excited about the holidays, and though the shadow of his uncle's death loomed over the household, Bo was the type of person that had the Christmas spirit year-round. No...she doubted. Bo probably doesn't know...he doesn't wash the tear-stained pillowcases.

I agree:)

Im having trouble downloading my tombstone:( Here goes nothin'....

Bo 9 Luke 27 Jesse 64

And best of all it's on my birthday