Chet Duke

Ok folks, were trying this community chat night again. Except this time is solely going to be on AIM. Aim is a very easy program to get, use and its free. You can even use aim express, anyone who needs help with it Im more then willing to personally lend a hand. I'd like to hold a chat on the 15th of every month on AIM...aol instant messenger. Authors, characters and guests are more then welcomed. Come, have fun, relax and enjoy a good time. The first chat will be held on October 15th. Hope to see ALL of you there. Were roughly looking at anytime after 6pm eastern time. Anyone can roll in and out any time after that. ~Chet *P.S> My AIM screen name is ChetDuke347 and my authors Screen name is PrivateAndrew01.

Allllright folks! Leme have your attention Please! Ive been thinkin some and I think its about time that the character community of Hazzard come back together once in while like we used to. Some of us dont get to see every one like we'd like, due to our incrediably busy scheduals. So, I'd like to hold a chat on the 15th of every month on AIM...aol instant messenger. Authors, characters and guests are more then welcomed. Come, have fun, relax and enjoy a good time. The first chat will be held on October 15th. Were looking at roughly starting at 6pm eastern time. Hope to see ALL of you there. ~Chet *P.S> My AIM screen name is ChetDuke347 and my authors Screen name is PrivateAndrew01.

I got a 28... alotta that was from 4's. Whats your score Brian? ~Chet

Enema bags at 10 paces? What the bloody hell...? Atleast I aint got claws Doc! I know Blackjack aint been seen in 2 years but I got this... feeling in my gut. And its sayin that his maker aint ever been that far away. Sides... ya never know if you dont try. **** It has been brought to my attention that some people may have misunderstood the meanings of my duel/challenge. Iam not asking for any means of combat or fighting. Im only setting out to try and bring the mysterious muse Blackjack back to the boards so that this ineteresting piece of writing could be completed. Sorry for any misunderstandings. ~Chet

(( January 22 2005 was the last time anyone posted to this story and it was me, almost 2 years ago. So as offically as I possibly can, I her by challenge and dare the mysterious BlackJack to a duel. I dare ya BlackJack to show ya self again and finish what you started!!! ~Chet Duke ))

The story is dedicated to Luke Duke and was especially writen for him. Thank you Luke. ~Chet http://chetduke.proboards20.com/index.cgi?board=completed&action=display&thread=1151077615

Thats great news! May I ask who your source is? ~Chet

If there is one Im sure it'll be next summer sometime. I hope to go, so as soon as anyone gets any info for the 2007 Festival (pending of course) please leme know, the sooner I can plan ahead the better. With the turn out that I heard about this year Im almost sure 2007 will be great. ~Chet Duke

WOW! Ya'll sound like it was a awesome time! Unfortunetely I couldnt make it this year due to the bull riding season so darn close and me already being behind the pack. But I do plan on going next year and I'd love to meet not only the cast but also the wonderful people from Hazzardnet. So leme see a show of hands for whos going next year? PLease share all the pictures you can from this years Duke fest. I'd loved to see all that I can. Thank you so much! ~Chet & Dee P.S. Wish me luck! My first practice ride (bull ride) is on the 22nd of this month. Lawd help me... lol!

*Hoots, hollars and cheers.* I cant agree with you more Val! Thank you for speeking for those of who eat real food. If the steak on my plate aint still mooing then it aint a steak. Hell I dont care if it is shoe leather, its just gotta be red and nice in the center. *Tips my hat to Val.* ~Chet P.S. I'll treat you to a real meal anyday sweet Valerie.

*Sighs.* Keep up the good work ya'll. ~Chet

CHAT RIGHT NOW IN THE HAZZARDNET CHAT ROOM....COME ONE COME ALL YEEEEEEEHAWWWWW.

Holly picky eaters! I'll tell ya what people if the world has one of those great depressions ya'll are gonna stave to death!!! I eat just about anything thats not still moo-ing but can be cold and red in the center and what Im alergic too. Even being alergic to it aint always stoped me. -Chinese food~ Because Im alergic to an ingrediant thats in most if not all of it. - Seafood~ Just because I dont like anything that comes outta the ocean accept tuna, got something to do with the salt in the water. Thats its, thats all she wrote. Almost if not everything else if its in my reach it gets devoured. Heh. Picky picky picky... ya'll dont know what your missin. An as far as rotten bananas go... well cut the bad spots out and make banna bread. Solves all your problems. Use them rotten if ya want, the in-laws wont notice. LMAO. ~Chet Duke

MA, Luke & Georgia, Your exactly right Luke, Wabash Cannonball was a train. For some odd reason ya'll struck my curiosity and I went and did some research on the net about this train. The first thing I found when I went looking for info was this lil song about it. Some what catchy really and it tells ya about where the train went and so forth. But even better, if you read below the song it tells who constructed the train and what it took to build in the rail for her. And if in fact ya keep reading you come to realize that the train is make believe, or so the website tells. Heh. http://ingeb.org/songs/wabashca.html Now let me tell you when curosity strikes me Im bound and determind to get the bottom of it all. So heres the real story behind the Wabash Cannon Ball. It turns out that there was a real train named The Wabash Cannonball, which was what the Wabash Railroad named its express. But it did not exist until many decades after its legend had begun. The Wabash Cannonball song "probably" originated around 1862 and was brought on patrioctically by the Homestead Act. Its title and lyrics have varried since then. Amazinly it took over sixty years for the song to be comerialized. It was recoreded by the Carter Family in 1972 for RCA records. Properly titled "The Wabash Cannon ball." The song was an instant hit, then and again for Roy Acuff nine years later. Acuff's version sold a whopping 5 million-plus copies. Acuff properly gave the Carter Family credit for the song even though his lyrics and other artists lyrics varied over the years. You can read this story, more information and the varried lyrics at the website below. http://www3.clearlight.com/~acsa/introjs.htm?/~acsa/songfile/WABASH.HTM I hope that I have been of some help. And thank you, all three of your for striking a bit of curiosity in me. It was a fun adventure through time to find out more about "The Wabash Cannonball." Happy Trails ya'll. ~Chet Duke

*Blinks.* Wow... where on earth have I been. For a bit the entire town was silent. I take me a nap and now I feel like Rip Van Winkle waking up to finding everythings entirely different. I just got done readin about this lil challenge contest thing, its really cool. Great going MA and Brian. Too bad Im too late to get in on the judging, but thats alright Im gonna take a seat and watch this is interesting. Have fun ya'll. ~Chet Duke

The young black haired Duke boy watched as the Sheriff, MaryAnne and everyone else thinned out to gather a posse. Chet was left sitting on his horse in the street as they all headed in different directions. It had been a long week already and the silence that slowly surrounded him couldn’t be more welcoming at that moment. “Looks like we best go freshin’ up ol’ buddy. Were defiantly going to need all the strength we got for some more gun play.†The tall Thoroughbred gelding bobbed his head and nickered in response to his masters statement. Tired and literally aching from head to toe Chet and his Red horse made there way down the main street towards the livery stable. There Chet dismounted and helped himself to the barn, taking his horse in and making him comfortable since there was no care taker around at the hour. After a good rub down with a burlap sack and as much oats and hay as the horse could eat rambled on out to a large trough behind the livery stable. He removed his hat and splashed some of the cold water onto his face. The chilly water had never felt so refreshing to the young rustler. Chet thunked his hat down on his head and made his way back to the boardwalk leaving his horse in under the safe roof of the livery for now. He walked down the board walk a ways and paused to lean against the railing and build a smoke as the ladies and Enos were leaving the Saloon. “Looks like we’ve added a couple more pretty faces to the posse. Welcome aboard ladies.†Chet called out to the group that had just exited the saloon as he took a content drag on his cigarette the end glowing red in the night. (Cue anyone! Wahoo! )

The young black haired Duke boy stood up from the floor and brushed the dirt off his well weathered older chaps and faded sky blue shirt. A side ways grin laced his lips as he watched his aunt Dusty walked away an leave the saloon. Still grinning he leaned casually against the bar counter and took another long sip from his beer mug. “Looks like I dun got my self put in my place huh Gar.†Chet snorted and swallowed down the last of his beer and straitened his back from leaning against the bar. “Well I’ll be seeing ya Garrett, I gotta start on that ranch house roof tomorrow before we get the rain that every farmer man from here to Texas has been talking about.†With this Chet elbowed his way out of the saloon, the batwing doors slapped each other behind him as he stepped out onto the board walk. The young Duke paused near his horse and leaned against the hitching rail post to roll a cigarette and gaze around the dark street. The loud music from within the saloon carried out into the night. A spider of caution crawled down Chet’s back causing him to glance over his shoulder as he brought the flame to his match to his cigarette. The town was quiet in a sense that all the faces he’d seen in the saloon were towns folks. What strangers were there to come, what would happen when the Big Game drew in a little more then the town had bargained for. (Cue Anyone.)

The young Dukes brow furrowed in annoyance, his eyes narrowing and the flare of his temper wailed up inside of his chest. He had to shift his weight on the stool and take a long sip of his drink to make it go away. “Your so damned funny Dusty Rose I for got to laugh!†Chet snapped sarcastically. A vile smile curled on his face and his mismatched eyes tinted with a expression of trouble brewing in his outlaw mind. He looked down watching the other Duke doubled over in laughter at him. The smile turned into a snarl on Chet’s lips and he raised his heavy leather boot from resting on the bar stool. Swiftly he kicked her right in the seat of her pants sending her sprawling onto the floor. Dusty had just gotten the better of one Duke she shoulda’ not have played with from the beginning. Taking a long sip from his beer Chet turned on his stool returning his to his business and effectively ignoring Dusty’s foolishness. (Now lookit here ya’ll.... I’ve worked hard on what I’ve already written for this story and I expect no less outta anyone who posts in reply. This ain’t no marry-go-round half a** story, think about what your written people, if it don’t make sense don’t post it. Ok I’ve spoke my peace for now. Lets get this back on the road. ~Chet Duke) (*CUE ANYONE.*)

(*This post is a joint effort by Garrett and Chet Duke. Thanks Gar!) Chet nodded his cowboy hat covered head and elbowed his way to the bar counter. A cold beer might just be exactly what he needed right about now. The weather had fiercely hot as of late and he’d spent the vast majority of the day putting in fencing in hopes to keep his horses in. “Yeah Gar, that sounds great.†Chet replied finally able to seat himself at the bar. Although he’d managed to find a seat he found himself edgy an uncomfortable with so many people packed into the Saloon. It was far too crowded and the amount of smoke in the air was barely tolerable even for Chet who was a long time smoker. “This damn place is too crowded tonight, what is it about a damned game that got everyone so up tight.†The young Duke boy paused to look around the room and turn on his stool so that his back leaned against the bar. “Not a soul in this very room can even afford to enter the game....†A sideways grin tugged at Chet’s lips as he took a deep swallow of the watered down beer. “...except for myself of course.†"Glad to hear you doing so well financially Chet...perhaps you could lend it out instead of gambling it away." Garrett offers a small smile at his nephew before residing back into silence. Taking a long drink from his own beer mug, Garrett glances around the cloud of people that seems to damper around the saloon. "Beats me Chet," he pauses while a broad smile spreads across his face, "but it brings me great business so I'm not complaining." Garrett’s younger nephew couldn’t help but grin an chuckle to himself in pure amusement. He took another long sip of the rank beer and swallowed it down, just the coolness of it making him feel better. “Awe hell Garrett, you know I ain’t that financially stable it just my business to have money on hand.†Chet grinned into his drink coyly, there was more then one meaning behind what he had said, though his mismatched eyes concealed all. (CUE ANYONE. COME ON FOLKS!!!)

(Please follow all Round Robin rules an restrictions for this story. Also please be curtious and neat. Thank you. ) "Thanks Doric! Have a good evening." Chet Duke called back to the lady at the cash register as he left the small corner store in down town Hazzard. His arms weighed down with plastic bags of groceries that his wife had sent him to fetch at the store. He was relieved to finally reach his white Dodge Charger parked beside the curb and dump the arm full of goods into the passenger seat. A bright yellow piece of paper flickered from the breeze as it was clamped down onto his car’s windshield by the wiper blade. Chet walked around the fender of the car and grabbed up the paper from under the wiper. He glanced over the announcement as he slid in through the car’s window. Chet read aloud to himself, “Poker game to be held at the Hazzard Hotel on Friday June 13th 2006. All proceeds go to the Hazzard County Orphanage fund.†The young Duke boy snorted in amusement as he started the Charger and pulled away from the curb. Dropping the flyer on top of the groceries next to him, he could only bet that the proceeds weren’t in fact going to the orphanage. Knowing Hazzard’s crooked law system the chances that money would be pocketed by Commissioner Hogg were very high. Having it announced for a charitable cause like that was the only way that the gambling of that sort could be held legally. The young Duke boy arrived home. His wife wasn’t yet home and wouldn’t be for at least another hour or so. He unloaded the groceries and tacked the flyer up on the refrigerator as if it was usual. After doing so he decided to grab his deck of cards from the drawer and head on out to the barn. There was no time like the present to brush up on his skills, even if he didn’t enter to play the game. His infamous Red gelding nickered in greeting and Chet pulled a sugar cube from his pocket and fed it to the tall red-ish colored Thoroughbred horse. He patted his hand on the horse’s strong cheek and pulled up a couple bales of hay to sit on and play cards. Chet shuffled the cards in his hands an began dealing them out as if he were playing with one other person, this was a good fashion to practice. He’d play both hands against each other and see which would win. The barn radio from the tack room ticked out tunes like it was going out of style. Everything from Johnny Cash to the newest hits of year came across the air waves. Chet couldn’t help but chuckle to himself when an old familiar song came on. It was too irresistible to not begin singing along with the tune. "You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em.......Know when to walk away and know when to run......" Chet tapped his boot against the concrete floor of the barn in rhythm to the music. "You never count your money, when you're sittin' at the table.....There'll be time enough for countin', when the dealin's done!" As Chet was singing one the cards in his hand slipped from his fingers and fell between the stall wall and the bale of hay he was sitting on. He discontinued his singing and gathered the remaining cards in his hands, as he stood and pushed the bale of hay out of the way. "Now where in the hell did that card go..." Chet muttered to himself and got down on his knees fishing his hand between the space in the concrete where the floor ended and the wall of the horse stall began. The old barn was as ancient as the ranch house that he lived in. Each had been built somewhere in the mid 1850's. Both buildings had survived the fires of the civil war. Some time in the early 1900's electricity had been installed in the home and barn. Then not shortly after the new owners moved out claiming the old home was haunted with ghosts of the past. From there the entire ranch was sold time and time again. Still it managed to survive the great depression, the change over to extreme technology that sent the country to the moon and finally up to date with the modern world. Chet’s fingers felt over paper and what seemed to feel like the card he had lost so he clamped on and pulled. Rather then retrieve his lost playing card he pulled out a half opened book, the pages dark an dirty from being in the crack for so long. The edges were chewed as though mice had had there way with it for some time. "Hmmm what’s this?" He muttered to his horse, who came to the stall gate an sniffled the antique book. Red perked his ears with interest and snorted a heavy breath on the book as he an Chet looked it over examining it. "My thought exactly." Chet chuckled an sat back down on the hay bale forgetting about his lost card, the ancient book taking his interest. The Thoroughbred hung his head over the tall gate eager to watch and see what would happen with the book. Chet opened the cover, just inside there seemed to have been a name or title written once but the ink was illegibly washed out from years of dampness in the barn. On the next page was a date and the book contained a well drawn picture of what appeared to be a courthouse. "1870 Town of Hazzard Georgia." Chet read aloud and turned the page. Quietly he began to read the hand written text... ******************************* **Town of Hazzard Georgia, 1870.** A commotion had come over the town causing people to gather thickly around the bulletin board out in front of the mercantile store. Men chattered to each other, never before had such a grand announcement been made in the little town. The second biggest game of Poker known in history was going to be held right there at the grand Hazzard hotel. The news was spreading quickly through out the town. The telegraph office was humming with the sounds of messages going out all over the country. Owners from surrounding store fronts were suddenly scrambling to put in extra orders for supplies. The on goings at the hotel was going to draw in on lookers and players from every corner of the map. Even as evening came on and darkness began to settle over the town the bustle to get prepared in one week’s time seemed to continue. A familiar rider made his way into town his long legged, fiery red Thoroughbred horse perked its ears at all the bustle still going on in the town and slowed to a walk. Chet Duke glanced around curiously. Usually by this time of night on a Sunday evening every woman and child had gone home and bedded down for the night. But here were children still playing in the streets, the Boars Nest Saloon twanged with the sound of a live piano. The building seemed to be packed and a few men with beer mugs in their hands lingered in the door way. The twenty-one year old son of Bo Duke had gotten wind of the news about the games going to be held right there in his home town. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine it would start this much commotion in such a small town as Hazzard was. Chet drew his horse to a halt at the hitching rail in front of the Saloon and hooked his knee around the saddle horn as he built a cigarette. His mismatched eyes looked around taking everything in. Glancing down the line of horses at the railing, half expecting to see many familiar animals and maybe some not so familiar. The young Duke couldn’t help but wonder what kind of faces the news of the games would draw in… (Cue Anyone.)

Heya'll. I'd like to set up a community chat night. Once a month it would nice if all of us...[Authors, Characters/Muses, an vistors]...can come together an chat here on Hazzardnet. I notice that the chat room has been very vacant for some time. An honestly the community is very much lacking socialization that once went on in the chat room. Each chat we could have a certain subject to talk about, anything just draw this community together for a night of fun. An evening for all of us to share our opinions an maybe make a new friend, after all thats what Hazzard was like. Does anyone have any suggestions on which evening each month this should take place? Or any other suggestions for the chat? Thanks, hope to hear from ya'll. ~Chet Duke

I know someone whos the child of Bo Duke.... an theres a few complete stories. Get in contact with me, an I'll show ya them. ~Chet

“A Forgotten Smile†Chet Duke slide from the window of his white Dodge Charger an his cow hide cowboy boots touched the dry asphalt. He looked all around the town square, taking in the hustle an bustle of each person. A chilled air blew against the back of his Carhart jacket an he adjusted the collar an began towards the corner store. His tall lanky frame dressed in faded blue jeans an he tucked his hands in his pockets to keep them warm. Chet’s beautiful wife Amanda had sent him out with a small list of things that she needed from the store to finish her holiday baking. So here he was at the corner store, he entered pausing to hold the door for an older women that he knew from the bank. Chet smiled an tipped his hat to her as he held the door. “Merry Christmas mam’, have ya a happy new year too.†The older women trudged on ahead with an wrinkle of displeasure in her old crooked nose as it pointed toward the sky. The young Duke creased his brow at her obvious displeasure towards the holiday cheer that he had greeted her with. Chet sighed an carried on with his task, taking out the carefully folded shopping list from his pocket. Milk Eggs Bread Sugar Butter He nodded reading the list an walked around the small store, gathering each item as he did so. He picked up a gallon of milk from the cooler section, an a cautious looking women dressed in dirty, raggedly clothes bumped into him an quickly apologized. “Oh, I’m sorry†She said clutching the small 1/4th gallon of milk to her chest, she looked at the tall cowboyish looking Duke boy. Chet smiled at her an tipped his hat then creased his brow afraid that yet again someone would be scolding towards his Christmas cheer. But she only smiled in return making brief eye contact with his dark mismatched eyes. But she didn’t notice that he was any different from anyone else an only smiled in return. “Merry Christmas.†She said before he could get a word out, she bustled away in her soggy old wholesome boots. The Duke boy watched her a moment then mentally shrugged an gather the cooled groceries on his list. Once he had finally made sure he had everything on his list he took them to the single register an stood in the short line. The ragged looking women stood in line in front of him, an as the male cashier rang up her milk she took a hand full of change from her pocket. Chet raised his eyebrow at the few coins in her hand, even that much would not be enough for a single carton of milk. He looked down at her carton of milk an back at his own groceries, an without barely thinking he pushed his forward an nodded to the cashier. “Ring em’ up.†Chet said placing his hand on the shoulder of the women as she looked back at him. The cashier looked at Chet somewhat surprised an swallowed, he knew Chet an had known him. His reputation as a rough, mean tempered outlaw had never slipped the cashiers mind for a moment. Wordlessly he rang up the orders an the cash register total showed up on the screen. The Duke boy counted out the money an it was deposited into the register, he took his change an placed it in the warm empty hand beside him. He picked up the bag of groceries an carried them to the door an paused then passed them to the ragged women before him. Tears wailed up in her eyes an she put her arm around his shoulders an embraced him gently. “Thank you....thank you... my children will not go hungry on Christmas.†She clasped his hand in hers still bubbling in happy tears. “Thank you...†Chet only nodded with a sideways smile that he was accustomed to an walked away from her, disappearing down one of the isles of the grocery store before she could say another word. She stood for a moment watching him go, wishing silently that she knew his name. Then it occurred to her that his name was not nodded, an it was clear that he did not expect anything in return. Her smile had been enough, the silent joy in her teary eyes had been all the Duke boy had wanted to see. Not long after, Chet returned to his ranch home where his pregnant wife awaited him. His heart felt refreshed an even more full of joy then it had before his simple trip to the grocery store. THE END

** The title is pretty much self explanitory, but for those of you who would like specifics. This is a topic that I made for people to post there small lil' memories or Christmas stories. Ya know, the short lil' ones that don't seem to make there way into full fledged story form. So weather its a thought that crosses your mind or alil something of Christmas sorts that you'd like to share, fiction or true memory share it with us all if you would please. Hazzard County has seemed alittle depressing for some these past few months, so heres all of our chance to share some Christmas cheer. Thanks ya'll...an Merry Christmas to all. ~Chet Duke & Author Dee.**

Go get em' Brian. If ya ever need any back up over on the CMT boards, you know where to find me. Take care. ~Chet Duke