A Day in the Life of a Duke

[RogerDuke]

*Overhears Bo in the other room working his magic on the Capitol City Police Department. Smiles while admiring his nephews talent*

[DaisyMaeDuke]

So what's your plan, Uncle Jesse? *asked Luke though it was clear to see he had other things on his mind*

[RogerDuke]

*motions toward the other room that Bo's in*

Well, first let's see if the sheriff over there can come up with anything

[RogerDuke]

*after Bo gets off the phone he walks back into the kitchen*

Jesse "Well Rosco, did ya git that fellers name and where he's from?"

[BoJamesDuke]

*shakes his head, grabbing a glass of water and swallowing it down, the impression making his throat a little sore*

I ain't done...they put me on hold for a moment...

*with that, he put the glass in the sink and went back to the phone*

[RogerDuke]

*looks at Luke and smiles*

"It looks like the sheriff over there is going to be on hold awhile. That wouldn't happen if he was talking to someone here in Hazzard. Us Hazzard folks have too much respect for him to make him wait."

*notices Luke doesn't smile*

"Luke?...... Luke?"

[DaisyMaeDuke]

*doesn't smile, having not even been paying attention to him* Huh? You say somethin Uncle Jesse?

[RogerDuke]

*in a firm yet loving voice*

Now Luke I can tell there's more botherin' you than them varmints.

[DaisyMaeDuke]

*sighs* Bo's botherin me Jesse...*scowls*

[RogerDuke]

*looks at his nephew while tilting his head. Luke recognized that head tilt. It always meant that Jesse wanted more information but wasn't going to ask*

[DaisyMaeDuke]

We used t' get along great...but lately...*shakes his head* Lately we been at each other's throats...and I'm sick of it...I'm sick of trying t' figure a way out of every mess he gets us into...I'm sick of his attitude towards everything..*sighs-he was so frustrated which is why he had spilled what he was feeling to Jesse; normally he would just stay quiet keeping himself to himself*

[RogerDuke]

*Jesse was surprised but his wrinkled face didn't show it*

Why do you think this is any different than any other time?

[DaisyMaeDuke]

I dunno! *nearly spitting the words out in frustration-that was what angered him the most: the fact that he didn't know, and didn't know how to fix it*

[RogerDuke]

*concern grows deeper*

Do you think the three of us should sit down and talk this thing out?

[DaisyMaeDuke]

No...cuz you can't talk sense t'him! *sighs* Look don't let it ruffle your feathers...won't do no good...he ain't gonna change.

[RogerDuke]

*looks at Luke with old caring eyes*

Everybody changes. Look at you.

[DaisyMaeDuke]

What about me? *looking back at him* I'm still the same person I always was...

[RogerDuke]

*nods his head left, then right*

That ain't neccessarily so Luke.

Before you went into the Marines, you were able to tolerate anything yer little cousin would throw at ya.

I remember one time you were back behind the barn with Enos, Daisy and BethAnn Stovall. The four of you were out there past midnight watching them there shootin' star things. I think there was about a million of them that night. Anyhow, Bo climbed on top of the barn with a dynamite arrow and shot it up in the air right at the moment you was giving BethAnn a smooch.

Of course, I give him a whipin fer gitting into the dynamite but you just laughed even though he scared ya half out of yer wits. You had more patience than any of my kids at that age.

*pauses*

So don't tell me ya ain't changed.

[DaisyMaeDuke]

I am patient! More patient than Bo!

*In the Marines he had no choice to be patient; everything that happened came when and how the staff sergeants said it did...didn't make no difference what Luke had been ready for*

[RogerDuke]

*calm face*

Now don't git riled up. I know yer more patient than Bo, I'm just saying you've lost a lot of the patience ya used to have.

Ya know, it seems like ever since ya got back from the Marines ya ain't been exactly the same.

Now, I know exactly what yer going through. When Uncle Sam called me, I had to leave all this freedom we got here on the farm and do what I was told 24 hours a day for 4 years, just like you. A feller gits home from an experience like that and he doesn't quite have the same patience as he used to. That way of living is structured and disiplined and....well.....Bo ain't exactly good with them two qualities.

[DaisyMaeDuke]

*nods slightly* But it aint just the structure... *knows that he had a lot of emotions still built up inside of him about the Marines and Nam that he had never shared...and likely never would...there was no point really...war was war....and it always had casualties...he supposed in many ways, the old Luke was one of them*

[RogerDuke]

*tries to look Luke in the eye but Luke is staring blankly out the window*

"Well then, what is it?"

[DaisyMaeDuke]

Nothing important *murmurs softly*

[RogerDuke]

Jesse had seen that hollow expression on Luke's face many times. He knew it was because of Viet Nam. Of course it might have been easy for someone like Jesse to recognize that look since he had experienced the horrors of WWII and knew, all too well, the afterthoughts.

Jesse got up, went over to the stove, grabbed the coffee pot and poured two fresh cups for himself and his troubled nephew.

[BoJamesDuke]

*comes back into the kitchen holding a piece of paper triumphantly*

Sheriff Rosco strikes again...khee khee!