Author's Note: There has just been too many times in the show where they joke about welded doors. The boys wanted to borrow the pick up, and Jesse muttered something about 'if they weld them doors shut,' and then Bo once suggested to Luke that they should weld the doors shut on the pickup. Well, in this bit of tale, they do…
Big thanks to Vinsmouse for beta work.
Warning: The warning is placed here for Vinsmouse, who wanted a spew warning here, claiming it might be a bad idea to drink while reading the funnier parts. So please keep in mind that drinking any kind of beverage while reading this, might be hazzard'ous to the health of your screen.
Disclaimer: The Duke Boys are not mine, I don't own the Duke boys, nor the General Lee. I promise that once I'm through with them, there will be nothing broken that a trip to Cooter's garage can't fix…
Welded Revenge
"Are y'all really sure ya know what yer doing?" Cooter asked, as he studied the Duke boys' handiwork closely. It was well done no doubt about it. What the two boys hadn't learned from their uncle, Cooter had taught them.
Luke was the slightly better mechanic out of the two Duke boys and it was him who had done the welding so Cooter didn't doubt that it was a job meant to hold.
"Perfectly," Luke nodded.
"See, we've just about had it how Uncle Jesse is on us about welding the doors on the General shut in the first place." Bo declared.
"We figured this was the only way," Luke agreed with a grin. "Sides, it was his idea." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder towards Bo.
"I was joking, yer the one that liked it." Bo objected, not willing to be the one who would wind up taking the whole blame.
"Anyway, it seemed like a really good idea." Luke finished as he put away the welding rig. "Thanks for the help Cooter."
"Y'all want a bit of advice?" Cooter asked them, pushing back his cap to scratch his head.
"Sure what?" Bo was still grinning happily.
"Be really, really far away when Uncle Jesse gits back here. If I were y'all, I'd make sure I started running last week…."
"Aw come on Cooter," Bo grinned happily.
"Hey, there's Uncle Jesse, so I suggest that we step around the corner." Luke grabbed a hold of Bo's arm and pulled him around the corner of the garage.
"Hey Cooter, did ya fix that radiator like I asked ya too?" Jesse grinned, as he dumped a sack from the dry goods store into the truck bed.
"Sure did Uncle Jesse." Cooter nodded as he placed a hand on the hood of the old pickup. "Wasn't anything big either."
"Oh, that's good." Jesse beamed. "Now what do I owe ya fer it?"
"Nothing," Cooter shook his head.
"Now Cooter, when I ask ya to do something fer me, then I'm gonna pay ya fer doing it." Jesse insisted, not wanting to take advantage of his friend in any way.
"Yeah, but today I just ain't got the heart to charge ya." Cooter shook his head again. "Don't worry about it Uncle Jesse, it's kinda settled between me an' the boys."
"Are ya sure?" Jesse asked frowning.
"Yeah." Cooter nodded as Jesse made to get in into the car.
"Well, if yer sure." Jesse shrugged, knowing there was no way to persuade Cooter. "I'll tell ya what though, Daisy ain't home today so why don't ya come over fer dinner later. I ain't used ta only having the boys at the table an' it'd sure be better then some greasy burger."
"That it would." Cooter nodded as Jesse grabbed a hold of the door handle.
"Now what in Sam Hill?" Jesse frowned as he pulled at the door. "I swear this dang thing have gotten stuck."
"It ain't quite so easy, Uncle Jesse." Cooter told him slowly.
"What is the matter with the dang door then?" Jesse demanded, as he gave the door a good punch before pulling again. He spun around as he heard an explosion of laughter and saw his two nephews behind the corner, holding on to each other as well as the building to keep from falling over laughing.
"Now what is it them boys think is so dang funny?" He grumbled annoyed.
"Well, ya see they were here just earlier an' borrowed my welding rig." Cooter admitted.
"They didn't…" Jesse looked between the car door he couldn't open and the two boys that could hardly keep upright for laughing too hard. "They did," he stated as the two boys broke off at a dead run for safety.
"They said they's tired of hearing ya complain about the General Lee." Cooter explained. "Said if ya wanted them cars to be the same as ya said ya did, that was how it was gonna be."
Jesse sighed, shaking his head. He should have known the boys would do something like that. The question was how angry he should be at them for it?
"I'll get them fixed right away fer ya." Cooter said hurriedly, as he started to work on unwelding the welded car doors.
Jesse frowned scratching his beard. "Ya know Cooter, I reckon I should be real mad at them, an' take their hides to the woodshed, but ya know, I reckon they have a point."
"About the General being their car, an' it's up to them if they's wanna keep the doors welded, sure they do." Cooter agreed.
"So I reckon I should stop complaining about it." Jesse nodded. "But ya know Cooter, before I do that, I reckon there is something I want ya to do for me."
"Anything at all Uncle Jesse." Cooter promised, with the kind of smile only small kids and boys that never grew up sported.
"Do ya reckon it's safe now?" Bo asked worriedly as he and Luke snuck back to the garage.
"I ain't sure Bo, the pickup's still there." Luke frowned.
"Do ya reckon he's still mad enough to tan our hides?" Bo wanted to know.
"Only one way to find out, come on Bo." Luke dragged his cousin over to the garage.
"Uncle Jesse," he called out as they got closer. The pickup was still parked in the front and the General was in the shade along the wall.
"Luke?" the elderly man came out of the office.
"Exactly how much trouble are me an' Bo here in?" Luke asked, figuring it was best to know for sure.
"Yeah, like do we need to start running again?" Bo asked, nodding and keeping half behind Luke.
"No Bo," Jesse shook his head. "There ain't no reason fer ya to be running. I reckon the two of ya boys should have the right to keep the General the way ya want him."
"I gotta say yer real understanding Uncle Jesse." Luke told him with appreciation.
"Well, the fact that ya did run off left me some time ta calm down an' figure on it," Jesse told them. "Anyway me an' Cooter here has been waiting fer ya. See, since Daisy ain't gonna be home I figured he might wanna have supper with us."
"He kinda convinced me with the magical words…" Cooter grinned.
"What magical words?" Bo wanted to know.
"Crawdad bisque." Cooter grinned with the smile a child would have if told he could pick his own birthday bag in the candy store.
"Really?" Bo asked as he shone up hopefully.
"Really," Jesse agreed. "So if the two of ya would get going we'd git back home an' the three of ya boys could take care of the chores while I cook."
"Yeee-Hawww!" Bo cried loudly as he and Luke made a dash for the General. In a well practiced maneuver they clasped their hands on the cold metal jumping up and slamming their booted feet right into the window. With identical expressions of surprise the two of them fell down to the ground and Bo gave a surprised yelp as he landed hard on his behind.
"What the…" Luke broke off as he crawled to his hand and feet looking at the car window. There was a crack in the glass there.
"Luke…" Bo himself was climbing to his feet and was confused enough to not yet have noticed how their uncle and friend was laughing just as hard as the two of them had been earlier.
"Windows?" Luke frowned tapping his knuckles on the material that was in the General.
"I didn't even see them." Bo whined slightly.
"Cousin, I'd say we've just seen our Uncle take revenge." Luke declared.
"Hard revenge too." Bo rubbed at the back of his jeans turning around.
"Well boys, that's what happens when ya pick on a Duke." Jesse chuckled. "Cooter, why don't ya help them boys with the windows, cause I swear that they don't know what to do with a regular car, an' I'll git home an' git started on the crawdad bisque."
"Sounds like a great idea Uncle Jesse." Luke nodded, having learnt when it was best to cut your losses and be happy with what you had. "Lets get to work Cooter."
"Right on it Buddyro," Cooter grinned, since it had proved to be a very entertaining afternoon that had a promise of a very good dinner. For Cooter a day couldn't turn out better than that.
The End
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