It had been almost a week since he ran away from home. He was now almost to the state boarder and was beginning to have second thoughts about leaving.
"Maybe I shouldn't have left. Then again, they already made it clear that they didn't want me there anymore. And if they really miss me they'd have been out looking for me by now. Man I'm hungry, I wonder how much money I have left." He said as he reached into his jean pocket. He pulled out fifty dollars and ninety-nine cents.
"This should hopefully get me by until I get wherever I'm going, if not I can always work and get money that way. I'll just have watch how much I spend." Sighing, he stuck the money back into his pocket. He picked up his bag of clothes and headed off to find some place to start a new life and to be away from everyone who didn't want him. Soon he began to think back to the day almost one week ago, the same night that he left.
The day had started out like any other day at the Duke farm. Bo and Luke were outside doing their morning chores before breakfast. Luke had been cleaning out the stall where Maudine the mule was kept, and Bo was collecting the eggs for breakfast.
"Hey Luke, I'm gonna run these eggs inside for Uncle Jesse real fast."
"Alright Bo, just hurry back I don't want to be stuck doing yer chores."
"Alright Luke. Be right back." Bo said as he took the basket full of eggs inside to his uncle.
"Here's the eggs Uncle Jesse." Bo said as he sat the basket no the kitchen table.
"Thank you Bo. Can you do me a favor?"
"Yeah sure Uncle Jesse."
"I was wondering if you could run that there package into town for me. " Jesse said pointing to a rather large package sitting on one of the chairs.
"Alright Uncle Jesse." Bo said as he grabbed the package off the chair and headed outside to get his bike. Still not being old enough to drive, Bo still had to use his old hand me down bike he got from Luke for his birthday last year "Hey Bo, where you goin'?"
"I gotta go to town real fast. Can you do my chores for me?"
"Um, sure I guess. Hey do you think you can get me a soda while yer in town?"
"Uh, sure. What kind do you want?"
"It don't matter." "Okay, I'll be back in a little while. Oh yeah. Luke?"
"Yeah Bo?"
"Would it be alright if I help you work on that car you got a couple weeks ago when I get back?"
"I don't see why not. I'll wait 'til you get back then 'fore I get started on it."
"Great, thanks Luke!" Bo said as he set off down the road. It took Bo about twenty-five minutes or so to reach town. Bo rode to the post office and leaned his bike against the side of the building. Bo walked in the post office and looked around for the post mistress, Miss Tizzdale.
"Hi Miss Tizzdale."
"Take a number and state your name please."
"Oh right. Bo Duke, number one." Bo said as he showed the little old lady his number card. Miss Tizzdale looked at the card and then nodded.
"Alright, what can I do for today?"
"I got a package here from Uncle Jesse that he wanted me to bring here to mail out." Bo said as he sat the box on the counter.
"Alright, I'll get this out as soon as I finish my deliveries."
"Thank you Miss Tizzdale." Bo said as he left the post office. Bo then made his way across the street to the little carry out to get Luke's soda. After Bo got Luke's soda, he went back to the front of the post office to get his bike. Once Bo got his bike, he headed back towards the farm, humming a tune while he went. Bo got back to the farm in about fifteen minutes without the package.
"Hey ya'll, I'm back." Bo said as he jumped off his bike and put it away. Luke who had been on the porch, came down and walked over to Bo.
"Here's yer soda Luke." Bo said as he handed Luke his soda.
"Hey thanks Bo. uncle Jesse said that you need to finish your chores, he told me to wait until you got back instead of doing them myself."
"Alright, I'll get started on them." Bo said as he headed back to the barn.
"Oh Bo, can you take care of Maudine's hoof for Uncle Jesse? She's been favoring that front right leg again." Luke said before Bo disappeared into the barn. Bo who had been singing to himself, didn't hear what Luke had asked him to do.
About an hour later, Bo came back in from finishing up his chores. He went into the bathroom to clean up.
"Bo, your breakfast is in the fridge." Jesse told Bo.
"Alright Uncle Jesse." Bo got into the fridge and got out his breakfast and heated it up.
After he finished eating, Bo went to find Luke so they could work on the car together.
"Hey Luke, you in here?" Bo called as he looked into the living room only to find that Luke wasn't there. Bo then thought that they would be outside. Just as Bo was about to open the front door, Luke came storming in and knocked Bo down by accident. Luke stumbled backwards himself, but remained standing.
"I was just about to come get you. Uncle Jesse's really steamed at you right now. And he yelled at me for not telling you, I had to explain to him that I did."
"What did you tell me?"
"What do you think? Because of you I get in trouble for doing what I was told."
"I did do what you told me too, I got you your soda. Was I supposed to do something else?"
"Oh what? Now you're playing Mr. Innocent. Bo I can't believe you would do something like that. Not only did you neglect Maudine, but you got me grounded for a week. So don't be planning on helping me work on MY car again." Bo sat on the floor looking up at Luke, wide eyed and confused. Luke stormed off into his and Bo's room. Luke slammed the door. Bo stood up and went outside to find Jesse to see if he could find out what's going on. Bo went out to the barn and saw Jesse kneeled on the ground taking care of Maudine's hoof.
"Uncle Jesse?"
"What?"
"I got a question. Luke came inside and started telling me that I didn't do what I was asked to do. I thought I did everything I was told, but now I'm confused."
"What's there to be confused about? Not only did you disobey me, but you also neglected Maudine. Your grounded for a week. Now git to yer room and stay there until dinner."
"Yes sir." Bo said as he turned around and headed back inside. 'Man what the heck did I do that's got everyone steamed at me?' Bo thought as he walked into his room. Luke was lying on his bed reading a car magazine, his back towards the door. Bo went to say something to Luke but Luke began to speak first.
"You know Bo, there is never any trouble when your not here. I never get in trouble with Uncle Jesse, or Rosco when your gone somewhere."
"Look I'm sorry for whatever it was that I was supposed to have done. I didn't mean to get you in trouble."
"I don't want to hear it right now. So just leave me alone." Luke said as he went back to reading. Bo sat on his bed cross legged and began to think.
'Why the heck is everyone so mad at me for? I've done everything everyone's asked me to do today.' Bo eventually fell asleep lost in his thoughts of why everyone was mad at him for. The next thing Bo knew, he was getting hit in the face with a pillow.
"Get your lazy butt out of bed, it's time to eat." Luke said as he left the room. Bo sat up and at first thought he had been dreaming, but then remembered the day's events. Sighing, Bo got up and walked out of the room. When Bo walked into the kitchen, Luke passed him an angry glare. Bo took his spot next to Luke and bowed his head with his uncle and cousin as Jesse began to say grace. Dinner was unusually quiet that night, that is up until close to the end, when Bo was reaching for a biscuit, he accidentally hit Luke's glass with his arm. The glass, which was half full, tipped over and landed on Luke's lap. Luke jumped up and started yelling at Bo.
"Bo, you dang klutz! Can't you do anything right?"
"Luke, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, honest."
"Just get out of my sight! We'd all be better off you weren't around, I swear I don't know how anyone can put up with you." What Luke said seemed to tear a hole in Bo's heart. Jesse was about to tell Luke that he'd best apologize to Bo, but before he could get out a single word, Bo started in.
"If ya'll don't want me around, then fine! I'll go and you won't have to worry about me. " Bo yelled as he turned and ran into his and Luke's room. While Jesse and Luke were cleaning up the dinner table and the milk mess, Bo was busy doing some packing.
'I'll leave tonight after everyone is asleep, and they won't need to worry about me ever again. I'll go find someone who'll accept me for who I am. Someone who won't care about me being a klutz and someone who won't yell at me for something I didn't know a thing about.' Bo thought to himself. After his single small bag was packed and hidden under his bed, Bo started to write a goodbye note.
About twenty minutes later Luke came in to change. Bo sat the entire time looking at the door, thinking about his plan. Luke turned to look at Bo, a part of him wanting desperately to apologize to Bo for snapping at him both times that day, and another part of him wanted Bo to learn from his mistakes. Luke noticed that Bo's gaze never left the door, it was as if he was waiting for someone to come in. After Luke was done changing, he got into his bed and tried to go to sleep.
About three hours later, Bo was certain that everyone would be asleep. Bo quietly stood up and got his bag out from under his bed and got the note from under his pillow. Creeping out of the bedroom as quietly as he could, Bo checked around to see if the coast was clear. After he was sure it was good to go, Bo made his way to the kitchen where he left the note on the table. Bo then slipped his boots on and quietly snuck out of the house. Once he was off the porch, Bo made a dash towards the woods.
About half way to the woods, Bo remembered that he would need money to eat with. Sitting his bag on the ground, Bo ran back to the house and quietly went back inside. Bo went straight to the spot where he kept his spare money that he had been saving to buy a car with once he turned eighteen and was able to own a car. Bo opened the tin and took all the money. Deciding that he would count it later, he put the lid back on the tin and replaced it in its rightful spot. Bo then went back out of the house as quietly as he had before.
Grabbing his bag and pocketing the money, Bo took off down the road. Not even looking back, not even giving his idea a second thought. Tears started falling as he ran as he remembered all the things Luke had said to him and how Jesse acted like he didn't care.
Well that's the end of the first chapter! Hope ya'll enjoyed it. Please R&R and let me know what you think.
A/N: The idea for this story came from a song called If You Don't Want To Love Me, by Cowboy Troy. That's also where the title of the story came from.