"Uncle Jesse can we please go?"my 17 year old cousin Bo begged. "One day of school won't matter much!" That's where he made his mistake, Uncle Jesse's head snapped up and he glared at Bo. "If your grades weren't so bad, one day might not matter! Principal Jones called me last week and said you were near failin' in three subjects!" Bo looked down at his plate. But Uncle Jesse wasn't finished. "He also said you've missed three days of school in the last two weeks! " He turned to me. "Daisy?" "Yessir?" I said swallowin' nervously. "The principal also said you missed the same exact days that Bo here missed. Now." He said leaning back in his chair. "I wanna know what you two have been up to! Bo?" Bo didn't say nothin' "Daisy?" I was silent. "Betcha I can tell ya where they've been!" My 21 year old cousin Luke said. "Cooter said that he's heard kids in the old buildin' next to the garage durin' school hours, he peeked in t'other day and he saw Bo 'n'Daisy big as you please playi-" "Jist shut-up Luke!" Bo interuppted angrily. "We weren't doin' nothin' wrong!" "Beauregard Jackson Duke! " Uncle Jesse said fiercly. "Don't ya talk ta Luke like that 'lessen you want to be put over my knee right here and now! Now you apologize!" " I guess I'm sorry!" Bo said. "You guess?" Uncle Jesse asked, raisin' his eyebrows. "Alright!" Bo said. "I'm sorry Luke, I shouldn't have disrespected ya like that." "T'sokay Bo. " "Luke." Uncle Jesse said after a minute. "What do ya think about them goin' to the fair tomorrow?" Luke pondered for a minute. "Wa'll I think they should go ta school. "He finally said. "They done went to the fair all day saturday an' today, an' if they've been a'skippin' school, they need ta catch up." Uncle Jesse sat there thoughtfully. "Sounds about right ta me." He said. "But-" "But nothin' ya ain't goin' and that's final!" Uncle Jesse said , darin' him to say another word. We finished supper, and I started cleanin' up the kitchen, while the boys did their chores. After I finished cleanin' up, I ran outside, and climbed into the hayloft. I went over and sat in the big window, and looked up at the moon and the stars. I could see Luke tryin' to get Kelly the goat to let him milk'er, and Bo was beneath me forkin' hay to Maudine the mule. "There ya go girl. " I heard him say. The moon and stars were beautiful, so bright and clear, almost like they were right there in front of me. Like I could reach out and grab'em if I wanted. I leaned back against the window frame, closed my eyes and breathed in the scent of hay, and home. It was nights like this that made me feel sorry for city folks. "Don't FALL!" Someone grabbed my arm and tilted me toward the edge of the window frame. I slapped Bo on the arm. "Let me go Bo Duke!" I said angrily. "You coulda killed me!" "Aww Daze, you know I'd never let nothin' happen ta you!" He said. "Yeah right." I mumbled. Bo picked up a piece of hay and stuck it in his mouth. "So , ya goin' to the fair tomorrow?" He asked, sittin' down beside me. "You heard uncle Jesse." I said. "WE ain't goin' nowhere but school." I sighed. "An' I really wanted to go too." "Who says we can't." Bo said grinnin' at me. "Bo, do ya need your ears checked?" I asked in disbelief. "Nope, I was just thinkin', when we walk to the bus stop in the mornin' , nobody's gonna force us ta get on, I mean we could just walk off, and hitch a ride to the Fair. " "No way!" I said shakin' my head. "There's no way your gonna drag me in on your plan this time ." "But, dang Daze, we can call in and imitate Uncle Jesse's voice and say we's sick, then they won't report that as a day we missed." "Nuh-uh!" I said . "Pu-leeze Daze, think of the games, and the shows, and the rides! Ya know we didn't get ta do half a what we wanted to! C'mon, I got some money saved up, we'll be back home at three thirty, just as if the bus had brought us. Uncle Jesse'll never know!" I had started to weaken when he mentioned the rides, I loved the roller coasters and thrill rides! They were sooooo much fun! And I had gone with Luke and his date-of-the-week Jenny, and she was a giggly girl who hated anything that went over two miles an hour. "Well..." I said hesitantly. "Pretty please?" Bo begged, turnin' the full power of his baby blue eyes on me. "I ... I guess so!" I said finally. "YAAHOOOO!" He said grabbin' me in a big hug. "Leggo of me you big lug!" I said laughin'. "Daze, you're the greatest li'l cousin ever! " "I know." I said pattin' my hair self-consciencely. Bo ruffle my hair up. "Stop it!" I slapped at him. He just laughed and threw a bunch of hay at me. I jumped on top of him, and we started wrestlin'. Finally we was worn out, so we went and sat together in the big window sill, our legs danglin' over the edge. We sat there quietly 'til Luke came an' got us for bed.