It only took a matter of minutes before the tow truck entered through the gate of the Firefly property, hauling The General Lee with Bo, Luke, and Baby inside, behind it. Bo and Luke both looked up as they passed under the gate's archway and noticed a pig's head had been mounted on it.
"So, uh, your family run a farm?" Bo asked Baby.
"Not really," she replied from the backseat. "We just got a lot of land."
"Bo and me live on our Uncle Jesse's farm," said Luke.
Baby rolled her eyes, but the Duke boys couldn't see.
The tow truck continued to pull them for quite a distance after the gate until, finally, up ahead, the boys could see a weather-beaten old farmhouse silhouetted by a well-timed flash of lightning.
"Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home, eh, boys?" said Baby.
The Dukes didn't answer her. They just smiled and sat there while they were towed around to the side of the house and into a large barn that looked like their friend, Cooter's, mechanic shop back home on the inside. As soon as the truck stopped and lowered the front of The General to the ground, Luke and Bo climbed out through their windows and then Bo helped Baby out of his.
"Why, thank you. You sure are a gentleman," Baby said to him, flirtatiously, after her cowboy boots had hit the ground. "Hey, why don't y'all come on inside the house and I can get ya some hot chocolate to warm your bones?" she added, looking at Luke.
"Actually, I'd like to stay here and have a look at that tire," said Luke.
At that moment the driver's side door of the tow truck opened and a large, muscular man with long dark hair and stubble stepped out. He was wearing a plaid, flannel shirt with the sleeves torn off and a pair of ragged blue jeans with a chain that ran from his front pocket to his back pocket. He had a blank, unfathomable expression on his face.
"I'll fix yo tire," he grunted.
"Rufus will take real good care of it," said Baby.
Bo and Luke exchanged a look.
"Okay," said Luke, after a pause. "He can fix the tire while I give the rest of The General a once over."
Now Baby and Rufus exchanged a look.
"Suit yourself," said baby. "What about you, Bo, don't you want to come in with me?"
"Hell yeah," said Bo. Then to Luke he said, "See ya later, Cuz." He put his arm around Baby, who giggled, and the two of them waltzed out of the barn into the rain.
Luke turned to Rufus who was standing there giving him a blank stare.
"So... Rufus, is it?"
Rufus didn't respond.
"You a mechanic?" asked Luke.
Rufus just stared for a moment and then he quietly said, "Used to be."
Luke smiled with relief. "I think you and me will get along just fine then," he said.
By the time Bo and Baby had run across the yard and onto the front porch of the house they were both soaked.
"Wee doggies! Even a fish could drown in this," said Bo, as he tried to shake himself dry.
Baby laughed.
"I like the way you talk," she said, and stepped closer to him. "I'll bet you can do other things good with your mouth too, can't ya?"
Bo smiled. "I guess you'll just have to be the judge of that, won't you?" he said, and moved in to kiss her.
Just then, the front door swung open and an older lady with long, blonde hair and way too much makeup on stood there wearing an outfit that seemed to consist primarily of leather and feathers.
"Baby!," she screeched in a thick country accent, "You was sposed to be home hours ago." Then as soon as she regarded Bo her attitude softened. "Who's ya friend?" she asked in what was no doubt meant to be a sultry voice.
"Mama, this here's Bo Duke. He gave me a ride," said Baby, wrapping her arm around Bo's.
"Well then, invite the young man in," said Mama. "The two of you are wetter than a newborn calf. Let's get you some warm, dry clothes."
Bo and Baby stepped into the house passed Mama, who shut the door behind them.
"Mama, I'll attend to Bo," said Baby. "There's another Duke boy in the barn with Rufus who could use a change of clothes too. Why don't you go take care of him?"
Mama gave Bo a once over and then nodded.
"I suppose," she said, and walked off down a hall, leaving the two young people standing in the entryway.
Bo looked around himself at what he could see of the house. The walls were covered in bright, stained, orange wallpaper with framed pictures and animal heads hung randomly here and there.
"Nice house," said Bo.
"Let me show you my room," said Baby. "I got something in there that I'm sure you'll fit into once you get out of those wet clothes." She took Bo by the hand and began to lead him towards some stairs. He just grinned and went along with her.
