Chapter 4

When Enos had told Cooter the devastating news Cooter had been shocked and grief-stricken. His first thought though had been of Luke and how hard his friend was probably taking it. When Enos had told him that Luke was off driving through the backroads of Hazzard, Cooter had taken it upon himself to try to find him. He had searched all through the night but it wasn't until he had pulled up to the Duke farm just after dawn that he saw Luke locked in a tight embrace with his Uncle Jesse. The sight had brought tears to his eyes and he waited at a respectable distance both to let uncle and nephew have their moment and to compose himself a bit first. It was only when the two had finally let go of each other that Cooter had approached.

"Luke, Uncle Jesse. I'm real sorry," his voice had cracked with emotion and he had been unable to say anything more. He hadn't really needed to though, as his two friends knew exactly how he was feeling.

Jesse draped an arm over Cooter's shoulder. "We're glad you're here Cooter," he had said, his voice gruff and raw. Like Luke and Cooter he had not slept a wink. "Why dontcha come inside and join us for some breakfast?"

Since Daisy still had not come out of her room, Cooter whipped up a quick breakfast which sat uneaten on the kitchen table. Nobody was really all that hungry. It was barely seven in the morning when the first of the neighbors had started to come around and realizing they were in for a full house, Cooter immediately took charge. He had moved all the vehicles back behind the barn and moved the furniture in the house to accommodate as many as possible. By the time Sheriff Rosco had arrived around noon half of Hazzard County was at the Duke farm and there was enough food to feed a small army. Trouble was that none of this seemed to be helping the Dukes much. So when Rosco had asked, "How's it goin?" Cooter could only think to reply "Not good, not good at all."

"Aw Sheriff," Enos said miserably from where he sat next to Cooter on the steps of the porch. "I just feel so dadblamed helpless. Daisy's still in her room and we just saw Luke disappear behind the barn over yonder but that's the first we've seen of him in hours! At least we got Uncle Jesse to get some sleep."

Rosco crossed his arms. "Well now that isn't good news. But there must be something we can do to help. Isn't there?"

Cooter stood up his eyes never leaving the barn. "Well now maybe there is," he said slowly. "Enos, why don't you go find Daisy and talk with her. She's been alone long enough. And I'll go have me a talk with Luke." He started to walk off but was stopped by Rosco.

"And me? What can I do Cooter?" Rosco asked wanting to help.

Cooter thought a minute not quite knowing what the Sheriff could do. Finally he said, "You do what you do best Rosco. Watch over these fine citizens here and make sure no one disturbs Uncle Jesse."

Rosco puffed out his chest in pride. "Yeah I'll do what I do best. I'll watch over these fine citizens here."

Enos hadn't waited to hear the end of Cooter's and Rosco's conversation. Eager to do something, anything, he made his way straight to Daisy's bedroom and knocked on the door. To his surprise, there was no answer. He opened the door slowly and popped his head inside. "Daisy?" he asked. The room was empty and the only evidence that she had been there at all was the heaping mounds of kleenex all over the bedroom floor. Perplexed, he went down the hall and searched the bathroom. It too was empty. He was just about to go find Luke and Cooter when he heard a noise come from Luke and Bo's bedroom. Slowly he peeked into the room and found Daisy sitting on Bo's bed, one of his yellow shirts clutched in her hands and crying softly. "Daisy?" he asked concerned.

Daisy looked up at him miserably. "Enos! Oh Enos! It still smells like him!" She buried her face into the well worn yellow shirt and sobbed uncontrollably.

"Aw Daisy," Enos said as he rushed towards her and gathered her in his arms. "Shh now, Daisy girl," he said softly as he stroked her hair. "Come on now, Bo wouldn't want to see ya all upset like this." But Daisy would not be consoled and she cried and cried until finally she fell asleep exhausted on Enos' shoulder.

Cooter hurried towards the barn afraid to hear the roar of the General Lee's engine at any moment. If Luke decided to take off, Cooter would never be able to catch him. As he rounded the backside of the barn he was surprised to see Luke covering the General with a tarp.

"Luke? Old buddy whacha up to?" Cooter asked cautiously.

Luke whirled around at Cooter's voice. "Cooter! Hey! I'm glad yer here! Help me with this will ya?" he asked indicating the tarp.

"Sure," Cooter said slowly and moved forward to give Luke a hand. "Why're we coverin' the General Luke?" he asked as he neatly tucked a corner of the tarp under the front end.

Luke stared at the exposed back end of the car where he had been trying to get the tarp to stay put. It seemed though that the General had other ideas and the tarp kept slipping off. "Cuz everytime I see this dang blasted car all I wanna do is scream!" Luke said his voice getting louder with every word. He kicked the tire angrily and turned his back on the car. "All it does is remind me of Bo," he said softly. He leaned his forehead against the barn wall breathing deeply, trying to regain control of his emotions. After a moment he stood up straight and turned to face Cooter. "I'm sellin' the General. Tomorrow. You know anyone interested in buyin' it?"

Cooter stood there too shocked to say anything at first. Finally he said, "Now Luke if'n you really want to sell the General Lee I'd be first in line to take 'im off yer hands but dontcha think you should wait a bit? It may be makin' ya feel bad now but you, Bo and the General had some mighty good times. You might wanna keep him around awhile, there may come a time when yer glad you have 'im to remember Bo by."

Luke looked at the floor and Cooter could never remember a time when he had seen him looking so defeated. "I don't want the General around anymore," he said, his voice shaking. "I want it gone, Cooter. Gone!" He looked pleadingly into his friends eyes. Cooter met his gaze but there was so much pain in Luke's eyes he had to look away.

Cooter reached out and put a hand on Luke's shoulder. "I'll tell ya what. I'll store the General for ya. I'll tow 'im outta here tonight and I'll keep 'im in a safe place for ya until yer ready to see 'im again. How's that?"

Luke was so relieved he all but collapsed into Cooter's arms. After a minute he cried, "Cooter, how could he do this to us? You told him to take it easy in that truck. Why didn't he listen?"

Luke's words struck something deep inside Cooter and suddenly he too found himself clinging to Luke and fighting back tears. "Luke, can you ever forgive me! I shoulda never let him use that old sorry excuse for a truck," he sobbed miserably.

Luke pulled himself away from Cooter and grabbed him by the shoulders. Looking him straight in the eye he said, "Cooter this ain't yer fault. This ain't anybody's fault. It was an accident, a horrible tragic accident, but nobody's fault."

Cooter pulled himself together and couldn't help but laugh sadly. "Here I come out here to help you and set you straight and ya wind up having to do it for me!"

Luke gave him a small smile. "That's what friends are for right? To help each other?"

Cooter clasped Luke on the back and smiled sadly back. "Come on. We should get back to the house."

I t was near dark when the last of the neighbors left the Duke farm. After Daisy and Jesse had slept awhile both of them had finally appeared and made their rounds amongst the neighbors. Satisfied that the Duke family was doing ok folks had started making their exits, although there were a few stragglers, whom Cooter thought were mostly there for Jesse's shine than anything else, the Dukes and Cooter were finally left to themselves.

After Cooter had finished hitching up the General to the back of his truck he made his way over to make his own goodbye. He gave Jesse a hearty clasp on the shoulder and hugged Daisy tightly and finally turned to Luke. "Ya oughta bring Uncle Jesse's pickup by the garage tomorrow for a tune up seeing as how yer without wheels yerself now. We oughta make sure the pickup can handle the extra abuse its gonna get."

Luke was about decline, he really had no desire to leave the farm and go into town just yet, but Jesse spoke up first. "That's a fine idea Cooter," he said. "You can expect Luke sometime tomorrow morning." Jesse knew they were all in pain but the best way to work through it was to get on with their lives.

Luke sighed. "Alright then Cooter, I'll see ya in the morning." Cooter waved goodbye and Luke went straight into the house. He did not want to see the General getting towed away.

When Luke arrived at Cooter's the next morning he looked like hell and Cooter said as much when he greeted him. Luke shrugged. "I didn't sleep much Cooter, the couch ain't exactly comfortable."

"The couch?" Cooter asked. "Somethin' wrong with yer bed there Lukas?"

Luke sighed. "I could either not sleep and stare at Bo's empty bed all night or not sleep and stare at the living room ceiling all night. I chose the ceiling."

Cooter gave his friend a sympathetic look and decided to change the subject. "How're Uncle Jesse and Daisy?" he asked.

"Fine I guess." It was hard to tell in these situations. "Daisy decided to go into work today."

Cooter blinked in surprise. "She did?"

"Yeah, Uncle Jesse's droppin' her off at the Boar's Nest now."

Cooter was about to respond but was interrupted when suddenly the phone rang from inside the garage. Cooter raced inside, picked it up and answered with a brisk, "Cooter's Garage."

"Cooter!" the strangely familiar voice said on the line. "Am I glad I found you! Where is everyone? Is Luke with ya?"

Cooter frowned. "Now slow down there friend. Just who is this?"

"Whaddya mean 'who is this' Dontcha recognize me? It's me, Bo!"

Cooter's face turned beet red with anger. "Now see here!" he hollered. "I don't take too kindly to your sick joke! You…you…you oughta be ashamed of yerself!" He slammed the phone down in a heap of rage.

Luke, who had been looking on with both concern and curosity asked "Who-?" But before he could finish the phone rang again. Cooter stared at it like it was the plague. "Want me to get it?" Luke asked and to his surprise Cooter actually looked frightened and hurriedly picked it up.

The voice on the other side didn't give him a chance to speak, "Cooter! If you hang up on me again, I'll tell Luke it was you who told Cindy Lou he was seeing Sarah Johnson behind her back!"

Cooter's face went from beet red to ash white as his jaw dropped open.

"Bo?"

"Bo? Did he say Bo! Folks, maybe there really are miracles!"