Uncle Jesse handed the paper back to Luke, nodding at him at the same time. Luke knew that he was to put the paper away while his Uncle talked to Bo.
Bo entered the living room and nervously pulled the footrest toward the armchair before taking a seat on it facing Jesse. Something had to be seriously wrong. Although he knew that his Uncle Jesse loved him very much, he usually didn't address him as 'son' unless bad news followed.
Jesse sighed as he looked at Bo. Luke sat watching with an emotion that was better described than named. It was a mix of desperately wanting to jump up and shut Bo's ears to what he was about to hear and wanting him to hear it very badly at the same time.
"Bo, I know that in the past we've always been able to come up with some scheme to stop J.D. from doing what he does. But this time, there's just no way out. We have to move, no if's and's or but's."
Bo looked as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Now Uncle Jesse that just don't sound like you. This is, what, the eighth or ninth time Boss has tried to take our farm? We've always figured a way out of the mess and we will this time too."
"You don't understand, Bo. Every since J.D. has had two quarters to rub together he has wanted this land. Why? Because it's a large piece of property that is fairly flat, has a river running out back and is fairly close to town. And J.D. knows that if any type of industry comes to Hazzard, that this is the piece of land they would most want. He also realizes that Hazzard isn't exactly the place all of the big name businesses are gonna look at to build in, which means that they would need some financial persuasion to make that decision."
Jesse stood and walked to the fireplace. Bo and Luke turned to look at him as he took his trusty but barely used pipe from the mantle and tapped it.
"Now you're right that this isn't the first time this has happened. In the past when it looked like J.D. had enough money to take the land and invest in an industry, it turned out to be one of his shady schemes and we managed to uncover it. Other times, we were just a little short and our good friends and neighbors were able to bail us out when they pooled their money. But this time it's different. J.D.'s got money this time, enough money to take this land and turn it into something, and he got it honestly." He paused long enough to strike a match and puff on the pipe while Bo's anger began to boil. "I suppose we could take our argument to the court in Atlanta, since we all know that J.D. can't legally kick us out by changing our due date without more notice than that. But I don't think it would do any good. J.D. would bring up the fact that we've been late several times and point out how badly industry is needed in Hazzard, and the court would find in his favor. I'm sure of it."
"Well I ain't so sure of it, Uncle Jesse!" Bo exclaimed, jumping up from the footrest. "Now I know we Dukes ain't got much but we do have our pride and a fightin' spirit and I ain't never known any of us to give up without using that, not 'till today anyway." He paused to let the last statement sink in. "Now I know you're upset about Big Daddy and everything but I'm having a hard time believing that you're willing to let the farm your grandfather built go without a fight!"
"Now Bo…." Jesse began.
"No!" Bo said, waving him away and turning toward the door. "That Boss Hogg makes me sick. You know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna go down there and give him a piece of my mind. It might not change nothing but I'm gonna do it anyway!"
Bo opened the door and slammed it behind him. He ran to the General, jumped in and sped off before Luke or Jesse even had a chance to move from the spots where they stood.
"Jesse, I thought you was going to tell him." Luke said.
"No. It's not worth it. This farm is not worth it."
"Maybe your wrong. Bo loves this farm just like you and I do and he's willing to fight for it."
"I don't know, Luke. But I do know it's going to be hard for you to keep this a secret now that you know what's going on."
"I don't know what's going on, Uncle Jesse, not the details anyway. I'm not going to say anything without your approval, though. You've handled this by yourself all these years and we've got along okay so I'm not going to be the one to change that. But I am worried about Bo right now. I think I'll follow him and make sure he doesn't get in too much trouble."
"That's probably a good idea." Jesse nodded. "Give me a holler on the CB if you need me."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX\
Ten minutes later a red-faced fuming Bo Duke walked into the Hazzard County jail and straight into Boss's office.
"Boss Hogg, I want to talk to you." Bo announced in a slightly firm but otherwise surprisingly calm voice.
"Bo!" Boss exclaimed as he looked up from a massive plate of fried chicken that could have easily fed a third of Hazzard County's population. "What a surprise to see you here, and without your family." Boss's look suddenly changed from victory to hope. "Wait! Does this mean……….."
"Boss." Bo interrupted. "I'm here about Jesse's farm."
Boss looked satisfied. "Well I'm suppose since you came alone to take about 'Jesse's' farm then he finally had the good sense to tell you."
"To tell me what?"
"That we're gonna be rich! We'll be the richest family in Hazzard!" Boss replied. "Bo, I have to tell you, it's everything I've wanted. It's what I've always wanted."
"Boss, you're not makin' a lick of sense, except for the part about wanting everything for yourself. Now that farm has been in my Uncle Jesse's family for over a hundred years and it ain't right for you to take it no matter how rich you are!"
"Oh" Boss replied. "Perhaps he didn't tell you."
"Tell me what? Suddenly everybody seems to want to talk to me today. What do you have to say?"
As the boisterous exchange continued, Cooter watched it all through the window of the county jail as he sat atop a car he was working on at his garage across the street. He paused in cleaning his wrench with a rag as Luke pulled up in Jesse's pickup truck.
"Afternoon Lukas Dukas." Cooter joked as Luke got out and slammed the door. "I don't know what's got in to that cousin of yours but he sure is giving it to Boss." He finished, jutting a greasy pinkie toward the jail window.
"Boss seems to be taking it pretty well." Luke commented as he leaned up against the car on which Cooter sat.
"Mind telling me what's going on?" Cooter asked.
Luke frowned, held up his hand, and shook his head as he continued to watch the exchange.
As the friends watched Bo continued to vent as his actions showed that he was speaking strongly and waving his hands about. Boss almost looked defeated which set Crazy Cooter to laughing on more than one occasion.
All of a sudden, Boss got up out of his chair and gave Bo some harsh words of his own. Bo stopped short and stood saying nothing. As Boss continued Bo began shaking his head and suddenly looked like a whipped little puppy. He knocked one of Boss's chairs over as he ran from the office with Boss close behind.
"Oh no!" Luke exclaimed.
"What? What's going on?" Cooter asked as Luke began running toward the jail.
Before he got there Bo appeared in the doorway and ran down the stairs. As he was midway down Boss appeared in the door.
"No! I won't believe it. I will NEVER believe it!" Bo exclaimed toward Boss as he jumped in the General and took off. He never even heard Luke repeatedly exclaim his name.
Luke turned and ran back toward the garage.
"Can I help? Is he alright? Why'd he act that way?" Cooter drilled as Luke got into Jesse's pickup.
Luke only had time to answer the last question. "He acted the way anyone would who got the earful Boss just gave him." With that, he started the pickup and took off after Bo.