"Mornin' Uncle Jesse." Luke said as he walked out of the bedroom and met his uncle, who was coming out of the bathroom.
"Mornin' Luke." Jesse returned the greeting as he walked into the kitchen to start breakfast. Jesse noticed a piece of paper on the table that hadn't been there the day before. Picking it up Jesse opened it and started to read what was on the paper.
"Luke! Get in here and fast!" Luke was startled when Jesse yelled for him. Luke nearly ran out of the bathroom and into the kitchen.
"What's the matter Uncle Jesse?"
"Look." Luke took what Jesse was handing him and opened it and began reading the note.
Dear Uncle Jesse and Luke,
I've decided to leave and find another place to live. I can understand that ya'll don't want me around, so instead of you worrying about me anymore, I've decided to go find someone else who'll accept me for who I am and not worry about my clumsiness and who'll let me explain my side of the story. You were right Luke, everyone would be better off if I wasn't around. You got your wish Luke. Hope your happy now that you won't have to worry about me anymore. So don't try to look for me, 'cause you won't find me, but you can look for me if you want. Ya'll never listen to me anyway. I'm not sure where I'll go, but I s'pose I'll know when I get there.
Bo
Jesse and Luke both looked at the note. Tears started to fall from Jesse's eyes and he had to sit down.
"Why would he run off like that?" Luke asked.
"I don't know Luke."
"He knows that we love him, why would he say something like that and run off?"
"I don't know, but we got to go find him. I'll call Rosco and see if he's seen him, you go into town and ask around."
"Yes sir." Luke took off outside and jumped in the pickup. Jesse walked over to the CB and tried to get a hold of Rosco.
"Breaker, breaker. This is Jesse Duke calling Sheriff Rosco Coltrane. Ya'll got yer ears on? This is an emergency. Come back."
"This is Sheriff Roscoooo P. Coltrane, what do you want Jesse?"
"Rosco, it's Bo. I was wondering if you've seen any sign of him."
"No, why is he missing?"
"Yeah, we found a note this morning from him. Rosco, I think Bo ran away."
Bo was pulled out of his thoughts when heard someone shouting at him.
"Are you gonna stand here all day, or are you gonna buy something?" An angry store clerk asked.
"Oh, um, sorry. Yeah I'm gonna buy something." Bo said as he got a bottle of root beer, and some snacks and placed them on the counter. The clerk rang them up and told Bo the total. After paying what he owed that clerk and getting his change, Bo walked outside and sat on the ground under the store window. Bo had read the Hazzard Gazette two days after he had left, and there was no article to be seen about him missing. That had made his mind up completely that he wouldn't be going home. Bo was having a hard time deciding if he should call the farm and let them know he wasn't coming back ever again, or to not call them.
In truth, Bo didn't really mind sleeping outside at night. The stars and chirping crickets and croaking tree frogs were a big comfort to him at night. And then nights that there had been rain, Bo had slept under bridges, where the sound of the running water and the pouring rain soon made him fall asleep. After debating on whether or not to call the farm, Bo finally made up his mind. He would find a payphone and call the farm from there.
After finishing his snack, Bo stood up and started to look around for a payphone. After looking around for about fifteen minutes, Bo finally managed to find one. After seeing if it worked, Bo dug around in his pocket and pulled out fifty cents and deposited them in the coin slot. He then dialed the number to the farm and waited for an answer. After the third ring, someone finally answered the phone.
"Hello Duke farm, Jesse Duke speaking." Bo hesitated for a couple seconds before answering.
"Uncle Jesse. I got something I want to tell you."
"Bo! Where in the world are you? We've been worried sick about you."
"If you don't want to love me, then I'll find somebody else who will find another way to thrill, find another way to fill this loneliness. And if you really want to know me then I guess you better show me is it real or is it phony, just love me or leave me alone." Bo said into the receiver, tears filling his eyes.
"Bo? Bo what are you talking about? Bo?"
"I'm not coming home, at least not until you prove that ya'll love me and want me around." Before Jesse could answer, Bo hung up.
Jesse stood there trying to let what Bo had just told him sink in. Luke who had been outside doing chores, didn't hear who Jesse had been talking to, but saw the sad and confused look on his face.
"Who was that?" Luke asked.
"That was Bo. He said he ain't coming home."
"What? Did he say anything else?"
"The way I understood it, he thinks we don't love him, or want him around."
"That's absurd. I love Bo like a brother, why would he think such a thing?"
"I dunno, but I'm gonna see if Maybelle can trace where he called from. Maybe we can go there and see if we can't find him." Jesse said as he picked up the receiver. "Maybelle, I want you to trace a call from Bo for me, can you do that?"
"Yes Sir Jesse, I'll trace it right away."
"Thank you Maybelle."
"Alright, I found where the call came from. It came from a payphone in Jackson County . That's all I was able to find out."
"Thank ya Maybelle."
"What did she say?"
"She said that he was calling from Jackson County ."
"That's almost to the dang border. How did he get there so fast? There's no way he could've gotten there on foot in a week, not unless he's been going at night too, and hitch hiking."
"I don't know how he got there, but I know how he's getting back here. C'mon, we're taking a road trip." Jesse said as he put his old red cap on. Luke followed him outside and got in Jesse's old pickup truck.
Well that's that, for now.I hope that Jesse and Luke get to Jakson County and find Bo before he decides to leave again. Please R&R! Thanks!
A/N: I'm not sure if Jakson County actually exists in Georgia, and if it does, I'm not sure where it is exactly. that was the only nameI could think of at the time, so bear with me on that.