The next day, Luke was up bright and early. He was sitting at the kitchen table waiting for the coffee to get done. Luke had been so deep in his thoughts about what he could take Bo and Yeller out to do once Bo got home, that he didn't even hear Jesse come out of his room.
"Mornin' Luke." Jesse greeted. Luke jumped at the sudden unexpected greeting.
"Oh mornin' Uncle Jesse. I didn't hear you come in."
"Well when you have years of practice of walking quietly, well it pays off in the end."
"What do you mean Uncle Jesse?"
"You'll find out someday when you got a family of yer own." Jesse said as h got up to get himself a cup of coffee. Luke looked at his uncle still not understanding what he had said. Jesse sat back down at the table next to his nephew.
"So when are you going after Bo?"
"His doctor said that he'll call when Bo can come home. He said it would probably be sometime this afternoon." Luke told his uncle. Jesse nodded his head and took a sip of his coffee. Jesse got up and started to get breakfast on. Luke got up and went outside to get started on the chores. Jess and Daisy got up just as Luke was coming in from outside. The four Dukes sat down at the table to eat breakfast.
Jesse said grace and they started eating. After breakfast Daisy and Jess cleaned off the table, while Luke went into his and Bo's bedroom. Jesse had gone into town to get some more feed for the animals. Luke had sat down on Bo's bed next to Yeller, who raised his head just high enough to lay it on Luke's leg. Luke pet the dog's shaggy head and Yeller slowly wagged his tail.
"Guess what. Bo's coming home today. I'm real proud of ya Yeller. If it wasn't for you Bo probably wouldn't be here." Luke said to the deeply depressed dog. Yeller started to whine for some unknown reason. Luke thought that it was probably because he missed Bo so bad. While Luke was petting Yeller, Jess called from the living room.
"Luke! Phone!"
"Coming! I'll be right back Yeller." Luke said as he got up and headed out the door. Once Luke reached the phone, Jess handed it to him. He put the receiver up to his ear.
"Hello, Luke Duke here."
"Mr. Duke. It's me Dr. Smith. I was just calling to let you know that Beauregard is ready to be discharged. You will need to sign some papers when you get here."
"Okay. That's great. Oh Dr. Smith?"
"Yes?"
"I know that you don't normally allow animals of any kind other then service animals in the hospital, but I have a dog here who is deeply depressed. He's been that way ever since Bo was taken to the hospital. He's a really well behaved dog and it would not only make him happy, but it will also make Bo happy as well."
"Well your right that I don't normally allow non service animals in the hospital, but if it will help Bo out sooner then I'll allow it this one time. But only because it may help Bo to come out of his depression. Alright but he must be kept on a leash the whole time."
"Thank you Dr. Smith. I know Bo will be happy to see him. Thank you again and I'll see you in a few minutes then."
"Alright. Keep it 'tween the ditches. See you in a little bit then." Luke hung up the phone and went to get himself and Yeller ready. He went into his room and got ready to go and got Yeller's leash and started to head out to the pickup. Luke noticed that Yeller didn't budge. He decided that the only way he was going to get the dog to the truck would be to have to carry him out there. Luke bent down to pick up Yeller.
"Boy you sure are heavy. What have you been eating? Bricks?" Luke joked as he made his way out to the truck with yeller in his arms. Once they were in the truck, they started towards Tri-County Emergency to pick up Bo.
Meanwhile back in town, Boss and Rosco were trying to come up with a way to get the Duke farm once and for all. Boss had been sitting at his desk in his bank office thinking, when an all too familiar face came in. Boss was so caught up in thinking that he never noticed his visitor.
"Hogg! I want my money now!" the stranger said in tone that scared Rosco and caused Boss to jump. Boss looked at the man standing in front of him with an angry expression.
"Why Gene. I didn't expect to see you here so soon."
"I want my money now Hogg. I've been doing like you told me for the past three and a half months. I even took care of that Duke boy and his mutt like you wanted. Now I want my money now or things are gonna get ugly." Gene threatened. Boss looked at the dark haired man with glasses with a very frightened expression.
"I-I got one ore job for you Gene. You didn't take care of the other Dukes and the one you were supposed to take care of is at the hospital. He is going to be coming home today. I had my sheriff run a check on his information yesterday and it said that he was supposed to released later today. I want you to take care of those two first then go take care of the other two. You shouldn't have any problems with the duke boys since one of them is in a wheel chair." Boss said with an evil grin on his face.
Later at the hospital, Luke was waiting in Bo' room filling out Bo's release forms waiting for Bo and the doctor to come back. Yeller was sitting on the floor next to Luke waiting for Bo to come back. The doctor had taken Bo to do a couple more tests to make sure there wouldn't be anymore problems. Yeller had really improved when he saw Bo. Bo too had come out of his depression when he saw Yeller. Luke was glad that his baby cousin and Yeller were no longer depressed like they were.
Luke had just finished the filling out the last form when Bo came in the room followed by a nurse. Luke could tell that Bo had tried sweet talking her, but with no luck. When Bo came back into the room, yeller jumped up onto Bo's lap. Bo started laughing like a little kid. Luke and the nurse couldn't help but laugh at the sight. Once they left the hospital, Luke decided to take Bo and Yeller out to some place they would like to go.
"So any place you two want to go?" Luke asked. Bo looked at Yeller and Yeller looked at Bo. They seemed to know what the other was thinking.
"How about some ice cream? I know Yeller has probably missed that. I know I have." Bo said. Then as if Yeller had understood Bo, he barked in what seemed like agreement. Luke couldn't help but chuckle.
"Okay I guess its ice cream then. Hold on." Luke turned the wheel hard to the left and caused the old pickup to do a 180. Once they got into town, Luke found the closest spot to the ice cream shop. Luke got out and got Bo's wheel chair out of the bed of the pickup. Luke brought it around to the passenger's side and helped Bo out of the truck. Yeller got out right after Bo.
"Okay Yeller, you best be good or I won't get you any ice cream." Yeller seemed to understand and calmed down. Bo put his leash on and started to wheel himself inside the ice cream shop with Yeller at his side. Luke was close behind them trying to decide what flavor he wanted. After they had got their ice cream, Bo, Luke, and Yeller went outside to enjoy their ice cream in the bright sunshine.
"Boy this sure is good." Luke said. Bo and Yeller agreed, it had been awhile since they had any good food. After they were done, Luke decided to take Bo and Yeller one more place. He wanted to keep it secret from Bo so that he could surprise him. Bo noticed that they weren't heading back to the farm.
"Hey Luke, where are we goin'?"
"You'll know when we get there. So just relax and enjoy the nice weather."
"Okay if you say so." Bo just turned his head to looking back out the window. Yeller had fallen asleep on Bo's lap and Bo began to feel himself growing drowsy as well. Luke noticed that Bo had fallen asleep and decided to let him sleep until they got to where Luke was taking them.
He only hoped Boss and Rosco weren't there. Once Luke pulled into the parking lot of the popular country bar, the Boars Nest, Luke parked as close to the door as he could. Luke reached over and gently shook Bo's shoulder. Bo mumbled something Luke couldn't understand. Luke shook his cousin's shoulder a little harder. Bo just mumbled again and knocked Luke's hand away. Luke leaned over and acted like he was going to whisper something in Bo's ear. But instead of a whisper, Luke yelled.
"BO GET YER BUTT UP!" Bo woke up fast after that. He sat there rubbing his ear trying to get rid of the ringing sound in it.
"Luke what in the world are you trying to do? Make me deaf?"
"No but you wouldn't wake up the easy way. It was that or me dump some cold water on ya."
"Cute Luke, real cute." Luke just laughed at his cousin's remark.
"Say what are we doing here at the Boars Nest?"
"Well I decided to get you a beer. It's on me this time." Bo gave Luke a strange non believing look.
"Ok what's the catch? You've never insisted on paying for everything. You usually have lost a bet or something when you do."
"Well I just thought that since you was in the hospital and all and that you haven't had a good beer in like three months or so, well I just thought I'd be nice."
"Okay then." Bo said slowly, still not believing Luke.
"Well what're we waiting for? Let's go." Luke said.
"I'd love to go on in, but unfortunately I have to wait on you. Remember?" Bo said sarcastically. Luke gave Bo a mock evil look and punched Bo in the arm.
"Ow! That hurt. I still got feeling in my arms remember?" Luke didn't say anything as he got out of the truck and got Bo's wheel chair. Luke helped Bo get out of the truck and into the chair. Bo was really nervous about going inside. No one other then his family and Boss and Rosco had seen him since the accident. Once Bo moved out of the way, Yeller jumped out of the truck.
He trotted over to where Bo was waiting. He sat on the ground next to Bo and stared back at Luke for a minute. Luke noticed that Bo and Yeller were waiting on him. Luke noticed Yeller's leash on the floor of the truck and grabbed it before closing the door. Luke jogged over to his waiting cousin and dog. Luke handed Bo the leash that he had gotten out of the truck.
"Here I think you might need this. If Boss is in here, you'll need it."
"Thanks Luke." Bo said as he took the leash from Luke. He fastened the hook on the clip on Yeller's collar. Luke walked ahead of Bo and opened the door for him. Yeller walked along side Bo as he wheeled himself inside the bar. The bar was crowded and noisy. Luke looked around for Daisy and Jess. Bo was the first to spot them.
"Hey there they are." Bo said referring to the long haired brunette and the equally long haired blonde standing next to each other behind the main bar.
'Hey sis. How ya doin'?' Bo thought to his sister. He hadn't used his ability to speak to his sister through their minds since before he found Yeller. Jess jumped when she heard her brother's voice in her head. She turned to look towards the front door of the bar.
She was surprised to see her brother so happy. She started walking over to Bo and Luke, when she noticed the reason why Bo was so happy and not depressed anymore. Sitting on the floor next to Bo was Yeller. He was wagging his tail happily when he caught sight of Jess. Daisy had been talking to another employee and hadn't noticed Jess walk off. She turned around to say something Jess and noticed she was gone.
Daisy scanned the room thinking that she had gotten another costumer. She was surprised when she saw who Jess was waiting on. She rushed over as fast as she could in the crowded building. The very first thing Daisy did was give Bo a big hug.
Bo who had been so busy talking to his sister, that he didn't even see Daisy walk over. Luke and Jess both started laughing when Bo gave out a startled cry. Daisy let go of Bo thinking that she had hurt him some how. When she realized that he was okay, she hit Bo in the back of the head.
"Ow! What in the world was that for?" Bo yelled in mock anger.
"That Bo Duke was for scaring the crap out of me. I thought I hurt you or something."
"Well technically you did when you hit me in the head. That hurt."
"Well that don't matter none. Ya never use your head anyways." Daisy joked.
"Cute. I outta make Yeller kiss ya 'til yer all wet." Bo said sarcastically.
"You wouldn't dare." Daisy warned. Bo gave her a try me look that told Daisy to drop the subject. All four Dukes were completely surprised that no one noticed Bo in a wheel chair. They acted like he's been in one all his life.
"Boy I'm surprised no one's noticed you Bo. You'd think that they either can't see ya, or you've been in a wheel chair all yer life." Jess said pointing out the obvious.
"What a way to point out the obvious there sis."
"Why thank you dear brother."
"Cute Jess real cute." Bo said giving Jess a half smile. The group of Dukes sat around talking until late into the afternoon. Daisy and Jess had to leave Bo and Luke's table to go wait on other costumers. What everyone in Hazzard called 'Happy Hour at the Boars Nest' had officially started.
A strange man that no one had seen in Hazzard before came in and sat at a table not to far from the Dukes. He had a dark trench coat on, dark sunglasses, a strange looking hat, and gloves. Bo noticed that the man kept staring at him. Luke noticed that Bo kept looking over at someone, but he couldn't figure out who it was.
"Hey Bo who ya looking at?" Luke asked. Yeller looked up at Bo and then as if he knew who Bo was looking at, he turned his head to look at the man Bo was looking at. Yeller started to growl real low. Luke looked down at the yeller dog sitting on the floor next to Bo. The man that Bo and Yeller kept watching got up and started over towards them. Bo, Luke, and Yeller started to get a bad feeling. The man pulled up a chair and sat right next Bo on his left side since Yeller was on his right.
"What can we do for ya stranger?" Luke asked the suspicious man. The man reached into one of the many pockets on his coat and pulled out a piece of paper that had writing on it. He handed it to Luke who hesitated for a moment before cautiously taking the paper. Luke read what was on the paper.
The man held up a finger to his lips motioning Bo and Luke not to say anything. The man then motioned for the Duke boys to follow him outside so they could talk. Bo and Luke nodded in agreement. They followed the man outside to a spot where no one could hear them. Once they got to a good enough spot, the man took off his hat and sunglasses reveling an older looking man with dark hair and a few wrinkles. Bo and Luke recognized the man instantly.
"Why if it ain't Johnny Cash. We ain't seen you in years. How are ya?" Luke asked excited to see an old friend.
"Why I'm just fine. Just passin' through the Tri-County area and thought I'd pay a visit to my old friend Jesse. So how's Ol' Jesse doin' these days?" Johnny said.
"He's doin' just fine. Been a little busy here for the past couple months. What with the hospital bills and all. Luckily for us we had a very good crop last year and we had enough money saved up to help cover those." Luke said.
"Hospital bills? What for?" Johnny asked. Luke looked towards Bo who was petting Yeller on the head not really listening to the conversation. Johnny noticed that Bo was in a wheel chair bit for what he couldn't guess.
"What happened?" Johnny asked Luke.
"Hows about we head back to the farm and we can talk there." Luke suggested. Johnny nodded his head in agreement.
"But one question. Why were you in disguise for?" Luke asked the older man.
"Well that's so as Old Boss Hogg don't notice me and try to do what they did last time. It still fumes me that that lil' fat mellow muffin tried to give me a ticket for driving one mil under the speed limit." Luke nodded understanding what the older man had said.
The three men headed back to their own vehicles. Luke helped Bo to get into the truck. Once the Duke boys were all set Luke waved his arm out the window letting Johnny know that they were ready to go. The Dukes and Johnny headed towards the Duke farm to explain to Johnny about Bo.
well thats the end of chapter 8! boy who guess good ol' Johnny Cash would pay the dukes a visit. boy i sure would like to see ol' Jesse's face when he sees an old friend come for a visit. well please R&R!