Author's Note: This is a story I wrote about the Dukes and their first years at the farm. I tried to keep it with them from the point where they got to the farm, and carry on throughout a couple of years. It's a growing and learning experience for all of them. There are also notes at the end of each chapter, a credit of sorts to a father from his son.
Warning: The warning is placed here for vinsmouse, who wanted a spew warning here, claiming it might be a bad idea to drink while reading the funnier parts. So please keep in mind that drinking any kind of beverage while reading this, might be hazzard'ous to the health of your screen.
Disclaimer: The Duke Boys are not mine, I don't own the Duke boys, nor the General Lee. I promise that once I'm through with them, there will be nothing broken that a trip to Cooter's garage can't fix….
Learning To Love…
Chapter 30 …Lollipops Trickery
Walking out of the bedroom the two boys spotted Jesse just cutting up slices of pie, putting them on plates.
"Go call Daisy Bo," Jesse told them, not even looking up.
"Okay," Bo ran over to her door, banging loudly on it with his fist. "Daisy!" he shouted.
"What do ya want now?" Daisy asked sourly as she opened the door.
"Uncle Jesse told ya to get me," Bo declared, never realizing he got it mixed up.
"Why would I get you, yer silly," Daisy stated.
"Daisy, I sent Bo to get ya," Jesse explained, cutting in. "An' that ain't very polite of ya, don't ya think ya ought to apologize to yer cousin?"
"Sorry Bo," Daisy allowed since she spotted the pie on the plates.
"That's better," Jesse nodded. "I got ya all some pie here now, so I want ya to be polite."
"What happened to Luke?" Daisy asked him.
"Dewey hit him with a rock," Jesse explained.
"Oh," Daisy nodded. "Why?"
"Because he's mean," Luke stated.
"What did ya do to him?" Daisy frowned.
"I didn't do nothing, he hit me," Luke defended himself.
"I think that's enough Daisy," Jesse figured. "I want ya to be nice to them boys now. An' ya know something, I'm gonna let ya take that pie to yer room an' eat it there while ya play tea party."
"Thanks Uncle Jesse," Daisy beamed, reaching for her plate and Jesse handed it to her together with a soda with a straw. She went into her room and closed the door.
"Where do you boys wanna eat?" Jesse asked them smiling as Bo and Luke both eyed the pie and the soda cans hungrily.
"Living room," Luke decided. He was still playing the country tape though he would have to change sides on it really soon.
"Alright, can ya manage to carry it without spilling Bo?" he asked.
"Yeah, I can," Bo bobbed his head up and down.
"Alright then," Jesse handed him his soda can and his plate, then Luke his and turned to cut up his own pie. He dropped the fork when he heard a crash from the living room.
"Did ya drop it Bo?" he called as he made his way over there.
"Nu uh, Luke did," Bo stated, standing and giving Luke a confused look, while Luke tried to right his soda up before it all spilt out. The pie was a mess on the floor, and his shirt, but the plate was whole.
"I'm sorry Uncle Jesse, I tripped," Luke explained to him, sitting on the floor while Bo carefully put his own food down before coming over.
"That's okay Luke," Jesse assured him. "The plate held, wasn't even nothing broke." Bending down he lifted Luke up and put him on his feet. "Did ya hurt yerself?" he asked as Luke was quiet.
"No, I didn't mean to be so clumsy Uncle Jesse," he mumbled. "I'm sorry."
"I know Luke, I ain't mad at ya, I know ya didn't mean to trip," Jesse assured him. "Now go take that shirt off an' put it in the laundry basket. Get a clean one, an' I'm gonna clean this up. Ya don't have to be worried son, I'll just get ya some new pie."
He gave him a hug, then sent him started towards the bedroom so he could get a fresh shirt.
Bo sat down on the floor by his pie as he watched Jesse quickly clean it up. It wasn't too bad, but near half the soda had spilt, so Jesse took that can back to the kitchen and brought the boy the can that he had intended for himself. Luke came back with a clean shirt and a slightly embarrassed look on his face as Jesse put his fresh pie down on the floor for him, before changing the tapes so they could listen to the other side.
"There ya go Luke," he told him with a smile.
"Thanks Uncle Jesse," Luke told him.
"Enjoy yer snack now," Jesse grinned ruffling his hair.
"Okay Uncle Jesse," Luke nodded. "Thanks."
"Yummy, thanks," Bo chimed in, settling down beside Luke, pulling his plate closer.
Jesse sat to eat to eat at the kitchen table, he was just a mite to old to sit and eat on the floor. Hearing a car he looked out the window and got another plate of pie, as well as a cup that he filled up with coffee.
There was the nock on the door and Jesse grinned. "Come on in Amos," he called.
"Good day Jesse," Doctor Appleby greeted him.
"Have a seat Amos, I just gave the kids a bit of pie," Jesse smiled. "Ya want the coffee black don't ya?"
"Sure do, appreciate it," Amos said as he sat down and started on his pie. "I figured ya'd be wanting to know abut what happened today."
"Well, Luke told me about me about Dewey, but I sure did want to know what ya said about it, looks like he got hit good," Jesse nodded.
"Well, no serious damage done, it could certainly have been a lot worse," Amos explained. "Delicious pie Jesse."
"So his eye's gonna heal up fine?" Jesse wanted to be sure.
"Perfectly, ya just need to be careful to clean it, swelled up pretty good, an' the cuts from the stone needs to be kept clean, wash them off with water an' maybe a tad of soap, an change the bandage three times a day, that should take care of it."
"But he can go to school alright?" Jesse wanted to know. Since no one had told called him to pick the boy up he thought so.
"He can, but I suggest that ya keep him home the rest of the week," Amos sipped his coffee. "He's hurting a bit there, an' a fellas used to having both eyes ya know. It might make him a mite more clumsy than usual."
"Think I've noticed, boy tripped bringing his pie into the living room," Jesse nodded. "Might as well keep him home then, don't much fancy sending him there an' have Dewey gloat any way."
"Someone should take a strap to that boy an' teach him some manners," Amos nodded. "He an' them other Hogg boys, they are all the same."
"Uncle Jesse," Bo interrupted them as he came out into the kitchen. "Can I have some more pie?"
"Hello there Bo," Amos greeted him.
"Hi, sir," Bo smiled. "Please Uncle Jesse?"
"Luke want more as well?" Jesse asked as Bo was holding both plates.
"I think so, he didn't say nothing when I took his plate," Bo grinned.
"Well, alright then," Jesse cut up two slightly slices and put on the plates.
"Bo, would ya tell Luke that when he's done, I'd like to have a look at him?" Amos asked Bo.
"Okay," Bo nodded as he took the plates and carefully carried them back out into the living room.
A few moments later when Amos was finished with his pie and sat sipping his coffee Luke came into the kitchen, followed by Bo who was carrying their empty plates.
"There ya are Luke, how does it feel?" Amos asked him.
"Still hurts," Luke told him. "But it's okay."
"Well, I'm gonna have a look at it an' clean it off," Amos told him, lifting him up and sitting him down on the edge of the table. "Jesse, would ya mind getting some water?"
Luke steeled himself when the doc peeled back the tape. That part sure did hurt.
"Nasty," Bo declared as he saw it. Jesse had to agree, there was several small cuts, but most of it looked more like a raw road rash.
"Don't look to bad though, I think we got all the dirt out of it before Luke," Amos stated as he gently washed it off again before replacing the bandage.
"Good," Luke covered it up with his hand for a bit.
"Though ya shouldn't do that," Amos reminded him.
"I'm trying," Luke assured him.
"Here's what ya need to clean it Jesse," Amos told him, handing him a brown paper bag. "Got ya some of a new tape since it's his eye, one won't hurt as bad to remove, though I'm guessing it still hurts plenty."
"Alright," Jesse nodded.
"An' were all done now Luke," Amos assured him.
"Thank ya sir," Luke told him, slipping down from the table.
"What I owe ya?" Jesse asked.
"This is school nurse business ya know Jesse," Amos winked. "What colour lollipop ya want Luke?"
"I already got one earlier today," Luke pointed out.
"Have ya eaten it?"
Luke nodded.
"Then I reckon ya could do with a new one," Amos grinned. "One per visit Luke, not one per injury, ya know that, don't ya?"
"Red then, please," Luke told him.
"One red one," Amos grinned checking the candy bag, handing him one. "An' Bo I think prefers the yeller one, don't ya son?"
"Yes please," Bo gave him a huge grin as he received his own lollipop. "Thanks."
"Here's one for Daisy," Amos said handing Jesse a green one. "I'd better be on my way now, so thanks fer the pie."
"Anytime Amos," Jesse told him. "Yer always welcome fer dinner ya know."
"I'll take ya up on that offer soon," Amos assured him. "Sounds like a mighty nice idea, I'd take it now if I didn't have a case of chicken pox to go to."
"Luke, help," Bo pleaded holding up his lollipop after he had been unable to get the wrapping off it.
"If ya leave the wrapper on, it'll last longer," Luke told him and Bo put the lollipop with the wrapper still on it in his mouth.
"Don't taste any," Bo pouted, looking at him.
"I'll help ya Bo, give it here," Luke smiled, taking it and removing the wrapper. Handing him the wrapper before holding the lollipop behind his back.
He smiled as Bo frowned, scratching his head while both Jesse and Amos stood grinning.
"Luke…" Bo said thoughtfully.
"Yes Bo," Luke answered, trying not to smile.
"Did I ask ya to help me take the wrapper or the lollipop so I could have the wrapper or the lollipop?" Bo wondered.
"What have ya got there Bo?" Luke asked him.
"The wrapper," Bo informed him.
"Then don't ya reckon that's what ya asked me fer?" Luke nodded.
"Why'd I do that?" Bo wanted to know.
"I reckon ya thought it was a pretty wrapper, see, ain't it shiny?" Luke went on.
"Is, but I think I would have liked the lollipop more than the wrapper," Bo said thoughtfully.
"Jesse, I swear there ain't nothing that boy couldn't talk ya out of if he wanted it bad enough," Amos grinned. Discreetly taking the wrapper from a second yellow lollipop.
"He do that all the time," Jesse agreed. "There are times when I can barely keep up with him."
"Look at it this way, the wrapper lasts longer," Luke told his cousin, smiling.
"Here ya are Bo," Amos smiled. "Why don't ya let Luke keep that one, here's one fer ya without a wrapper."
Bo took it, putting it in his mouth. "Thanks, I like them better without the wrapper," he declared.
"Here Bo, I wasn't gonna keep it," Luke told him, handing him the first one.
"Two?" Bo asked, frowning around the one he had in his mouth.
Jesse took it and put it on the counter. "Ya can have the other one after supper Bo, but not now."
"Okay," Bo nodded. "Yummy, lollipop."
"Take care now Jesse, see ya later boys," Amos told them as he gathered his bag.
"The same Amos, always nice to see ya," Jesse followed him to the door.
"Luke, when did ya get to be such a sneaky smooth talker?" Jesse asked shaking his head as Bo was eyeing the pie carefully.
"I wasn't gonna keep it Uncle Jesse, was just teasing," Luke defended himself.
"I know Luke, an' I don't mind, I'm just wondering where ya learned to do it." Jesse explained to him. Then he shook his head with an amused smile. "Never mind though, you boys get back in there an' listen to that music.
"Okay," Bo took Luke's hand and went back into the living room.
In credit of the man who bought a jar of 100 lollipops and told us we could have one each every Saturday for our weekly candy dose…..
TBC
Please review, the Cricket is hungry…..