Sorry for the delay. Life has been busy in my part of Hazzard. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 13

Friday evening after school provided for a flurry of activity at the Duke farm and around the County. It seemed as everyone was getting ready for the prom. Everyone that is but Luke Duke. Daisy and Luke had helped Bo pick out a suit to wear and how to trim it when he found out that his date, Mary Kay Porter was wearing a sky blue dress. Bo would be wearing his blue suit with a darker blue shirt. Daisy had helped by ordering a wrist corsage in dark blue and white and a boutonniere in dark blue with the white baby's breath around it. With the arrangements made, Luke spent the rest of the evening painting the damaged areas of the Torino with primer. With any luck he could get it once again ready to paint while at the garage tomorrow night if his and Bo's class mates in Hazzard and surrounding counties managed to keep their cars on the roads and not in ditches.

Jesse found Luke standing on the porch looking out over the farm. Bo was allowed on the phone for a few minutes to finalize tomorrow evenings plans. Daisy was still trying to decide what to wear. Jesse said quietly, "Luke."

Luke turned around to face his uncle.

"You know that you can still go to the prom." Jesse saw him start to disagree, but cut him off. "You could go to the prom and drive the wrecker afterwords."

Luke knew that Luther would cover a few hours for him to do just that, but replied, "Thanks, but I'm tellin' you that it is not a good idea. I know Ralph will be there with Robin. I really don't want to ruin the prom for everyone else if I go and we get into it."

Jesse nodded. "I understand that. I just don't think it's right not to go to your only Senior prom."

"Even if I am grounded for life?" Luke asked.

Jesse gave him a slight smile, "I never said you was grounded 'for life'."

"No you didn't have to." Luke said.

Jesse shrugged and took his seat in his rocker. Luke was learning. It was taking him awhile but he was learning. Trouble was Luke was may have been learning but he also thought he knew way too much for his own good at times too.

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Prom Night - Hazzard County

Bo was getting to go to his Junior prom, but not without restrictions. Jesse had made it clear to Bo that he could take the pickup but he would have to drop Daisy off at the school to set up, Bo could then pick up Mary Kay. Bo had also been informed that he would have to drop Mary Kay off early enough to be back to pick up Daisy after they cleaned up.

NARRATOR: Yes, it looks like Ol' Jesse is giving Bo just enough rope to hang himself.

Bo found Luke at the Torino and decided to beg one more time, "Luke, please can't I take the Torino and you the pickup tonight?"

Luke knew that he and Bo had repeated this conversation at least a hundred times since Jesse agreed to let him go to the prom. "Bo, ... Until I got this car I never had anything else to drive to dances either."

Bo rolled his eyes at his older cousin, "Luke what did you drive last year and the year before last to the proms and any other big dances you ever went to?"

Luke conceded the point, "I drove Robin's mom's car, but that wasn't my idea." With still several hours before Bo and Daisy would be leaving, Luke suggested after looking at the pick up, "But, I'll tell you something when I left here in that truck it was 'eat off of clean' inside and out."

Bo looked at the pickup that was used daily as a work truck. It went through creeks and over muddy fields. Bo had never remembered ever washing the pickup. Bo frowned at the sight of the truck. The dust from the red clay was all over it not to mention the thick red clay mud that was now dry still hanging on to various parts of the truck. He also knew that the inside of the truck was as bad if not worse. "Inside and out?"

Luke nodded, "Yelp."

Bo said, "I'll hose it down and throw a blanket across the seats."

Luke nodded, "Bo that'll work right up until Mary Kay gets in that truck and her dress drags that floor board. I promise you if you think tonight is starting off rough, you ain't seen a girl dressed up to try to out show all the other girls and get her dress dirty before she gets there."

"You're serious?" Bo asked again in disbelief.

Luke nodded, 'yes'. "Absolutely. Not to mention Daisy. You are dead if she gets dirty."

Bo groaned, "Will you at least help?"

"Get started on the inside and I'll be there to help with the outside in a bit." Luke offered.

Bo sighed as he headed to the pickup.

Luke reminded, "I never had that much help when I cleaned it up. You were usually off pouting because you couldn't go to." Luke laughed then said as an after thought, "So tonight you get to see just how much 'fun' it is to be old enough to go to those dances."

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The Dukes gathered around the table for an early light supper with Daisy in curlers, Bo freshly showered, Luke just ready to get off the farm awhile and Jesse at the head of the table. There was more talk at the table than normal, mostly about the prom. Jesse reminded Bo and Daisy of what he expected from them before they left the table to finish getting ready. Then he turned to Luke, "You are sure about this."

Luke knew that Jesse meant not going to the prom. Luke finished his coffee and replied, "Yeah, I'm real sure."

Jesse nodded. "Alright, but you only get one chance at some things."

Luke read Jesse's hidden meaning and the fact that he was not just talking about the prom but Robin too. Luke sighed and replied, "And sometimes no matter how many chances you get, if never works out right."

Jesse had been young once and totally understood Luke's reply. "Well, I've felt that way a time or two myself, then your aunt Lavinia came along. After that I was kind of glad the others kept going."

Luke and Jesse were on the porch as Daisy and Bo came outside. After the customary pre-prom pictures Bo and Daisy headed to the pickup. Bo still wishing he were taking the Torino, but Luke insisted that he had plans to work on it at the garage. Bo was being the prefect gentleman even to Daisy as he opened the truck door and helped her inside.

Daisy said as she seen the inside of the truck, "Oh, Bo! The truck looks great! Thanks so much, Sugar, for cleaning it up so that Mary Kay and I won't get our dresses dirty."

Bo looked up grateful to Luke as he went to the driver's side of the truck.

Jesse asked as they watched the truck pull out, "What was that look of relief and horror that Bo just gave you all about?"

Luke explained, "He hadn't thought it was important to clean the truck up until I told him that his evening would be a nightmare if either Daisy or Mary Kay got their dresses dirty."

Jesse laughed, "Seems I remember havin' to tell you that once too."

"Yes. Yes Sir, you did, but at least you told the day before the dance." Luke grinned then added, "Well, I better get going. Luther will be expecting me."

Jesse cautioned, "You just mind your "P's and Q's" tonight too."

"Yes, Sir." Luke said as he walked to the Torino.

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Please review and let me know how I'm doing. Hopefully I'll update a lot sooner this week.