Bo
and Candy Cane Run Away From Home
“I
want you to be on your best behavior tonight because I've got a very nice lady
coming over for supper. Her name is Millie Goodwin. She’s very beautiful and
sweet, boys.”
“That’s
great, Uncle Jesse.” Luke said.
“Can
she make good cookies?” Bo asked.
“I'm
sure that she can,” Jesse patted the six year old and went to the kitchen door
that someone was knocking on. “Now you boys be good like I told you.”
“Jesse,
you are very handsome tonight,” Millie gushed.
“You
look lovely tonight, Millie.”
“Who
are these two big boys? Jesse, they're both so cute and darling.” Millie
smiled.
Luke
extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”
“You’re
beautiful,” Bo said shyly.
Jesse
fell in love with Millie as the weeks went by. One day while the couple was
having lunch at her house…
“Do
you really think that it’s such a good idea that Bo is so dependent on Luke?
Maybe it would be better for Bo if he and Luke spent some time apart.”
“I
don't know. Luke is the closest thing that Bo has for a brother. I don't know
if Bo being so young and all could make it without Luke. When he first came to
live with me, the only one that could get through to him was Luke.”
“Darling,
that's all well and good but I truly believe that Bo should learn to fend for
himself.”
A
few days later, Jesse told Luke.
“I've
decided that you should go to summer camp and be with children your own age.”
“That
would be great but what about Bo? He'd feel so left out with no one his age to play
with.”
“Bo
will be staying here with me. Millie thinks that Bo leans on you way to much.”
“Ok.”
“Millie
is here to take you to the train station. She thought it might be bad for Bo to
watch you leave.”
“What
about my things?”
“We've
got them all packed.”
“If
you think it's for the best.”
On
the way to the train station Millie commented. “Now boy don't you try calling
home for the next few weeks. Jesse and I will be very busy planning our
wedding.”
“What
about Bo?”
“He'll
just have to stay out of the way.”
“If
you hurt him I'll-”
“You'll
what? Daisy's leaving tomorrow. You do what I say and leave us be or both of
your cousins will be dead.”
At
the farm, Bo comes running through the door. “Luke, look at the pretty I love
you card that Candy gave me.”
“Luke's
not here. He’s gone to summer camp. It's time that you learned to be on your
own.”
“Uncle
Jesse, he didn't say good-bye. Doesn’t he love me any more?”
“It’s
not that,” Jesse replied.
Later
that night Bo over hears Millie tell Jesse that it will be just little while
that her sister would take care of Bo.
The
little boy starts to cry and decides that tomorrow after he says good-bye to
Candy, he'll leave
That next day
“Bo,
wait for me!”
“Candy,
I've got something to tell you.”
“What
is it cutie? You know that as your future wife that you can tell me anything.”
You
know that new woman that Uncle Jesse likes?”
“Millie?”
“She
made Uncle Jesse get rid of Luke and Daisy. Now she’s gonna make him get rid of
me. So I'm gonna run away from Hazzard forever.”
“If
you run away we won't be able to get married someday.”
“I
know but if she sends me away I'll never ever see you again. I love you and
I'll miss you.”
“I
love you too. How about I go with you? I've got $20.00, we can use it for food.
And before we go I'll pack some things that we might need.”
“You'd
really do this for me? Candy Cane, you're the greatest.”
“You
go home and get things that you'll need and I'll meet you there in an
hour.”
Bo
went back to the Duke farm to pack whatever he could. The first thing was
Charlie. The teddy bear that his momma Ginia and daddy Jackson gave him, along
with his stuffed doggie Beanie and stuffed kitty Fluffy. He shook his piggy
bank and found three dollars. In the kitchen, he got six chocolate chip cookies
and left over fried chicken. He heard someone coming. He took his stuff and ran
out and up the road where he saw Candy and her little red bike Ruby.
“I
was just coming for you.”
“I
heard someone coming so I thought that I'd better make tracks.”
“We'd
better get going. You can ride with me and put your stuff in my wagon.”
“I'm
so glad that you're my girlfriend.”
“I
feel the same way, cutie.”
Six
year old Bo and five year old Candy Cane take their few belongings and leave.
Three hours later, the
two children go into a swamp shack to eat and rest.
“I'm
hungry, Candy.”
“I
made ham and cheese sandwiches and I got soda.”
“I
got some chocolate chip cookies and fried chicken.”
“That's
great, Bo.”
Bo
and Candy had supper and fell asleep holding each other close, knowing all they
have now is each other.
The telephone rang at
the Duke farm…
“Hello,
Angela.”
“Is
Candy over there playing with Bo still?”
“I
just got home. I'll see if they’re in the boys’ room.” Jesse puts the phone
done and goes over. “Bo, Candy are you in there? Candy's mother is on the phone
and she wants her to come home.” Then Jesse walks into the room and saw that Bo's
things are missing. He went back to the phone. “Angela, some of Bo's things are
gone. The refrigerator is half open- I think that Bo's run away from home. Candy
probably went with him.”
“Knowing
how close that they are I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if they’re together.
Maybe we should call the law?”
Before
Jesse could answer, Millie takes the phone. “I'm sorry Angela but Jesse and I
have things to do.” The phone is hung up…
“What
in the devil's wrong with Jesse? Well if he won't do anything I will.” Angela then
called the Sheriff’s department and told the officer in charge. “Rosco, you've
got to find those kids.”
“I'll
go talk with Jesse, he loves those kids more then life itself. It's hard to
believe that he'd send Luke and Daisy away. I'd better run a police check on Millie,
something just isn’t right.” So Rosco goes through old police records after
hanging up the phone. “Jit, its worse then I thought. She was in a mental
hospital for killing her little boy and three husbands for their money. She
used mind altering drugs. That would explain why Jesse acted so strange. I just
hope that she hasn’t done anything to those two kids.” He gets up from his seat
and takes off for the farm.
Jesse
heard a knock at the door and in a gruff voice said. “Hello, Rosco. What do you
want?”
“Candy's
mother called me and she told me about the kids. Why didn’t you call me? It’s
dangerous for two little ones to be out alone like that.”
“I
can't worry about silly children. As a matter of fact I hope that I never ever
see them again.”
“I'm
sorry that I bothered you.” Rosco walked out the door vowing to bring both
children back home safely.
About that time in the
shack…
Candy
noticed that Bo's breathing. “Are you feeling all right?
“It's
my asthma.”
“I better go find a doctor.”
“You
could get lost please don't go.”
“If
I don't try you could die. Besides I've got my flashlight so don't worry I'll
be back. Remember us little munchkins are tough. So here's Charlie to keep you
company I'll be back as soon as I can.”
Candy
Cane walked for awhile. “I've got to find a doctor,” She said outloud.
A handsome blond gentleman appeared. “Candy, you
can trust me. I'll take you to a doctor.”
“How
do you know my name?”
“I watch over you and Bo.”
“You
mean like the pretty lady in the well?”
“That's
right. Come on darling, we've got no time to spare.”
Suddenly
Candy found herself outside of
“What
can I do for you, little girl?”
Candy
told him her story.
“Can
you show someone where your friend is?”
“I
sure can.”
Candy
smiled. “Mr. Doctor, there's Sheriff Rosco. He'll help us.”
“Candy
darling you’re safe,” Rosco exclaimed.
“We've
got to find Bo, his asthma is really bad.” Candy started to cry. “We can't let
him die.”
Millie
was at her home with Jesse. “I left a bag in my room. Could you get it for me?”
“Sure,”
Jesse noticed a little bottle on the dresser. He picked it up and read. Jesse
realized that for all of these weeks he’s been under her control and that's why
he had no feeling for the three little children that he loved most in the
world.
He
came out of the room. “What in tarnation is going on? Every time I'd start to
miss the kids and want to bring them back home you made me take one of these. I
can't believe that I've been such a dang fool.”
Millie
confessed to everything knowing she’d been caught.
“If
any harm has come to those kids you’ll have hell to pay.”
Meanwhile,
Bo's breathing was worse. “Please God, let Candy bring help.”
A
gentle female voice whispered. “Hold on little one help is on the way.”
All
alone, cold and scared, Bo sighed. “Charlie, I hope that Candy comes back soon.”
The door of the shack burst open at that moment.
“Is
that you, Candy?”
“It
sure is and I've brought help.” She walked in with Rosco and the doctor. Candy
and the Sheriff watched quietly as the doctor began to check Bo over.
“Candy,
you saved your little friend’s life.” The doctor said when he was done. “Make
sure you two get lots of rest tonight.” Then he released them to Rosco.
Bo,
Luke, Daisy and their uncle had the greatest family reunion early the next
morning.
Later
at recess, Bo and Candy Cane shared a sweet kiss and a promise of forever.
Written
by Juanita Ford
Copyright 1999
All
Rights Reserved
