Welcome friends, that is, if ya wanna stay. Now if I start out with that warnin', ya better think real hard on it. You see, it ain't typical to see an overcast day here in Hazzard, but I figure the Lord sent the clouds to match the mood. Everyone's bleak these days, even ole Flash has sensed the mood and commenced to howling on occasion. And folks, when them sad puppy dog eyes are pure genuine, you know things are bad.

"Awoooooooooooooooooooooooooo"

"Now velvet ears, you know you gotta hush. You know how Boss is, one more peep outta you and he'll make you wait out in my patrol car."

"Woof!"

"Let her be, Rosco. 'Least we'll hear somethin' around here besides the tick tock of that annoyin' clock."

"Oh I'm sorry you're down, little fat buddy. Want me to turn on the radio for you?" Rosco asked, attempting to cheer Boss up even though he himself wasn't in the most chipper mood.

"Won't do no good. Radio station's closed."

"Closed?"

"Closed. Just like the garage and the post office and the hardware store. This event's affected the whole town. Ain't even nobody talkin' on the 'net."

"I know what'll cheer you up." Rosco announced, brightening with an idea. "I'll go over to the diner and pick you up a half-dozen hamburgers. How does that sound?"

"You can't."

"Well why not?"

"It's closed too."

"Oh." Rosco replied. "Well how 'bout the Boar's Nest? You kept that open, didn't you?"

"Don't make no sense keepin' it open if there ain't nobody goin' over there. And as long as Daisy Duke ain't workin', ain't nobody going over there!"

"Well there's always the kitchen at your house, unless Lulu's closed that too."

"Aw, forget it Rosco." Boss replied, waving his hand through the air. "I ain't even hungry."

Boss walked across the room and sat behind his desk, puffing on his cigar a bit before looking at Rosco.

"Why you lookin' at me like that lame brain?"

"I'm sorry, Boss. It's just that I never expected somethin' like this would affect you so."

"Neither did I." Boss replied, leaning forward to snuff out the cigar. "But ya know, me and Jesse…..we go back a long way, and when somethin' like this happens to a friend of yours, it tugs on your heartstrings too."

"Well Boss, I'm surprised, really surprised."

"About my reaction?"

"No, that you have a heart."

"Ah!" Boss grunted, giving Rosco an annoyed stare. "Why don't you just make like a tree and leave? I ain't payin' ya to sit their polishin' yer badge. Git out on patrol and arrest somebody!"

"But Boss….."

"Git!" Boss commanded, pointing toward the door.

Rosco trudged over and picked up Flash before exiting to his patrol car. As he looked around the square it was almost spooky how quiet everything was. It seemed just like a ghost town. Even the birds acted like they knew what was going on, and sat quietly in their nests, uttering nay a peep.

Rosco started up the patrol car and drove away. He was thinking about how lucky Enos was to be out in California. Oh the news of the event had reached his ears, alright. After all, the Duke family were the dearest friends he had. But at least he had his work out there to keep him occupied and keep his mind off of what had happened. Not like the folks that lived here right in the middle of it.

As Rosco rolled along, his thoughts were interrupted when an orange blur passed him. He estimated that the General Lee was going at least 60 miles per hour in the 20 mph zone, which had been set up for no other reason than to shuck-n-jive poor folks who would have to give up an essential just to pay the fee. That kind of speed would normally merit at least a $100.00 fine, but Rosco didn't have the heart to write the ticket.

Instead, he picked up the CB. "Alllllllright you up there in the General Lee. Ya better slow it down. I don't wanna give ya a ticket, but I will if ya don't cooperate."

"Sorry Rosco." The Duke boy replied in a solumn tone, tapping on the brakes. "Just out lookin' for Uncle Jesse."

"Again?" Rosco asked in disbelief.

"'Fraid so. I gotta pretty sneakin' suspicion where I can find him though."

"Yeah, me too." Rosco admitted. "Listen, why don't you let me go talk to him this time? Sometimes hearin' a broken record in a different voice can help people hear it for the first time."

"I'd sure appreciate that, Rosco. 'Cause us Dukes can't have him goin' off the deep end, not with everything else we're havin' to deal with."

"I understand. Over and out." Rosco replied.

Rosco drove out to the park, the park where Jesse had spent the last 5 days. Every since….., well…..

And sure enough, there he was again. Sitting on a stump, sometimes focusing, sometimes staring off into space. But just sitting as he had been for days.

Rosco swallowed and got out of his patrol car. Putting his hat in his hands, he walked up just behind the elderly man.

"Evenin' Jesse."

"Rosco." Jesse nodded.

"Sure is nice and warm, isn't it? Feels good after that long winter we had."

"I suppose." Jesee replied.

"Uh, listen Jesse. I just ran into your nephew and he's out lookin' for you. I told him I'd come over here and see if you's here."

"Don't know why he's wastin' gas lookin', he knew where I'd be."

"Well that's just the thing, Jesse. You see, you've been out here ever since, well…..ever since that day. And a lot of folks around here, they're startin' to worry about you. Even ole' Boss's worried, if you can imagine that."

"Well I'm sorry if I'm settin' folks in a tizzy, but everybody's got their own way of dealin' with things, and this is my way of dealin' with it."

Rosco nodded. "I know, but, well, it's startin' to get dark out and……"

"You notice anything new, Rosco?"

Rosco looked ahead of him and nodded. "Fine, Jesse. Looks mighty fine."

Jesse nodded. "Picked it out myself. Daisy, now she had her ideas, but it was me who made the final decision."

Rosco nodded again. "It'd do anyone proud. But I think you're family would be even more proud to know that you let me take you home where you can get yourself a good meal and some rest and put everyone at ease."

Jesse thought a minute and sighed. "I suppose yer right, 'bout me goin' home and getting' a little rest, but as far as us Dukes havin' our mind at ease, I don't know if that's ever gonna happen again."

Rosco didn't know what to say, so he stood saying nothing. After a few moments, Jesse rose and walked forward a bit. He kissed his fingertips before he placed them on the new stone. The new tombstone at Hazzard Memorial Park which read 'Duke'.

"See ya tomorrow, youngin'."

Now in case ya'll are wonderin' if this is real, our author friend has assured me that it is. That just leaves two questions to be answered: Which one is it? And why's he there?