Bo Duke Gets Married
It’s a beautiful spring
day and everyone is getting ready for Bo Duke’s wedding. Yep, the Romeo of
Hazzard Country is going to marry his childhood sweetheart, Candy Cane. They met when 5-year-old Bo came to the farm after a
drunk driver killed his parents Jackson and Ginia. Jesse who had just
lost his wife Martha, took the little fella in.
One day at school, a few
months before Luke came to live at the farm, some bullies beat the tar out of
the little blonde boy who was smaller than them. One of them was taunting Bo when a cute little girl
came up and said, “Hughie Hogg, you leave him be!”
Hughie laughed. “What do you
care? Is he your boyfriend?”
The little girl stared at
him. “You are twice as big as he is and it’s not a fair fight. So you leave him
alone, or your gonna have to answer to me!”
Hughie was surprised but he
didn’t show it. He looked at the two. “Duke boy, your not worth it,” He
snickered as he turned to leave with his friends. “White trash always sticks
together.”
The little girl went over to Bo
and put her arms around him. “Don’t cry, everything will be alright.” She wiped
the tears from his eyes as he whispered, “Thank you.”
She smiled. “Your welcome, I
just can’t stand to see anyone or anything hurt.”
Bo said. “Me either,” then he
smiled. “By the way, what’s your name?”
“Candice Summers.”
Bo’s smile widened. “Is it ok,
if I call you Candy Cane? Cause your sweet enough to be one.”
“That would be great.!” Candy
smiled, her pretty eyes meeting his.
Those Duke boys start out
early don’t they? Bo and Candy grew closer as the days turned into months and
years. On Candy’s sweet 16th
birthday, Bo took her to a dance in town.
He noticed she was a little sad.
“What’s wrong? You know you can tell me anything.”
Candy burst into tears. “You
know I love you.”
“I sure do because I love you
too,” he kissed her on the lips.
“Momma says I can’t see you anymore
because you and Luke are on probation and we’ll be moving to Nashville in a
week.”
Tears filled their eyes, they
both knew they’d never see each other again.
Bo looked hopeful for a moment.
“Maybe we could get married. I know Uncle Jesse would help us out.”
“It would just get him in
trouble. That new man, Momma has been seeing is behind this.”
Bo bit his lip to keep the tears
back. “I won’t give up. Somehow, someway, we’ll be together.”
“Please promise me that you will
never forget me…” Candy said, before they kissed for the last time.
Bo and Luke became legends in
Hazzard County, the blonde one was the bigger ladies man, but every now and
then he’d think of his sweet Candy Cane in the years that went by. Meanwhile Candy’s mother remarried and her
stepfather made her life a living hell after leaving Hazzard.
One night when he came into her
room, Candy could smell the whiskey on his breath.
He put his hands on her
shoulders and said, “Candy Cane… that’s what that Duke boy used to call you,
tell me it isn’t true.” He tried to kiss her.
Candy tried to squirm away.
“Leave me alone or I’ll tell Momma.”
“You do and I’ll make sure that
your precious Bo Duke dies.”
Candy closed her eyes and
cried as her stepfather had his way with her.
When he left, she cried for Bo to put his arms around her. The next
morning, Candy came down to breakfast.
Her mother glared at her for a
moment. “Girl, how could you do this to ME?”
“What do you mean?”
“Ray told me what happened last
night and how you two… I can’t say the words. I want you out of my house and I
never want to see you again. Why don’t you go back to that white trash Bo
Duke.”
So Candy left, she wanted to
go back to Hazzard but after what had happened, she just couldn’t face Bo.
The next few months were even worse for young and pretty Candy.
One night while walking home
from the diner where she waitressed, a man started to run after her. Candy picked up an old wine bottle after remembering
what her stepfather had done. “You come any closer and I swear to God, I’ll
kill you.”
The old drunk believing how
brave she sounded took off. Candy
went running back to her one room apartment. She cried and wished she
could be back with Bo.
Back in Hazzard, Luke started
getting restless.
One night he announced, “You
know how much I love you all but I decided it’s time I struck out on my own.”
Uncle Jesse said, “We all love
you and just want you to be happy. So
you do what you think you got to do.”
Bo confided, “I’ve been thinking
of going on the NASCAR scene again.”
Daisy chuckled, “I got news too…
I’m getting married.”
Uncle Jesse smiled. “That fella
in the country band?”
Daisy smiled. “Yes.”
Well Daisy made a beautiful
bride. After Bo and Luke left that
same afternoon, Jesse turned to the Sheriff. “I’m really gonna miss those
kids.”
Rosco agreed. “You know Jesse, I
will too. Khee!”
Back in Nashville, Candy
started singing on the weekends and writing songs.
One day her friend Jan said, “You
sure sing pretty and those songs are so beautiful.”
Candy said, “I have a new one called Sweet Childhood Memories, you want
to hear it?”
“I sure do!” Jan grinned.
Candy sang….
Oh sweet childhood memories,
Lord how they mean the world to me.
Yea, things like sitting on daddy’s knee,
falling to sleep dreaming of Candy land,
and the gentle touch of momma’s hand.
only knew a young girl’s joy and happiness.
My sweet childhood dreams memories,
they mean the world to me.
And I’ll never forget that boy in Hazzard
County,
the
tender way that he loved me.
Yea his eyes were the deepest blue,
His heart was tender and true.
means the world to me.
Jan smiled. “That was
beautiful.”
A few months later Bo Duke
was the number one driver in the country, with all the money and girls that a
good ol’ Hazzard boy could want.
Candy came into the diner one
afternoon. “Jan, I just got back from the doctor.” She paused for a moment, her
voice was teary when she spoke again. “He said there is something wrong with my
muscles and I’ll be in a wheelchair this time next year!”
Jan patted her hand. “Just when
everything was going so great for you.”
Candy smiled bravely. “The one
good thing is that it won’t kill me.”
Well the months passed and
Candy ended up in a nursing home that wasn’t very kind.
He smiled. “If you marry me,
I’ll get you out of here and manage your career.”
Wanting to leave the nursing
home, Candy agreed. “I’ll marry you but it will be a marriage in NAME only.”
Leroy’s smile widened. “Believe
me that will be no problem.”
Three weeks later, Candy Cane
became Candy Cane Langston. One night
while Leroy was out, she hummed a new song called Back Home In Hazzard County…
Back home in Hazzard County
Lord, that’s where I long to be.
yeah he was the love of my life.
be holding me tight.
and missing you
tonight.
Even after all these years,
oh I still cry lonely tears
for that sweet as honey
country boy who still
means
the world to me.
Back home in Hazzard County,
that’s where my heart longs to be.
his heart so loving and true.
I could be back home in
Hazzard County with the only
one that’s ever loved me.
One morning, Leroy announced.
“Candy, I’ve just made a deal for you to play at a place called The Boar’s
Nest.”
“You mean in Hazzard County?”
Leroy said, “Yea, the new Boss
Hughie Hogg wants to show everyone that a little girl from Hazzard can make
good.”
“I’ve never asked you for
anything before could you please cancel? I’ll play anywhere but there, I don’t
want the people…”
Leroy cut her off. “You mean you
don’t want Bo Duke to see you. Hughie told me all about the two of you. Well,
if you don’t do this, you’ll go back to I found you, only it will be much
worse. I promise you.”
“Okay, I’ll do it.” Candy said,
not having a choice.
Meanwhile, Bo and Luke had
returned to Hazzard when Jesse took ill. Daisy and Enos had almost gotten
married but she just wasn’t take the chance again, after having been divorced
once already.
Bo came in the door first.
“Daisy, its sure good to see you.”
Daisy laughed. “Your still a
sweet talker.”
Luke came in then. “You should
hear him when he really pours it on.”
Bo grinned. “You don’t do so bad
yourself, cousin.”
Daisy led them in to see
Uncle Jesse where he lay on his bed. Three
days later, Jesse passed away.
Daisy said, “What are we gonna
do without Uncle Jesse?”
Bo patted her hand. “Daisy
honey, you’ll always have me and Luke.”
Luke nodded in agreement.
A few nights later, Bo said.
“Luke, how about we take Daisy down to The Boar’s Nest to try and get her mind
off things.”
Luke smiled. “Bo, I think we all
need a break.”
Caney Cane prayed as she put her
make up… God, if Bo is still in Hazzard County, please don’t let him see me
like this.
A few minutes later Hughie Hogg
announced, “Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight we have some real fine entertainment.
We’re got a local girl that made good… Miss Candy Cane Langston. So folks, here
she is.”
Bo, Luke and Daisy walked in
just as Candy started to sing
I’ll Never Love Anyone But You…
Oh, how I miss your eyes of deepest blue,
the way that you used to
say sweet things like I love you, and
I will for the rest of my life,
and I’ll make you my wife.
Bo was speechless for the first
time in his life as he heard those words, because he knew it was his sweet
Candy Cane. After Candy was done
singing, he got up and walked over to her. Without thinking, he bent
down and kissed her on the lips.
Then he said, “I knew that I
would find you again, Candy.”
“Is it really you, Bo?” Candy
asked.
He smiled. “It sure is. Can you
come out to the farm? I’d like for us to be able to talk.”
“I’ll try.”
While Leroy was talking to
Hughie in his office, Candy got her driver to take her to the Duke farm. She said with tearful eyes, “Please don’t tell on me.”
The driver replied, “After what
that so called husband does to you. You deserve to be happy. I promise I won’t
tell.”
Bo smiled as the car stopped in
the driveway and the driver opened the door. He ran to Candy, “Let me help
you.”
Luke came over too. “Let me
help, too.”
After he helped Candy inside,
Luke said. “It’s nice to see you again Candy but I’m going out for the night. I
might not be back till late. See you tomorrow. Have a good evening you too.”
When they were alone, Bo wrapped
his arms her and said, “I’ve missed you so much!”
Candy started to cry, then she
told him everything from the incident with her stepfather, her mother throwing
her out, the nursing home, and the agreement she made with Leroy.
Bo said, “That’s all behind you
now. No one will ever hurt you again. You can divorce that dirty snunk, then we
can get married.”
Candy looked at him in surprise.
“You still want me even through I’m a cripple?”
Bo held her face in his hands.
“You’re still the same girl I fell in love with inside and whatever it takes,
we’ll make it work.”
That night they fell asleep
in each other’s arms. The next
morning, Leroy came to the Duke farm.
He looked at Bo smugly. “You
have something that belongs to me.”
“Candy is staying with me. So
you get off this farm or they’ll have to carry you off.”
Leroy snorted. “Alright but the
law is on my side.”
Bo threw a punch as he said,
“You leave her be or I swear to God, I’ll kill you!”
Luke had watched the whole
thing, “I’m right behind you, cousin.”
Enos walked up behind Leroy just
then. “You’re coming with me.”
Leroy glanced behind him. “Who
are you?”
Enos replied, “I’m with the L.A.
FBI, you’re wanted for so many crimes it ain’t funny. So you’re coming with
me.”
Candy and Daisy smiled as the
skunk err Leroy was led away. Six
months later Candy’s divorce became final.
After they got home from getting
the papers from the lawyer, Bo said. “Candy Cane, you know that I love you.”
Candy smiled. “Yes.”
“Candy, will you marry me?”
“Bo, I love you with all my
heart but are you really sure you know what you are getting into? I mean I’m
not like all of your other girls and I can’t walk.”
He put his arms around her. “You
love me and I love you. Uncle Jesse always used to say that love will always
see you through,” then he kissed her once, twice. “C’mon say yes.”
“How can I refuse a proposal
like that?”
Well folks it’s finally here,
Rosco is Boss now since it turned out that Leroy L. Langston and Hughie Hogg
had a lot of dirty dealings, they needed to do some time for.
Rosco asked, “Bo Duke, do you
take Candy for your wife to love and cherish in sickness and health?”
Bo smiled. “I do!”
Rosco nodded. “Candy, do you
take Bo to be your husband?”
She asked, “Bo, are you really
sure?”
He wrapped his arms around her,
and then kissed her once, twice. He said, “C’mon Candy, say yes,” he smiled.
“The quicker you do we can start the honeymoon!”
In a breathless voice she said,
“Oh boy will I,” she turned to Rosco. “I do!”
Folks in Hazzard County, we
believe in happy endings.
Written by Juanita Ford
ã1999
All Rights Reserved
Send comments about the story to juanita@musicfromtheheart.com
