Movin’ On

Part II

June 29, 1987

San Francisco, California

Bo gazed down at the town he meant to make his new home, wishing that he could be happier on the day that he started his new life, but knowing that was impossible. The events that had led him to this hill kept replaying, like a scene from a movie, in his mind. He couldn’t get away from the hurt and the anguish of leaving his home, his family and the person he loved more than any other, but he knew that he had to leave, for Luke’s sake. With a sigh Bo put his newly purchased Firebird into gear and headed for his new hometown.

Bo sat, staring at the other customers in the small café he had chosen to eat lunch in, there were people of all races, nationalities and even a few couples of the same gender, in a way that gladdened his heart, that they could be so open. And it broke his heart, because it brought back fresh memories of what he had left behind.

“What can I get for you?” The pretty waitress, who couldn’t have been more than 2 years out of high school, asked, taking in Bo’s natural good looks, hampered only by his haggard appearance.

“Um…how about a cup of coffee and a ham sandwich to start.”

“Sure, anything else?”

“You wouldn’t happen to know of an apartment for rent, would ya?”

“Sure, there’s one down on 18^th Street, just a couple of blocks from here.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it.”

“Don’t you want to know what number?”

”Oh, yeah, sorry.”

“It’s 1856 18^th Street, it’s a good neighborhood, pretty diverse though, so if that makes you nervous you might want to steer clear.”

“No, that sounds fine. Thanks.”

“No problem, I’ll be right back with your lunch,” she flashed him a smile and walked off to place his order.

Bo ate his lunch in silence, observing the activity around him. He had chosen San Francisco because he had loved the diversity of its people and culture. Even he wasn’t sure if he was ready to ‘come out’ about his sexuality, but if he ever did want to, there wouldn’t be a better place to do it.

The address the waitress had given him belonged to a pretty two-story house that had been broken into four apartments, or so it appeared from the outside. The white siding was a nice contrast to the red tiling on the roof. It looked like the kind of place one could be proud to call home, and best yet, it didn’t look like it was too overly expensive. A little nervously Bo knocked on the door to apartment 1A where he figured he would find the owner or manager.

The door was opened by a dark-haired man, dressed casually in jeans and a polo shirt, he appeared to be about Bo’s age, if not a little younger. “May I help you?”

“I’m looking for the apartment manager.”

“Well you found him, how can I help you?”

“I was told that you had an apartment for rent.”

“By who?”

“Um, a waitress at the Water’s Edge Café, I didn’t catch her name though.”

“That would be Jolene, my girlfriend, yeah I do have one available, come on in, I’d like to talk to you a minute before I show you the place.” He led Bo into a living room done in rich South Western colors and styles. “Have a seat,” he said, motioning to a deep brown leather sofa. “My name’s Mark Winslow.”

“Bo Duke,” Bo said, holding out his hand for Mark to shake.

“Well, Bo, mind if I ask what brings you to San Francisco?”

”Change of pace,” Bo answered quickly, “ I was living in a small town in Georgia and decided I needed to change pace,” he went on to explain.

“Well, you certainly decided to change in a big way, didn’t you?”

“Yes, sir, I did.”

”Please, call me Mark, may I call you Bo?”

“Sure.”

“There are just a few things I need to know, and to tell you before I’ll show you the apartment. First off, are you married?”

“No, never been.”

“So I take it there are no kids?”

“Nope, none of those either.” Bo said with an easy laugh.

“Any pets?”

“Nope, left those all in Georgia.”

“Okay then. Now for the things I have to tell you. First off, I don’t allow smoking in any of the apartments, is that a problem?”

“No.”

“Good. No pets, and no loud parties either.”

“Fine by me.”

“I’ll need fist and last month’s rent as well as a one hundred dollar security deposit, any problem there?”

“Nope.”

“And I’ll need three character reference and a credit check.”

“The credit check might be kind of hard, since I’ve never borrowed any money myself. But the personal references won’t be a problem at all.”

“Good. Do you have a job?”

“Not yet, Mark, but I am a hard worker and shouldn’t have a problem getting one.”

“I hope so, for your sake, jobs aren’t hard to come by around here, as long as you are willing to work, but without one you won’t find an apartment to be had in the entire city.”

“Mark, with all due respect, I have enough saved for the deposit on the apartment and to live on until I can find a job.”

“Good, good. Come on, I’ll show you the apartment.” Mark said, standing and heading back out the door. “It’s furnished, the only thing you have to provide are linens and dishes.”

“Sounds like a good deal,” Bo said as Mark led him up an outside staircase, to the apartment marked 2B. Bo was astonished as Mark led him inside, the apartment was pretty upscale, it had the same type of furnishings as in Mark’s own apartment. The only thing that told him that it wasn’t already rented was that it lacked the personal touches of being a home.

“It’s not much, but it’s clean and comfortable.”

“Mark, it looks great. I’m almost afraid to ask, but how much is it?”

“Four fifty a month.”

“I’d like to be considered for it.” Bo said as Mark led him through the rest of the apartment.

“Great, let’s go downstairs, I need to have you fill out some papers.”

“No problem.”

Two hours later Bo found himself sitting in a small hotel room, looking around forlornly at the surroundings. It wasn’t a bad hotel, but he was trying to conserve money, in case it took him a while to find a job. With a sigh he stood up and started pacing, then without even thinking about it he took his wallet out and looked at the picture that he always carried of Luke. “I wish things could have been different.”

June 29, 1987

Hazzard County, Georgia

“I wish things could have been different…” Luke said, barely looking at his uncle as they sat at the kitchen table.

“They could have been.”

”Please, I don’t need you on my case about this either.”

“Let me just ask one thing, Luke, do you love him?”

“Do you even really have to ask?” Luke looked almost angrily at his Uncle.

“I’ve known you loved him for a long time, I just wish I had known sooner what kind of love it was.”

“I couldn’t even tell you. It’s no wonder Bo hate’s me.”

“Bo don’t hate you, you know that as well as I do.”

“Then why did he leave, why wouldn’t he even talk to me?”

”Because, he felt that the only way you were going to be free to have what you want was if he left.”

“I want him!”

“Not enough to defy society.”

“Don’t you understand, Uncle Jesse? I can’t! How can I? How can I take him out the way he wants me to? We’re both men!”

“So?”

“I can’t even believe the attitude you’re taking!”

“Luke, I admit, I don’t normally hold with the kind of lifestyle Bo is talking about, but I have to look at the fact that I love both of you. I want you to be happy. And right now, neither of you are happy.”

“I’m sure Bo is, starting a new life.”

“Don’t be too sure of that.” Jesse said, getting up and leaving the kitchen, leaving his oldest nephew to contemplate the turn his life had taken.

June 29, 1987

San Francisco, California

Bo picked up the phone in his hotel room and started to dial, then hung up, for the fifth time. He couldn’t seem to decide if he should call Hazzard, or not. Part of him wanted to break all ties with the farm, but he had promised Jesse and Daisy that he would keep in touch.

Finally he let the phone ring through, relieved when Daisy picked up the phone. “Hello?”

“Daisy.”

“Bo!”

“Not so loud. Is Luke around?”

“No, sorry hon, you just missed him.”

“Good, I don’t want to talk to him.”

“Bo, what happened between you?”

“It’s not my place to tell you, Daisy.”

“Well, he won’t talk to me. And Uncle Jesse knows, but he won’t say anything.”

”Daisy, maybe it’s better this way.”

“I don’t see how it can be. Anyway, Bo, how are you?”

“I’m as good as I can expect to be,” Bo answered truthfully.

“I miss you, Bo.”

“I miss you too, all of you.”

“Then come home.”

“I can’t Daisy, it’s too painful…and too personal. Listen, I hate to cut you short, but I need to get going, this is expensive.”

“I understand, take care Bo, I love you.”

“I love you too, Daisy, give my best to everyone.”

“I will, bye, Bo.”

“Bye, Daisy,” Bo hung up the phone wishing he had never called.

Bo sank down on the bed and wiped away tears that he wouldn’t let fall. Then he got up and went to get some supper and to wander around his new town a bit.

Bo sat on a bench down on the waterfront, picking at the fish fry he had gotten for supper. He hadn’t eaten much in the six days since he had left Hazzard, barely enough to keep a bird alive. His appetite just wasn’t there, he missed Luke too much, and that was all he could think of.

“Mind if I have a seat?” A kind looking young man asked, motioning to the empty seat next to Bo.

“Go ahead,” Bo said without any enthusiasm.

“You sure you don’t mind?”

“No, I don’t mind.”

“You look like you could use a friend,” the man said, holding out his hand, “my name’s Jack Talon.”

“Bo Duke,” Bo said, shaking Jack’s hand.

“If you don’t mind my saying so, you look like you just lost your best friend.”

Bo gave a wry laugh at that, “You could say that.”

“Wanna talk about it?” Jack offered.

“Thanks, but I don’t think that’s a really good idea.”

“Mind if I ask why not?”

“Because it’s kinda personal,” Bo hissed, angry that this person was pushing him.

“Listen, Bo, I don’t mean to push you, but sometimes it’s easier talking to a stranger than someone you know really well.”

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” Bo said, though he didn’t know how much he should say.

“Just tell me what you need to, I promise not to push. Would it help if I told you a little about what brings me down here?”

“It might.”

“I just broke up with my life mate, after 20 years. Mike and I have been together since we were 13 and just last week, I found out that he could barely stand to be around me anymore. It was supposed to last forever, and it didn’t.”

“Surprising you should say that…my situation is very similar, though Luke and I had only been in love for 2 years, we’ve known each other for over 20.”

“You mind if I ask why you broke it off?”

“Because he was ashamed to admit to loving another man. He wanted it all. He wanted us to outwardly date women, then come home to each other.”

“I’m guessing that wasn’t what you had in mind?”

“I put up with it for nearly two years because that was the only way I thought I could have him. I guess it all came to a standstill when we came here for a vacation a couple of months ago. He couldn’t use the regular excuses, like everyone knows us, to explain why he wouldn’t hold my hand or put his arm around me, so instead he just acted like he didn’t know me. Then a few days ago, he blew up, I blew up and our family ended up finding out, or at least part of it did, so I left.”

“I’m really sorry it’s been so rough on you. Do you feel better after having talked it out?”

“A little.”

“I’m just glad I could help, even if it was only a little. Listen, I know a band that’s playing one of the clubs tonight, I know you probably don’t feel much like meeting people, but would you at least like to go, it might help take your mind off things for a bit.”

Bo didn’t really feel like going out, but he knew that it was infinitely better than going back to a lonely hotel room, “Sure,” he answered after a few minutes, “I’d say it sounds like fun, but I don’t want to get caught in a lie, but it does sound better than going back to my hotel.”

“Come on, beer’s on me,” Jack said, smiling at his new friend.