The Fish Within

Two

Rachel slipped into the only gas station in Green Bank unnoticed.  She wasn't local enough to get invited into a conversation, but her face had been seen around enough that she got the nod and a few Hi's or Hello's as she walked in to get a coffee.  It wasn't a fancy gourmet coffee shop, but it was either the gas station or make it herself.  There were no restaurants in Green Bank and no point in making the 25 minute drive over to Marlinton or up to Snowshoe to get a cup unless she was going that way anyway.  With no cell service and no driver, she was kind of stuck in the Quiet Zone being quiet and content with what coffee she could get as well as what was local which wasn't much.

Rachel smiled.  She headed to the coffee machine.  It sat in near the door.  Soon enough it spat out a large cup of dark roast which she flavored with caramel and french vanilla syrups.  

She grabbed the cup and fastened a cardboard sleeve around it.  One of the fellas from a group in the corner hollered out, "Careful there, Miss.  Coffee's hot.  Don't wanna burn yourself."  

She smiled and nodded at the group of mostly men and one or two women who were gathered in "Henry's" every morning.  One of them reminded her every day she came in that the coffee was hot.  

She held up her cup and nodded.  "Thank you.  I'll be careful."  She spoke in her regular accent, nasal twang and all.  She dodged the rows of sundries, snacks, and coolers filled with soft drinks and beer to move on up to the counter.

Henry himself was at the cash register today.  He was short and pudgy with a mop of white hair that hung over his forehead down to his glasses.  He shrugged his shoulders and sat down a pile of papers on the counter.  "Never you mind, Miss.  I'm sure you know the coffee's hot, that's why you're here."

Rachel grinned.  "Yes.  Best cup of coffee in Green Bank.  Better than I get at work."

He shook his head.  "Now, Miss.  Everyone here knows who you are."   He turned and glared at the group parked at the booths of beige tables and chairs.  "That's why they're hanging out in here with me every morn.  They ain't just here for the food."

She leaned forward and shook her head.  She pointed to the pile of papers.   

Henry sighed.  "Them's just tax papers.  I can't seem to get caught up.  Those free loaders over there ain't helping any."

He shuffled through the pile and stopped.  Henry held up a pop magazine with her on the cover.  She took it and squinted at the girl on the cover.  It was her, but not her.  On the magazine her hair was more blondish brown, her eyes more green, her stature taller, her endowments bigger, her skin brighter and paler, her nose trimmer.  

"I don't recognize this girl.  Do you know her?"

This time it was Henry who grinned.  "Looks a bit like you, but not so real looking."

A couple of kids came running up to the counter hollering "Hey Henry" and "Can we have your autograph?" all at the same time.

Henry waved his hands shooing them away.  Rachel shook her head. 

"It's fine.  I don't mind."  She quickly signed a couple of copies of the same magazine each child hand clutched in their hands. 

The kids grinned and bounced right back out the door giggling and talking. 

"You just made their day."  He pointed to the magazine again.  "What's in there is not real, but real is more interesting, you remember that now."  He smiled and rang up her coffee.

"Yeah, real doesn't sell magazines, I guess."  She dropped a couple of bills on the counter.  "Thanks for the coffee."  She scooped up the cup, waved to the group in the corner and headed for the door.

Henry opened the cash register and put in the cash.  "Say, miss, your change?"

She stopped at the door and turned back.  "It's not much, but you keep it."

"Thanks, Miss.  Any little bit helps."

She waved again and stood by the door pushing on it with her shoulder.  A pale lime green flyer waved in the wind.  It was pinned to a tiny bulletin board by the door.  Most of it was filled with advertisements for homes for sale or rent or land for sale or boats for sale.  

But there it was, the pale lime green flyer with tear offs at the bottom with a phone number.  All the flyer said was "Have you ever wanted to discover the fish within? - Learn how with your own private fishing lessons."  She thought about it, then grabbed a tear off stuffing it into the pocket of her jeans.