The Fish Within

Three

Rachel drove around the block, and there was only one block in Green Bank, three times before she decided to give parallel parking a try. She muttered "This isn't like parking at Ralph's grocery store, not at all."

It took her four forwards and three back ups of the green rental car before she had it mostly in the lines.  They'd given her some sort of SUV with all wheel drive to putter around in for the weekend.  So far she'd driven it from the rental house to the store and back and now here.

She took the small piece of paper she'd torn off at the store from her pocket.  The number matched the dangling wooden sign hanging right about the door.

The sign was a cut out fish in the water.  The fish was angled up with maybe a hook or a swoosh of water in its mouth.

The water was a faded aqua, the fish a faded green or gray and maybe some specks of yellow tossed in.  She took a deep breath and mustered up her imagined southern accent.  "Well what have you go to lose?"  It came out nasal sounding.  She sighed thinking accents always gave her trouble.  Her manager always told her that people didn't pluck down 8, 9, 10 bucks at the movies to hear her talk, but to see her.

She fluffed up her brown hair and pulled it back into a pony tail.  She zipped up her sweat jacket and jumped out of the car.

She stood for a minute before crossing the street.  There were no other cars.  There was no traffic.  Nothing like home, she sighed.

A few seconds later, she bounced underneath the fish sign and jerked open the door.  A tiny bell rang out in the large vacant room.

She stood out in what she'd call a lobby, and looked around.  The room was an off mud brown color.  A large plastic display case stuffed with fishing brochures and newspapers filled up most of the main wall.  A couple of square brown chairs were strewn to one side with a tiny side table stuck between them.  The table was overflowing with more fishing brochure and newspapers. 

The rest of the room was taken up by a large counter.  Fishing hooks, and other fishing gear she couldn't identify hung from behind the counter.  Fishing rods, reels, boots, all sorts of sporting gear took up every inch of space.

The white countertop itself was bare except for a stack of business cards.  She picked up one and noticed the same fish from the sign placed on the card. The same number from the piece of paper was at the bottom.  The top held the business name only - The Fish Within.

She drummed her fingers on the countertop.  She cleared her throat.  She sat in one of the brown chairs.  She thumbed through a fishing magazine, and then another.

She tossed the magazines back on the table and marched over to the front door.  She squinted and stared at the fish logo painted on the door.  There was an hours placard hanging on the bottom of the door.  She flipped it around to see that instead of listed opening and closing times, there were hand drawn pictures of fish or the words "Gone Fishing."

She sighed and turned the sign back over.  She checked her watch.   She thought, what's left to do in this town on a beautiful day like today?  Back to the astronomy center, hiking, reading, riding a bike...again.  She shook her head and looked down.  She shuffled over to the counter and shouted out "Hello, does anybody work here?"

The place stayed silent with only her syllable echoing down the hallway.  She took a deep breath to holler again, but spotted something shiny in the corner over the counter.  She leaned over and reached with her hands trying to get to it.

She wriggled and twisted and hand her hands right on the glowing silver bell when she heard a deep laugh that turned into a giggle.  She flipped herself on her side.

In front of her was a fit tan man with glistening muscles.  He had brown hair, green eyes, and was wearing only a white towel.

Her mouth dropped open as he gripped the towel.  She tried to speak but the words caught in her throat.

"Surprise you there, didn't I?  You really want that bell, it's yours but I have to tell you it doesn't work."

She raised her eyebrows and stuttered, "I saw the flyer.  In the gas station.  Up the road.  I want to go fishing."

He was laughing again.  "You?  Fishing."  He grinned and gulped back another laugh looking her up and down.  "You're not dressed for it."

"Really?" she stood with her hands on her hips.  "If that isn't--."

He scoffed.  "Got nothing to do with that.  You need the proper equipment.  Fishing is a sport, not just a hobby for rich folks to try it once and stop."

"Rich folks?"  She wrinkled her brow.  "Your winning personality, I guess that's why you have no one here interested in your fishing lessons except me?"

He grunted and grabbed a faded brochure from the beat up plastic stand in the corner.  He leaned over the counter his towel moving with him.  He winked at her and held up a pencil.  He scribbled onto the brochure and handed it to her.  "Here.  This is what you need to be wearing.  Head over to the dollar store and then back up towards Cass to the outfitters store by the river.  Get what you need and come back.  I charge $300 a half day session, that includes all gear, lunch, a snack and transportation, and oh yeah me as your guide."

Rachel swallowed and read over the list.  She looked up to see the man disappearing back down the hallway the way he'd come in.  "Hey!" she yelled.  "How do I know who to ask for?  What time can you schedule me for?"

He turned and stood just inside the door.  "Name's Kevin.  We'll go as you're outfitted and as soon as you can get back."  He grinned at her again, waved and moved back down the short hallway. 

Rachel scooted back off the counter.  She re-read the list and muttered, "What is all this stuff?"  She thought to herself, it's just a way to kill the day and maybe I'll get to eat some fresh fish for lunch.  The list in hand she headed back out the door to her car.

Rachel stared at the time on the dashboard.  It was early yet.  She threw the fishing brochure on the seat and made a beeline for her rented home away from home.

In the foyer, she grabbed up the push button phone and dialed.  The phone rang an odd ring, one she wasn't use to hearing. 

In a less than quick West Virginia minute, her Agent's voicemail greeting filled her ears.  It was short and to the point.

Rachel's message was equally so.  "I'm checking in.  Remember there's no cell service here.  You can't call me.  You can only text me and even then I can't get texts without WiFi.  I have the day off.  Tomorrow too.  I got your package with the new scripts."  She hung up the phone and ran back out to the car.  She muttered "Where in the world is Cass?"  She pawed through the glove box until she found a map of West Virginia.  She stared at the map, then started the car.