The Fish Within

Four

Rachel drove fast maybe too fast on the curvy roads.  The small town of Cass was at the bottom of several winding curves and steep climbs and even steeper ascents.  It was only about 6 miles from Green Bank, but it felt like it took 6 hours to drive the windy path rather than the 20 or so minutes it actually took.

She sighed and cruised the car into the gravel parking lot.  Over to her right was a large white rectangle old general store with a post office attached.  A train with train tracks was situated right underneath it almost. 

She scooted out of the car and went inside the store.  It was a motel, outfitters, convenience store and diner all rolled into one.

She stood by the door.  A woman was behind the counter working on the griddle.

Everything was for sale in the store: kids toys, souvenirs, groceries, ice cream.  She thought, the store serves up a lot of options.  She grabbed a basket.

List clutched in hand, she moved from isle to isle dropping everything in her basket.  She stood by the all weather jackets and fishing vests.   She tried them on one by one finally deciding on a nice beige color.

At the counter, the woman was done cooking.  She held a toothpick in her mouth and wore a red bandana over her head.  Rachel dropped the basket on the counter.

"This all you want?"  She eyed Rachel up and down.  "You're from out of town, aren't ya?  You going fishing in the Greenbrier?"

"The what brier?" Rachel stammered.  She swallowed and looked around the store.  There was only a couple eating lunch out on the patio and her.

"That river."  The short squat lady pointed.  "Over there."

"Yeah.  Uh--."  She shuffled her feet.  "I don't know.  Kevin over in Greenbank is taking me fishing."

"Kevin!  Oh honey, that can't be right.  He never takes any women fishing on any of his trips."

Rachel scrunched up her nose.  She took in the sights of ice cream flavors behind the counter, and varieties of jerky and knives filling in the rest of the spaces.  "He's the one that sent me over here to get what do you call it oh yeah geared up."

Her eyes got big.  "Well, you'll be the first."  She fiddled with something on the griddle behind the counter.  "If you're going fishing with the likes of him, you'd better get yourself an extra pair of socks.  Keep 'em in a plastic bag.  Case your feet get wet.  I learned that the hard way first time I went."

Rachel smiled.  "Thanks for the tip.   I have an extra pair in my car.  But I will need some plastic bags."

The lady grinned a toothless grin and pointed.  "Over there.  I'm gonna ring this stuff on up while you look."

Rachel followed where the lady pointed and scooted through the cluttered store.  She squeezed between a few metal tables strewn haphazardly by the aisles.  Each aisle was a short row along the store the store.  A larger perpendicular aisle filled the back wall of the store.  It contained shelves of beverages and frozen foods.

She eyed the ice cream and shook her head.  "Nope" she muttered.  She picked up a box of large plastic bags and sighed. 

"That's it for ya, then?"

Rachel  nodded.  "That'll do it."

The lady nodded back stopping for a moment and staring at the petite sandy haired women in front of her.  She cleared her throat.

"Something wrong?"  She laughed.  "Don't worry I can pay.  Credit or cash?"

The lady shrugged her shoulders.  "Ah, you pick.  Sorry about that - you look familiar is all and well I know you aren't from these parts, nope, no way."

Rachel held up her hands and smiled.  "I get that a lot."

With her purchases in hand, she retreated to the rental car.  She tossed everything in the back seat. 

She pulled out her cell phone and stared at it.  No bars.  No signal.  She threw the phone down on the passenger seat shaking her head. 

She glanced over at the river roaring beneath the bridge to the right of the store.  "Oh, so that's the Greenbrier" she mumbled.