Camptown Lady
by sloanranger
Part XlX
She stayed a few more days with the lady judge before she could get a seat on the next bus heading to San Francisco.
When she said goodbye and thanked Miss Hurley, the undemonstrative spinster hugged her and patted her awkwardly on the back before she boarded the Greyhound.
Kathy had been on the road for about three hours before the first rest stop. She got off to eat and stretch her legs. Outside the Howard Johnson's a German shepherd was tied to a post and growled at her as she walked by.
Inside, beginning her daily ration of caffeine she noticed a man at the end of the counter with a sullen-faced little boy. The man was haranguing the kid but she was unable to hear what it was about. Kathy loaded up on Salem's, magazines and candy bars and after the driver gave the 5 minute warning, she paid the check and left.
Looking out the window from her seat she could see the man and the little boy standing by the bus door. The man had the German shepherd on a leash and the dog kept growling and snapping at the kid.
The boy finally got on alone and walked down the aisle looking for a place to sit. The bus was crowded. He walked by and glanced down at Kathy's purse on the seat beside her.
"What's the matter, kid?" She looked up. "You don't get along with that dog?"
"I hate him."
"Yeeaah?" She stretched the word out into a question. "How do you feel about elephants?"
"They're all right, I guess."
Kathy laughed her raucous laugh and moved the purse onto her lap.
"Here, kid," she grinned, and handed him a Milky Way. "You can sit here with me."
The End
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Camptown Lady - @Short Story
Short Story@SHORTSTORY: 18-year-old Kathy accepts an invitation from an elephant trainer to visit Kansas, where Ringling Bros Circus has a 2 week layover. The man has something much darker in mind than the young girl knows.
