At 3:15, Molly boards Trailways Bus #347 and takes a seat behind the driver. Maybe he knows something about her new home. The sign above the windshield reveals his name. “Hi, Ed. I’m Molly. Molly Sanders.”
The driver looks in his rearview mirror to get a look at the friendly passenger. “Rainin’ cats and dogs. Might have to run through a few poodles.”
“Say what?” said Molly.
The driver laughs. More passengers climb the steps, and he welcomes each one as they pass by on the way to their seats. Then Ed turns his attention back to Molly. “How come young folks don’t get old folk’s jokes?”
“Didn’t know that was a joke.”
“My point, exactly. Where you headed?”
“Divinity Falls,” says Molly while fumbling in her purse for a mirror.
The driver closes the door behind the final rider and continues. “Vacation?”
Molly examines her face carefully to confirm the rain has not eroded her makeup. “Do you know anything about Divinity Falls?
“Not much. Just know it’s the last stop for just about everything before going into the Allegheny National Park. Pretty popular during skiing season.” Ed grabs a microphone from the dashboard. “My name is Ed Martin. I’ll be your driver for this here shindig. Please stay in your seat and one person at a time in the facility. Please observe the rules printed on the sign above my head especially the one about not consuming alcoholic beverages. Got some pretty rough weather so I’ll need to keep my eyes glued to the road. So…please be good boys and girls.”
“You sound like a DJ. Nice voice,” said Molly.
“Did that once upon a time. Fast Eddie Martini on the Big 610, playin’ the hits and nothin’ but the hits…all night long.”
“Wow. How did you end up driving a bus?”
“Money, Honey. Radio don’t pay diddlysquat. Any-who, you were askin’ about Divinity Falls. Besides bein’ a resort town legend has it that it’s a good place to meet angels.
“No way.”
“Never saw one myself. But some folks swear it’s so. Story goes that back in the 1700s local settlers were attacked by Indians and then fled to the falls where they hid behind a giant rock. Then an angel appeared who promised they would not be harmed. They later named the rock, Gabriels Rock, after the angel who saved them. Old timers still believe touching the stone on June 19th brings good luck. Sure has brought good fortune to Divinity Falls judging from the size of the crowd I drop off up there for their festival every June. Festival wraps up today, but you might catch the tail end of it.”
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