She wrapped her curler wound hair with a subdued grey scarf and then placed the dark round sunglasses on her face. She wore a long beige overcoat and dark shoes. Outside her modest shuttered house was her modest rusting car. She turned the key into the key hole to unlock the creaky car door. CLICK. She slid into her seat and started the engine. It growled like a panther. She proceeded to drive the least driven routes to the least visited Variety Mart.

As she stopped the car in the empty parking lot, she noticed the violet clouds blanketing a noon sky. She crept out of the old rusting sedan and slithered to the sliding glass doors. Empty store, except for a young mother with her infant child giggling annunciated garble. Lovely empty store!!

She grabbed a cart. No, wait a minute, that is too obvious, she grabbed a basket instead, slinking to the dairy department to get eggs, milk, and cheese. She practically lived on eggs. She snatched item after item, without blinking, throwing them into her plastic basket, peering over her shoulder like a guilty shoplifter. DONE.

She watched under her dark glasses to the left and to the right. NO ONE in sight. She went to the closest checkout. GOOD. She did not recognize the young man who was cashiering.

"Good Afternoon, Ma'am, will that be all for you today?" The young man sang.

" Yes that will be all. Thank you." She whispered. She stood perfectly still.

"Will that be cash, check, or..."

She handed him a twenty dollar bill. "Keep the change." She whispered again while grabbing her canvas bag.

Skipping to an almost run to the door, she falls over the young mother and collapses to the floor, saving the canvas bag. Just a few hundred feet to her beloved car. STOP.
Her mouth drops in horror to view twenty five people surrounding her car. She cannot go there. she will not suffer through it again. There must be an alternative way to get home. The bus, that is right, the bus, by gum it shall be! She proceeded toward the bus stop and AWAY from her car.

How can people be so inconsiderate! Waiting for her at her own automobile! She gasped as she watched them swarm over her car. LORD! Why me? What do they want from me now? More autographs? More questions? The voices in her head clanged. Is it true that you use air conditioning in your home when you profess to be an advocate for climate control? Do you support Estee Lauder, if you are an animal rights activist? Mrs. Bacardin!! Mrs. Bacardin!! Mrs. Bacardin!!!!! Screamed the imaginary voices. She trembled in her dark shoes and felt cold in her beige trench coat.

The hybrid bus came to a screeching stop. THANK GOD! She climbed into the bus and stretched out her hands to stabilize herself from falling as the bus jerked forward. She slithered down into a seat next to an attractive African American woman. The bus whirred ahead while she caught her breath. She began to cry.

"What's the matter, Sweetheart?"

"Oh, you would not want to hear about my problems." Sobbed Mrs. Bacardin.

"Well, try me."

"They will not leave me alone! Every time I try to go out of my house, they are there, either at the store or at my car. I sold my expensive house and moved. I sold my expensive car for a junker, and they STILL won't leave me alone!"

"You are Becky Bacardin, the actress, aren't you?" said the kind woman.

Becky dried her tears with her scarf, "Yes I am. How did you recognize me?"

"Oh, I'm just good at recognizing people, that's all. You're secret's safe with me." The woman winked at Becky. "My name is Jan and I ride the bus all the time. People leave you alone on the bus. If you want, you may get off at my stop and I will give you a ride to your car."

"You are very kind. Thank you, but there are a lot of..."

"No worries! There is no need to be afraid, because it will be the two of us, not just you, right?"

Jan placed her arms around Becky. Becky felt so much comfort and warmth in her motherly arms. Jan smiled broadly and stroked the scarf covered curlers of Mrs. Bacardin. Becky felt like there was hope once again.

The bus stopped at a side street with a small charming little green house with cream shutters and a car parked in the driveway.

"Well, this is it." Jan offered her hand out to Becky and out of the bus the two women went.
The two of them drove off in Jan's car, laughing and talking.