AfternoonwasMrs.Conroy&39;sfavoritetimeofdaysensecyclone.Afteraharddayatwork,hereyesweretiredandherfeethurt.Sheenjoyedthenicelongnapshetookonthebus.Mrs.Conroyhadmadefriendswiththebusdriver,Mr.Angstrom.Healwayswokeherupbeforeherstop.Sheusuallyfeltfreshasadaisy Buttodaywasdifferent.Mr.Angstromwasn&39;tdriving.Asmallmaninawrinkleduniformsatinthedriver&39;sseat. "Where&39;sMr.Angstrom?"askedMrs.Conroy,droppinghermoneyintothebox."Idon&39;tknow.Sick,Iguess.Ijustworkhere,lady.Steptotherear."Mrs.ConroyhopedthatMr.Angstromwasallright.Shedidn&39;tlikethisnewdriver.Shedecidednottosleeponthewayhometoday.Shedidn&39;twanttoaskthisdrivertowakeher.Hedidn&39;tlooklikethetypewho&39;dwanttodoanyoneafavor.Mrs.Conroylookedoutthewindow.Itwasawarmafternoon.Thoughshetriedtokeephereyesopen,thegentlerockingofthebushadalullingeffect.Withinafewminuteshereyesclosed.Herheaddroppedtohershoulders.Inspiteofherself,Mrs.Conroyfellfastasleep.ThenextthingMrs.Conroyknew,ahandwasonhershoulder.Someonewasshakingherawake."Wakeup,lady.We&39;vecometotheendoftheline.Wakeup."Mrs.Conroyblinkedandopenedhereyes.Thebusdriverlookeddownather."Isaid,thisistheendoftheline,lady.Timetogetoffthebus."Mrs.Conroypeeredoutthewindow."WhereamI?"sheasked."IwassupposedtogetoffatEssexAvenue.""You&39;reatthelaststop,lady.Comeon,getoffthebus.Ihaveascheduletokeepto." Mrs.Conroywashavingtroublewakingup.Shestaggeredtoherfeet.Thebusdrivertookherarmandhelpedherdowntheaisle.Asshesteppedoffthebus,shefeltasenseofpanic."Waitaminute,"shesaidinashrillvoice."Thisisn&39;tEssexAvenue.WhereamI?HowcanIgethome?""Cooloff,lady.Itoldyou,you&39;reattheendoftheline.Weallmakeitheresoonerorlater.""Butwhycan&39;tIridebackwithyou?"shepleaded."Ihavethefare!""Sorry,lady,"hesaidasheclosedthedoor."It&39;sagainsttherules."Mrs.Conroywatchedthebusdisappeardowntheroad.ShelookedaroundandtriedtofigureoutwhatpartofthecityshewasinHKUEENG.Suddenlythesunseemedawfullybright.Mrs.Conroysquinted.Shedidn&39;trecognizethisplace.Therewerenotreesaround,nostreetsigns,andnopeople.Thecityseemedtohaveendedmilesback.Shecouldn&39;tgetherbearings.Therewasnothingtoseeinanydirection.Nothingatall.Mrs.Conroywonderedifshewerestilldreaming."Areyouready,Madam?"Thevoicecamefrombehindher.Mrs.Conroywhirledaround,herheartbeatingrapidly."Who?What?Areyouspeakingtome?"Atallhandsomemaninabluepin-stripedsuitsteppedforward.Hissuitremindedheroftheonethatherboss,Mr.Burton,alwayswore.Whatwasabusinessmandoingsofarouthereinthecountry?Themansmiled."Yes,Mrs.Conroy.I&39;vecometomeetyou.It&39;stimetogonow.""Gwhere?Whatareyoutalkingabout?Andhowdoyouknowmyname?"Themaninthebluesuitsmiled."Iknowitmustbeveryconfusing,Mrs.Conroy.Mostpeopleseemtofeelthatwayatfirst.Butaswegoalong,everythingwillbecomequiteclear."Hetookherbythearm."It&39;sallright,"hesaidkindly."Justcomewithme.""No!I&39;mnotgoinganywherewithyou.WhyshouldI?Idon&39;tevenknowwhoyouare,"Mrs.Conroysaid.Shepulledawayfromthemanandsteppedback.Themansmiledgently."I&39;monlyanassistant,Mrs.Conroy,"hesaid."Well,Mr.Assistant,theremustbesomemistake.Ijustfellasleepandstayedonthebustoolong.Thenthedrivermademegetoff.Hewouldn&39;ttakemebackwithhim!Hetalkedsomenonsenseaboutrules.I&39;mgoingtocallthecompanyandreporthim!""Hewasjustdoinghisjob,Mrs.Conroy,"themansaidpatiently."Butheleftmeoutherealone,"Mrs.Conroysaid."Nowit&39;sgettinglate.Ihavetogethomeandfixdinner.Whatkindofbusdriverrefusestotakepassengers?"ThemaninthebluesuitsteppedtowardMrs.Conroyandtookherarmagain.Thistimeshedidn&39;tresist.Hepattedherhandandsmileddownather."You&39;llhavetoforgivethedriverforbeingrude,MrsServicedapartmentSaiYingPun.Conroy.He&39;snewatthejob.Buthewasonlyfollowingorders.Yousee,Mrs.Conroy,thisistheendoftheline.Youdon&39;thavetoworryaboutgettinghomeandfixingdinner.
