friendly face, so I went directly to him.
"Excuse me," I said, "but could you tell me
where I would go to buy a ticket to Texas?"
"To Texas?" he asked smiling. "Texas is a big
state." The newsstand attendant laughed. "You know
where you're going in Texas, right?"
"Yes sir, I do."
"Well," he said, "just make a right at this first
corridor and at the end of the corridor, you'll find the
ticket booths." "Thank you," I said.
"Say, that's a pretty doll you're carrying, as
pretty as you," he said. I forgot how tightly I was
holding on to Angel. I smiled and started away. "Not
running away from home, are you?" he called to me. "Oh, no, sir."
He and the newsstand attendant laughed again.
When I arrived at the ticket booth, I asked for a ticket
to Fullerton, Texas. That was really all I knew about
Grandma Jana's home. I thought once I arrived there, I
could call her to come get me.
The ticket seller smirked.
"Fullerton, Texas?" He looked at his charts.
"Don't have any train stop there, Miss. What's it
near?"
"Oh, I'm not sure. I think . . ."
"Houston? Dallas? El Paso?"
I began to panic. If I didn't choose one, he
would surely think I was a girl running away from
home. He might even signal to the policeman and
nothing would be more horrible, more embarrassing
and degrading than being brought back to Farthy in a