Story below continues from, "The Legend of the Montauk Man"
I had to get off that bench at the light house and start my quest to find the kind stranger who helped me that fateful day. It was time to be proactive and sitting around was not working. As a data analyst, I knew I had to gather key bits of information to solve a problem or in this case a puzzle. Where do I start? Could I really just quit my job and dedicate myself to this adventure? The answer was easy. If it were not for that mysterious stranger I wouldn't even be here today, so sure I'll set aside my life to try and solve this riddle, maybe even get to thank my good Samaritan. There was no time like the present to start, so I began looking for some place to stay for the night. I drove through town with no luck, so I kept driving, slowly getting further and further from Montauk point until I spotted it. It was a motel on the beach, just outside the village, located where the road into Montauk splits into the old and new highway. Yes it's the only way to get in and out of Montauk but it appeared to be out of place cutting through sandy dunes and scrub pines. Oddities aside I felt some kind of attraction to the area, so I went with it. The Motel Montauk was its name and everything about it seemed stereo-typical, a bit run down, aged by the salt sea air and lonely. The price was reasonable, being it was off season, so staying a few nights wouldn't be a problem.
A surfer kid greeted me and was, as you could imagine, the kind of kid without a care in the world. He welcomed me by saying, "We're expecting you...dude!" . "Do I know you?" I said, to which he repeated "we're expecting you to... to have a great time here in Montauk, I'm Chris!" I gave him the side eye and thanked Chris. He made some small talk, asked me where I was from and what I was here for. He proceeded to tell me about his life story and the "waves" which I had to cut him off short; "I'm sorry, I'm tired, could you please hurry this along" "No problemo, here is your key and don't forget to check out the light house!" I thought that was about the dumbest thing he could have said to me, to which I responded "yes, sure thing, Chris, I'll try to get to it" I thanked him again and went to my room via an outdoor walkway lighted by sterile lights strung on a cord that faced the street. I found room 2C on the second floor and unlocked the door with the key surfer kid gave me, no fancy hotel card here. I peered in skeptically and checked out my room. I walked over to the far wall and pulled back the curtain and boom, there it was, through a large floor to ceiling window the gray view of the ocean, spraying mist, waves laying foam under dark clouds as thunderous waves crashed onto the beach. I was in awe and fear at the same time. The room itself was sparse, the typical sea side motif complete with lighthouse print sheets, a musty bathroom as you enter and then the room itself with a king size bed, wow how luxurious. I settled in and then decided to get some dinner. I went back down to the reception and the surfer kid was not there, nor anybody else. I looked around, walked back and forth down a hall, and there he was, "You need something?" "Yes, I wanted to have some dinner, do you know of any place around?" " Everything is closed for the season, sorry" What the hell am I going to do. "Thanks" "hold on, you may want to try the Pizzeria in town, they have pretty cool food there...." "Gee"
It was dusk as I headed off into town to find some food. Dead; no cars or people milling around. What a stark difference to the summer time when you can't even find a parking spot. I did find the pizza shop and decided what the hell pizza tonight. Tomorrow I'll find something a bit more substantial. I ate my food, left and walked around the town in the cold night air. I stopped in front of the Montauk tower located in the middle of the village, which I found odd and charmingly out of place and wondered who the hell would build that multi story brick tower in this sleepy little village? I thought I needed to investigate further, no reason, just a hunch. Apparently the building houses condominiums, not its original use I'm sure but oddly enough there were no mailboxes or directories in the lobby or any other indication that people live in this place. There were no cars out in the lot, and no one around, who stays in this place? Here I go inventing tales were none exist; this is obvious a resort town and these are summer apartments unoccupied in the winter time which it now was. I doubt my good Samaritan lives here. It was getting late and I started to feel like a vagrant loitering around so I left the building and looked back at it again once more before I left for the night -I don't know why but I had the queasy feeling someone was starring at me. As I turned around I saw a single light on the third floor and watched someone instantly pull back a curtain so as to not be seen. "It's him!" Oh yes striking evidence I thought, you solved the mystery let's come back and just interview all the residents of the Montauk Tower, "By the way, remember me, the guy you saved at the beach" that should go over dandy here in this ritzy area. Time to go back to my motel.
The next morning I went back to town. I had to go back to the Tower and check out that lone light-maybe the occupant will come out. I parked my car in the village and looked for a bench near the tower and sat down fixed on the Tower. I sat there for 3 hours-no luck. This is foolish I thought, I have no clue what I'm doing except that this may be a colossal waste of my time. How about I put an end to all this nonsense, go back to my motel, check out and head on back home, that sounded just about right. Before I left for the motel I headed to the beach for a walk to shake off this non sense I was up to. As I began walking the beach I passed a woman, a strikingly beautiful woman, like a Christie Brinkley type, who was dressed smartly in her winter clothing gazing out to the ocean, I caught her look, but tried not to hold it as I didn't want her to think I was some kind of creep, so I smiled and kept walking, but I kept thinking about her, not because she was stunning, which she was, but because she was trans-fixed on something or someone it seemed. I did not have the nerve to speak to her at the time but it would have been nice to learn about what she was thinking as she gazed out to sea-was she like me trying to answer some mystery? Looking for someone? I suppose it could have been anything. Anyway I turned around and started walking back to her, gathering up some courage to maybe say hello, but just then a man approached her and they embraced and left the beach.....so much for that mystery. I thought OK strike two. Let's not wait for strike three and leave while we still have some dignity left.
That afternoon I came back to the hotel and my surfer kid was no where to be seen, maybe his shift was over. Instead I was greeted by some older gentleman, someone who looked like and sounded like a butler "Hello Sir, may I help you?" "Where's the young fellow who was here last night? "Excuse me sir?" "Yes the young man with the long blond hair surfer type looking kid, Chris is his name..." "No one works here by that description...." "Are you sure, he checked me in last night and I do have a room, here is my key..." " I'm sorry Sir that was me who checked you in, are you feeling alright? Did you get a chance to visit the light house like I suggested?" "Excuse me, this is crazy." I rushed off to my room and tried to get my wits about me, my head was buzzing. Alright, I'm searching for some mysterious person that comes to peoples aid, was he in disguise as this surfer kid? Maybe he's this old man who looks and acts like a butler? I don't know, what do I do? Maybe I'm not well... However I know what I saw and I know who helped me check in and it wasn't that older gentleman. Change of plan, I cannot leave Montauk just yet, I need to confirm one way or the other that I'm not going crazy. Maybe this is a product of my overactive imagination but maybe not.
One thing was for sure; I needed to figure out where was Chris and who was this old man pretending to know me, I went back to the front desk. "Welcome back sir, are you feeling better?" " Yes, yes I am. I'd like to stay another night, I have some further business I need to attend to..." " Let me see....(pause) I'm sorry we have no further vacancies..." " Last night when I checked in I was told by Chris there were plenty of rooms available and by the way, where are all the guests?" " I apologize once again, may I suggest you try the Montauk Manor just outside the village, I'm certain they have plenty of vacancies..." How strange, he's trying to get rid of me and suggesting I go to the Montauk Manor...It would be nice to be closer the village and anyhow maybe I'll run into that woman I saw on the beach. I decided not to make a scene and play along with the old man. " OK then, I'm checking out, not that I have a choice" "Good Sir, was everything to your satisfaction?" "You tell me" "Excuse me?" "Sorry, yes, except for the part of the no vacancies..." "Very well, we will be expecting you again..." "What did you say?", "I'm sorry, I meant we look forward to being of service to you again in the future..." He smiled wryly. I looked at him with my head tilted downward, eyes looking straight up at him as I signed my receipt, and said " Yes, you can definitely expect me back...By the way, you don't happen to drive a gray Rolls Royce for some rich Baron?" " Hardly Sir." With that I left, destination; Montauk Manor
Copyright Lewis Portal
Stay tuned for part 3
