Hamptons Portfolio 26

Back to Southampton
The Roman Emperors. More to come.

Tiberius

Caligula

Caligula

Caligula

Caligula

Claudius

Commodus

Augustus

Improving Suburbia Portfolio 10

The Stony Brook University Marine Station at Southampton campus is a very well designed building according to AD. Good job to the architects. Such buildings are welcomed additions to any neighborhood. It's not unusual that such a building would be found on the East End, a rather charming place to begin with. Improving suburbia needs to be wrestled out of the developers hands for the rest of the island who put profit ahead of community and do not develop buildings such as this one.

HP 26 Portfolio Montauk Man Part 9

Montauk Man Part 9 Continued

                                       

It was the next morning. The cottage was just as foul smelling as before with its deep dirty sock musty odder. We had no food or coffee and I had a slight hangover. We both sat back rubbing the sleep out of our eyes and just sat there thinking. Tom spoke first: "So what's the plan?" I frankly had no idea. I didn't even know if I could trust Tom, after all only a day before I knew him as as "Chris, surfer dude." "What would you be normally doing right now?" "I would be going out into town getting something to eat pretending to be a local, hanging out with the boys. In the afternoon I would go to the Montauk for my shift and check in with Gunther..." "The butler looking type who pretended to have checked me in?" " Yes that's him. He's Air Force operative, not a hotelier. Anyway, I usually go like that for a number of days before they come for me...all depends" "How do they come for you?" "In a van, Men In Black, types..." "Men in black, huh...I'm assuming if you don't check in this afternoon they'll know something is up. Do they know you're with me?" "Yes, I called it in, after your encounter with Red that is. It's when you saw me out there surfing, I was really on my cell giving my report. I told them I would be trying to get further intel from you, sorry..."  " What did they tell you to do about me?" Tom shrugged his shoulders sheepishly, "They wanted me to get as much info from you as possible and then set up your "Extraction". " "OK Tom, we need to act fast." I now knew what their next move would be and it wasn't going to be a pleasant one. "Tom, we're going hiking. We'll make our way to the Deep Hollow Ranch through the brush and bramble" "Why the ranch, why hike?" "We need to get off the grid and travel by unconventional ways, let's see the Colonel stag a car accident now, or send his van through the trails...have you ever seen a "suit" go camping or hiking? No you haven't. It will be hard for them to follow us and the ranch is the best place to keep an eye out for anyone coming for us. "But that's heading East! Shouldn't we be going the other way to make our escape?" "No. That's what they're expecting, we would never make it. Let's cross our fingers that we run into "Him"; It's our only chance..."

Tom and I gathered whatever camping supplies were around, filled two back packs and headed for the beach. We got to the oceans edge, looked west then east. We both looked at the ocean inhaled the salt water breeze and closed our eyes in meditation mixed with prayer for a good outcome; we would need all the help we could get... But now we needed to get down to business. "Tom, give me your cell phone, this thing is a taking a trip on the LIRR, (Long Island Rail Road) back west, let's get to the train station. Tom and I walked through the brush, found some trails, made it through town the back way. I didn't know if we were being followed but we were extra cautious. We made it to the train station without being noticed, at least I think we weren't noticed. To the east I couldn't help stare at the Montauk Manor atop Signal Hill which looked beautiful but I had no time to admire the scenery or think about what I went through there, I needed to find a train heading west, which I did. I got on board, tucked the phone in a secure spot pressed a random phone number and took off. Tom and I headed for the brush and waited. I kept an eye on the train. Within 5 minutes of waiting I got sight of a few men in suits getting on and off the trains looking for us. I couldn't believe my eyes; I saw Devon, that weasel directing a few guys to get on various cars of the train. Tom whispered, "Those are the guys!!! They're looking for us, Jeez! How the hell are we going to pull this off!!!" "Tom grab hold of yourself. This means they don't know where we are. They'll figure out we're not on the train eventually but at least they can't track us now." "But they will always be looking for us! They won't stop, what do we do!" "We wait." To my amazement a pick-up truck, or should I say a "Monster Truck" wanna be comes blazing into the train station with piercing loud mufflers. Down a little ladder steps out Marcus, cut sleeve flannel shirt and camouflage baseball cap looking like "Larry the Cable Guy".... He walks over to Devon who pulls out a picture to which I see Marcus vigorously pointing to it. I couldn't hear what they were saying but I think this is the military's way of sending out the Blood Hounds...."Tom, I see Marcus down there, can he follow us through the trails?" "Unless he can get his pick up through them, then no. However Marcus knows Montauk inside and out, it's just a matter of time..." "Tom, stop it. We're going to be OK."

Tom and I sat there until night fall, a full hour after they left. Eventually the coast was clear and we headed off through the trails once again. I ventured into a convenience store to buy some food and water for our trip and made it back to Tom who was waiting for me trying to stay out of sight. I used my credit card and knew it would would be tracked but I had no choice- I found an ATM machine outside the store and withdrew cash- I had to be more clever now if we were going to make it.  As we made back through town we passed the Montauk Tower and I had to stop and look; The answer to all of this lies somewhere in that Tower. I saw a light turn on then off. On then off-wait a minute someone is trying to communicate with me! Tom tugged at my shoulder and broke my fixation on the Tower - we couldn't stay and risk being captured so we continued to walk towards the Atlantic shore. We walked for miles along the beach, Tom, whining, "I'm hungry and tired" every half mile. We were far from the cottage and I thought it safe to scout for a spot. There was no vehicle or pedestrian traffic access or any hint of civilization for miles so I decided to stop. The only other living things around were the ever constant deer. Their population was a healthy one owing to the fact that no hunting was allowed.  "OK Tom let's camp out here." We built a camp fire and roasted a packet of hot dogs I had just bought. The night air wasn't so cold, winter was on it's way out. The winds were calm, the stars were shining bright and the waves gently pressed forward and back. "So Tom, tell me, what are you going to do once this is all over?" "I'm not sure. I don't know what to do. My old life wasn't much better than this one, always locked up in one way or the other ...." "How about you?" "Me? Well, I don't have much to go back to either. I now know sometimes to win you must lose. Before Montauk I clung to the world and all of it's lies. I gave up my life only to find it again. Now I really don't care about anything. I don't mean literally everything, I just don't fall for the lies anymore. I consider myself a free man now. I'm not about to be captured and spend time in some military monkey cell-no that won't happen- I'm not going to let it, I'm prepared should this not work out. Tom I suggest you do the same if you want your freedom." Tom looked at me as if i were crazy. I didn't think he would understand but you never know with some people. The camp fire was still going strong and so we


continued with our conversation.
"What can you tell me about the Montauk Man?" "Don't know much about him. The military is looking for him. I stumbled upon some technology he's utilizing, the military of course wants to know more about it, hence why I'm here. Some think he's an alien, which is not out of the realm of possibilities" "Why do you say that?' "Because, like I told you he's some sort of antenna. OK what's so great about that you ask? Well the information he is receiving are single streams of light rays, the ones with the information I told you about. The fact that he's receiving them is like the accuracy of 10 to the thousand power. Imagine shooting a grain of sand from this beach to California and accurately hitting a stamp on the side of a flower pot let's say in Los Angeles, and I'm being conservative because we don't how far the signal actually comes from. It may be like trying to send this grain of sand to Venus and trying to hit a flower pot on it, it's mind blowing."
"That's amazing stuff, you must be a real genius..." "Well not bragging but I did graduate top of my class at MIT in Maths..."

We were both tired and luckily had small individual tents to retire for the night. I put out the camp fire and looked at the ocean once again before I went to bed. I fell asleep but was awaken to a strange noise, I looked at my watch and it was 3:00 am. I sat up and listened carefully: Yes there it was again, a hum that was getting louder and louder. Wait a minute that hum is a motor engine, and it's coming from down the shore. I got up opened my tent door and saw about a mile away two flickering lights; damn it's that monster truck and it's heading this way at a high rate of speed, Shit! I ran over to Tom's tent and screamed "WAKE UP, WAKE UP! Tom was bleary eyed,"what, what..."  "We gotta move NOW! Pack up your stuff!" I could hear the truck getting closer and could see it clearly now as it swerved back and forth on the beach sand sometimes driving through the waters edge spraying sea mist up high.

I already had an exit trail marked before we had gone to bed just in case and we needed to run in a moments notice. Marcus did a few 360's around our now dead camp fire. He stepped out of his monster truck looked to the edge of the brush and shouted, "You two morons are in for a world of hurt! Come on out now and they'll go easy on you, you have my word!" "Don't move a muscle Tom, he'll go away soon enough. We're getting lucky this time they sent this imbecile for us. Next time they will do a little better, night vision goggles and men with AR rifles will be after us we need to prepare better..."

Copyright Lewis Portal

Montauk Man 8 New Extreme

I resigned to the thought that whatever surfer dude had to tell me could wait until we got back to the cottage, I wasn't going to press him here at the cafe. I asked Chris if he wanted anything else to eat to which he shook his head in the negative, looking rather upset. "Cheer up Chris, I'm sure it's not that bad". We headed back to the beach, which was not far. I looked up at the blue cloudless sky and closed my eyes for a second and delighted in the suns warming rays, I could feel hints of spring in the air. Chris said not a word to me. I'm sure he sensed I needed this time out, either that or he was truly worried.

We reached the cottage and went inside. I sat down on the old ratty sofa in the living room, and Chris sat on a beer cooler. "So Chris what's this all about? If you know something, please tell me..." "Look, my name is not Chris and I'm not even from around here." This is not what I wanted to hear. I tried not to show it but my heart started to beat a bit faster, I sat there waiting to see where this was going. "What the hell Chris or whatever your name is!" The surfer dude act was over and sitting in front of me was a trembling man afraid and looking lost. "You're in danger and I think I may be also. This is not what I signed up for!" Chris (or whatever his name was) was beginning to have a nervous breakdown. "Settle down, breath in, breath out...." Chris began to relax inhaling and exhaling in a controllable manner.... "OK Chris, do you feel better? (He nodded yes) What's your real name?" "Tom, Tom Fitzgerald."  "Tom?" "Plain old Tom. I'm a programmer from Venice Beach, California...I was on the beach one day trying to learn how to surf, and not doing a good job of it. I couldn't stay up on the board for my life when a couple of guys came over and offered some help. We spent the rest of the day surfing and they really helped me, enough so I didn't look like a fool. We spent the night partying and having a good time- I thought I had made the greatest friends ever. That night I blacked out and awoke the next day on an aircraft carrier. I don't know how I got there but the guys I met must have drugged me and took me against my will. They began to work on me, telling me I owed my country and that my elderly parents needed my help and wouldn't it be a shame if I wasn't there to look out for them. Weeks passed, and I was being trained or brain washed for some mission." "Why you Tom, a simple programmer?"  "Well, I'm not a simple programmer. I was working for Google for some years when I stumbled upon an idea for a new computer language, the one you saw me using at the Montauk. It's a unique language, very different from anything that's out there now, normal computers can't even run. Google discovered that this language I created could sink radio frequencies with light energy. Bottom line is you could send out radio messages as far away as the nearest star, which takes years, so we thought. Imagine attaching information to light... Here is where this story gets spooky; We received return replies from deep space. Google was nervous and didn't know what to do, it felt like we had discovered fire. They kept me protected for as long as they could with a constant team watching over me, moving me from secure house to house-It was a total lock down until I had had enough. I decided to sneak away and be normal just for a day, and that's when they got me. The military must have been onto me since my discovery and were waiting for the perfect opportunity to snatch me up-next thing I know I'm on a big ship"

Tom, as I now knew him, fidgeted a little bit, still very uncomfortable, kept looking at the front door but continued..." Those return signals from deep space were picked up at the Brookhaven National Lab in Upton, with the strongest signals being traced to Montauk. That's why I'm out here. It wasn't easy but I convinced them I needed to be in Montauk, out and about tracking the signal as a un-suspecting person, so surfer dude was born." "Tom what are you saying?" "I'm not sure. The military believes the person you're looking for may be an antenna of sorts for these signals or even something else. They haven't found him yet, that's why you're still alive-maybe you're their bait to flush him out." I wasn't buying his story, "Really Tom? A surfer dude? That makes no sense. Why would they risk you like that?" "Look, I don't know but I do know we're in deep, deep trouble. I can only play this game for so long before they decide to lock me up for good! I'm only telling you because I want out! I'm done with them and to hell with Montauk! I just want to go back home...please help me!"

Tom was right; We were in trouble, deep trouble as he put it. My every move was being tracked no doubt about it. I suspect people like Tom and I are pawns in their high stakes game and once they're done with us we simply cease to exist. I needed to formulate some plan with Tom. Could I even trust him? What if he is lying to me? In any event I had no choice but to trust him for the moment. "First thing first Tom; Are we safe here?" "No" " Who is your contact and where are they stationed?" " They always contact me and they are everywhere, Westhampton, Camp Hero and some other secret bases. They can be disguised as anybody: a simple deli clerk, a police officer, homeless man- you never know who could be one of them! When they need to debrief me they usually swarm where ever I am, knock me out and drag me to some undisclosed location. I'm there for days on end until I convince them I need to be out there to do my work.  All I can say is trust nobody". "Tom, what can you tell me about some of the people I have met out here like Marcus, Elijah and Devon....can you tell me anything about them?" "Marcus is a local thug. He doesn't even know he's being used, he'll hurt you physically but that's all, you don't need to worry about him. Now Devon is a rat weasel. A complete mole planted at the Manor and secretly controls all of Montauk-He's their logistics guy. He is about as devious as they get. He was my first contact here in Montauk and a real scoundrel. Best stay away from him and the Manor " "Trust me Tom, I never want to see him again..." "Elijah, that's a curious one. I know of an Elijah, homeless man, real town staple but he passed away a couple of years ago. Could be someone else whom I don't know..."

"So you don't know Elijah... I also had a run in with your people, specifically a Colonel, Colonel Harris. Strangely he was tracking a mystery woman I was trying to meet." "Colonel Harris is running the show out here. You meeting him must mean they think you know something. Harris is a gambler. He'll toy with you depending on his mood. He sort of plays god deciding who lives and dies, a real psychopath if you ask me..." "I had a strange encounter with Harris at the Manor. He drugged me somehow, time seemed to stand still and then told me to get out of Montauk..." "Had you left Montauk your use would have been over and you would have died in some staged car accident-No one meets Colonel Harris and lives to tell the tale. Harris is part of the darkest opts in the CIA and Air Force. Nobody is suppose to know who he is, and now you can I.D. him, my god it's worse than I thought. We need to get out of here!

"No Tom, that won't work, they'll just find us." I sat back, numbed- my eyes went blank. What did I get myself involved in. "Tom, this is a bit much for me, please leave me alone for a little bit to think this over..." I laid back on the sofa, focused on the sound of the waves crashing rhythmically on the surf. I breathed in the salt air that permeated the old cottage, I asked Tom if there was anything to drink in the place and he handed me a bottle of Jack Daniels- I guzzled back enough to make me cough uncontrollably. It did its job and I fell fast asleep. I dreamed of the mystery woman looking out to the sea, of Brad McCallaster walking into that cold black ocean. I saw Harris laughing as he staged his so called "accidents" and Elijah pointing to a newspaper with a headline reading "Homeless Drunk hit by Car." I awoke sweating heavily, panting. I looked around and saw Tom  relaxed starring out at the ocean. Then it struck me like a lighting bolt: An uplifting surge went through me-I felt like Evel Knievel on a motorcycle facing a 100 foot tall ramp revving the engine. Evel must have known he was going to break every bone in his body, possibly even die if he attempted the jump but then the adrenaline rush would set in, he would smile, rev that engine pop it into gear and take off into eternity. I called Tom over who was still starring out the window....

"Tom-There's one thing I learned in life; The system crushes those that play by the rules. Let's not play their game. Even the little guys can take out the big guys when they don't play fair and employ guerrilla tactics. Another thing I learned is don't make it easy for your opponent-they'll take the candy from the baby any day over having to work for it. One thing they forgot to calculate about me: I was already dead when they marked me- I should have died by my own hand on that cold Montauk night. Their fear tactics have zero effect on me, time to turn the tables on Goliath. They also haven't found the Montauk Man. I think we need to find him before they do, it's our only chance, you with me?" Tom looked at me, seemingly like a transformed man and said, "I'm with you..."

Stay tuned for part 9
Copyright Lewis Portal

Hamptons Portfolio 25 Conscience Point

Where the Hamptons really began....

HP 24 Montauk Man 7, Chris

Elijah must have realized the impact his story had on me for he looked at me with compassion and did not say another word. He got up off his chair extended his bony hand to me and embraced me. I stood there holding this scraggly beleaguered old man with smokey stained hair. He was gaunt and his clothing hung on him like drapery, I felt sorry for him. He reminded me of the ghost of a prospector that just stepped out of a diamond mine. I handed Elijah all the money I had in my wallet and told him to take good care of himself and said good bye.  I had no idea if I'd ever see him again and gave him one last wave goodbye. I didn't have much time to feel sorry for Elijah as the cold snapped me to attention. I had no idea what I was going to do next- I had no place to go to,  no one to turn to and no belongings to call my own-they were all left at the Manor.  I still had my credit card but that did me no good at the moment. I walked around trying to find a cab to take me to the nearest hotel when I caught sight of the Montauk Tower. I noticed that same light on the third floor, the only light on in the whole tower except for the ground floor. I sat down on a bench in the village green mesmerized with the possibility "he" may be in there or that my damsel in distress was in need of rescuing. I decided to hunker down for a chilly stake out. I'm not going to last long I thought, it being so cold out here but I just couldn't leave. Little did I know the weather was the least of my worries. A few minutes after I sat down a group of young thugs about 5 to 7 of them some drinking beer, smoking and whooping it up happened upon me. They came over and started asking questions, bogus small talk which quickly turned into taunting. The ring leader led the way : "Well, well what do we have here? You lost bro?" He grabbed me by my coat and tossed me over to another hoodlum who then tossed me over to giggling punk who tossed me to the ground. The ring leader spoke up once again " You like soccer bro? Make like a ball !" As he went to kick me I grabbed his leg and tripped him up. His other friends were stunned and rushed over waiting for his instructions. The ring leader got back up and said "You're gonna get it!"  Just at that moment I heard a familiar voice, well more like a scream; "Stop, I know this dude!, Come on guys, leave him alone!" It was Chris, the surfer dude from the Motel Montauk. He bent down and spoke; "Hey Mister, you remember me? It's Chris from the Motel!" "Chris help me up, please..." Chris extended his hand and helped me up. The ring leader looked at me pointed his finger in my chest and said, "You got lucky bro!" "Leave him be Red.....he's a friend" He looked at Chris, "You're my bro and I'll let this one slide, but he better be careful- next time I see him he ain't gonna be so lucky-see you on the waves bro..." With that he signaled his posse to move, and on they left. Chris stayed behind.

"DUDE, that was a close one, if I hadn't have been here....what are you doing out here anyway? Don't you know it's freezing? No offense Hombre but you look like one of those creepy dudes just hanging around...Red doesn't take to vagrants, he thinks he owns the town." " Chris, thanks for what you did but I need a place to stay, and some coffee to warm me up. Can you take me back to the Montauk?" "No can do but you can crash with me if you like, it's not much but at least you won't die out here...by the way did you get to visit the lighthouse like I told you?" I looked at him and grinned, Chris was perplexed, "What I'd say?"

I followed Chris to an old beach cottage not far from the Tower. It was dark and I couldn't see much but the place was small, very old, and very tired. We walked in through a yellow door covered in hippy style bumper stickers and there we were in surfer dudes lair. Surf boards were everywhere, empty beer cans, first aid kits and especially clothing all strewn about. "Excuse the mess dude, find a spot and I'll talk to you in the morning..." "Thanks Chris. Thanks for everything. I hope I'm not putting you out..." "Naw, relax. Sorry I have no coffee. See Youuu Mon-ya-nah..." I found a spot on an old sofa and fell fast asleep.

 I woke up to the sound of waves crashing on the beach.  I sat up rubbed the sand out of my eyes and went over to a sliding glass door and saw it; that big grey imposing ocean. I stepped outside and had a good look at the cottage which was nestled between dunes, mere feet from the mighty Atlantic. I wondered how this ramshackle survived all the storms and was never washed away, and how and who built this place long before you would ever be allowed to build something like this these days especially on the dunes. I turned back to the ocean,  it was a beautiful site to see, gray clouds moving out, salt spray and mist, sea shells, drift wood and miles of sand and sea filled my view. That's when I saw Chris in his wet suit, matted long blond hair sitting Indian style with his surf board nearby. I walked over to him.  "Good morning Chris" "Oh you're up!" "Yes, and you're up early too I see...." "The waves dude, the waves..." I was starting to understand that surfing wasn't a "thing" or a hobby but like a religion to these guys. People like Chris would do anything to catch a good wave it seemed. I sat down near Chris. "I want to thank you once again for helping me out last night and giving me a place to stay, that was real nice of you" "No problemmo".  "Is this your place, I mean the cottage?" "No it belongs to my uncle" "Where's your uncle, is he here?" "Let's just say he's on a vacation, yeah, a vacation" "Your friend back there, Red is his name? What's his story? He looks like a real bully..." "Aw, don't worry about Red, he ain't bad. I mean he can be a real ahole  at times but that's only because his dad is a real jerk, thinks he owns the town. I suppose Red learned from dad" " What's his name, the dads name that is?" "Marcus. You know him?" "Sort of." "If you know know Marcus you know trouble....I bet you're in trouble" "I'll tell you all about it. But first let me treat you to breakfast" "If you're buying dude!" "It's the least I could do"

We went into town and on Chris's suggestion to the coffee shop, I think the same one I found earlier that led me to Marcus. We were seated in a booth in front of a large plate glass window, the Montauk Tower was in sight. "Chris, order anything you want." He flung his long blond hair aside, "Dude you have no idea what you're getting into, I'll bankrupt you!" With that Chris proceeded to order everything on the menu, although skinny as a 2 by 4 he must have had the metabolism of a cheetah ordering 3 breakfast combos. We sat there eating our food, Chris too busy to say a word stuffing his face. "Chris, tell me about the Motel Montauk" "It's a pay check" " Funny thing happened to me while I was there, maybe you can help me out and understand it" "Sure" "You checked me in, right?" "Right" "But you didn't check me out. In fact when I asked for you they said no body of your description works there..." "Dude I have no idea who told you that but I have been working at the Montauk for ever! At least 6 months!" "Sorry Chris. I didn't mean to question you like that. It's that, ever since my stay at the Montauk weird and strange things have been happening to me, things I can't explain. It all started at the Montauk. Well it actually started before my stay at the Montauk at the lighthouse but I'll save that story for later. When I asked for you, some older butler type pretended to know me and have checked me in when we both know he didn't. And get this he even asked,  "Did you visit the lighthouse like I suggested?" " "No way man! That's my line! I'll kill him!" "Yes Chris. He even claimed he didn't know you and then asked me to check out of the Montauk"  "Look dude, I have no idea who that impostor was but when I go back to work, there will be hell to pay if that dude is still around!"

"Chris, I didn't tell you the real reason I'm here in Montauk. Naturally I don't go around telling everyone I meet my business, you understand right?" "Yeah dude but now you got me curious, why are you here, should I be worried about you, I don't even know you..." "Don't worry, I'm not dangerous. I was rescued by a stranger right near the lighthouse and I'm looking for that stranger to thank him. Now don't think I'm crazy but I believe from what I have learned and seen that I was rescued by the legend" "Chris finally stopped eating and his ears perked up, "The Legend?"  "They call him the "Montauk Man"",  "Never heard of it. I've heard of the Montauk Monster but never the "Man". Dude if that's true that would be so cool! Can I meet him?" "Can I trust you Chris?" "Listen dude anything, anything, I'm solid, I want to help you find this dude. Who knows maybe he's a surfer!" "If you find him Chris let me know. Until then, I'll continue my search for the Montauk Man. What I haven't told you are the strange people I have met along the way starting with this mystery butler at the Montauk. He sent me to the Manor where I had the displeasure of meeting Devon but it's also the place where I think saw the "Man" for the first time, saving me from danger once again. I also had a run in with Marcus, well not exactly but I think he knows something about me and may have even mugged me. The oddest character I have met so far has to have been the the Colonel. This Colonel I first saw in the dining room of the Manor keeping tabs on a woman, the same woman I was trying to meet. This woman holds some kind of key for me. The Colonel must of caught wind of my interest in her and confronted me and I think drugged me, so I think-unless you believe in crazy stuff like time travel. I think I may be interfering with some kind of covert operation  he's involved in, I don't know. However the greatest pleasure I have had so far was the pleasure of meeting Montauks own, Elijah..."

"Chris you still with me...wake up!" "No dude I'm not asleep I'm a bit nervous for you-Dude what you just said can't be true.  I'm closing my eyes now and when I open them this had better be a bad dream...." "Chris you need to tell me what's going on right NOW! What part isn't true?"  "We can't talk here, let's head back to the cottage"

Stay tuned for part 8

Hamptons Portfolio 23 Montauk 6 The Legend

"Devon, I'm checking out", "Now?" "Yes now!" "I'm sorry could you come back in a few minutes my computer is acting up..." I could tell Devon was lying to me and he knew I knew. At that moment he looked over at a gentleman dressed in a suit, obviously some security type goon, and signaled him to come over. I quickly walked for the main door and made it outside. I looked around and saw a cab that was idling nearby. I ran to it.  I was opening the back door when I heard a lazy melancholy voice say, "I wouldn't get in there if I were you." I put my hand over my one good eye as a make-shift visor to get a better look at the owner of that voice. It was a moonless brutally cold night, and standing under a flickering yellow sodium light in a  pea coat, was a disheveled tall man.  He had patchy leathered skin, his hair was the color of Montauk beach sand, matted, and uncombed. In between flickers I noticed a welled healed scar across his face. His eyes were slits, almost Asian above high sharp cheek bones. Next to him on the ground was the security person that was chasing me, knocked out. I spoke to him; "Hello, is that you...? It must be you. I would like to talk to you" I closed the cab door and started towards him. He immediately turned the corner around the hotel and was out of sight. I followed him but he simply vanished, I called out; "Hello! PLEASE I NEED to talk to you!"  No answer. He was gone, damn it. I raced back towards the cab to question the driver. Sitting in the "Great White Taxi" was a man with a thin mustache, slicked back thinning greasy hair, racing the engine. He looked at me, winked his eye and said "I guess you don't need a ride this time," He then sped off.

 I sat on the parking lot curb, gasping and choking on the cold air, my adrenaline was in full gear, I needed to calm down.  I was still perplexed by what just happened. The Montauk Man saves me yet again, from what...Devon? The Colonel? The mystery lady? I was warned by the Colonel to leave Montauk. In my past life, before I was saved,  I would have ran by now. The fear would have been so great I would have left faster than you can say "adios" and a long time before things got this far. But I wasn't about to leave Montauk. This was a new life given to me by some stranger, and in this new life there was no place for fear and intimidation. I felt as if for the first time I was strong and not afraid. No, I would continue my adventure.

Enough thinking, it was freezing, and a few yards from me was a man on the floor- I had to move and get away from the Manor quickly. I decided to walk to the nearby train station and find a ride to the village. It's time to find Elijah and continue our talk but where could he be? The Rec center. I was dropped off in front of the Montauk Tower and began my search for the "Rec center". With a little asking around I found the dingy run down place on the outskirts of the village. The exterior was grayed cedar shingle siding, half of it worn to a nub by the ocean salt air and the other half ready to fall off. I opened the oily door stepped in and instantly felt the filth smack me in the face; it was like stepping into a human size cat litter box- it was dirty and mean and I started to itch just thinking about the creepy crawlers that must be lurking around. I spotted a woman folding laundry, cigarette dangling from here mouth, I approached her; "I'm looking for Elijah, can you tell me where I can find him?" "Yea, I'm looking for Santa Claus, beat it!" " Hey, I'm trying to be polite, I need to find Elijah" "Ain't  no one here by that name, now beat it!" That was rude. I left the center and went back into the village to the only other place he could possibly be: The pub.

I walked in and low and behold there was Elijah at the bar with another fellow connoisseur of the drink. "Elijah!" "Hey Mister,! It's you again! What happen to your eye, did Marcus find ya?"  " No Elijah, I got mugged after I left the bar..." "Would be the only mugging ever to occur in Montauk. Sorry friend but I warned ya, you should have left Montauk by now....next time it will be worse!" " Yes everyone keeps telling me that. By the way your home is the Rec center?" "Funny thing about that Mister" " Yes, I'll say, they never heard of you there" " Listen Mister, I come and go like the Montauk wind, ain't many people troubling themselves with an old man" " OK Elijah, I'm not here to judge, even if you're not being 100% square with me. I'm not leaving until I find out more about this Montauk Man, I think I may have seen him tonight-I need to find him. I can't stop now and other strange things have been happening to me, I need to figure this out", " Wow Mister, OK, I'll tell ya what I know. But first you need to buy me a drink."  I looked around settled in for the tale that was about to be told. I asked the bartender for a couple of whiskey sours, folded my arms and looked directly into Elijah's eyes and thus he began:

"Now I told ya about Montauk's sorrowful history but there's more to Montauk than just sorrow. Montauk is of 'another world'!  But before I tell ya about that, let me tell ya the tale that might explain something about the man you're looking for. Not many years ago, there once was this rich family, the McCallasters'. They lived over in East Hampton, the ritzy section, near the ocean.  It's a high class area surrounded by tall shrubbery- I guess they like to hide themselves away. Anyway, Brad McCallaster, the patriarch, came from humble origins, he wasn't a blue blood, that is, born into money and privilege. No, Brad was from right here, Montauk herself, son of a fisherman and a hard working family. His dad worked himself to the bone on that fishing boat of his, battling that remorseless sea to provide for his family. He literally paid in blood for his son's upbringing and education. He loved his son - too bad though he could never tell him, he just wasn't the 'touchy feely' type, old school I suppose. No, he showed his love through sacrifice, hard work and just being there for his kid; his son understood. Brad left Montauk, out into the world, went to a fine school and got educated. Because of his love for the ocean and his dad he also became an Olympic swimmer, actually competing in the Olympics herself! The world was his oyster! He eventually got a job in one of those big Wall Street firms, the ones that could finance a small country and became rich, rich as one of those sheikhs! Brad knew however that deep down inside he was a fisherman's son and he wasn't ashamed of it but he wanted more and got more. He was moving up in the world and the more he moved up the more he prospered. Although he never disparaged the working class that his dad came from he put on a big mask to fit in this new world he was moving into. He went to their parties and soirees made his connections and  that's where he met his wife. It was at one of those "Ball" parties, you know, only important people welcomed! There he saw her across the room and instantly fell in love with her, she was as pretty as a princess. Abbey was her name, short for Abigail. Her family were well to do, not exactly New England nobility coming from Greenwich Connecticut, but close enough. He courted her and eventually won her over and married her. They bought their summer home in the tall shrub section like I told you, and jumped right into high class living together as a couple. Brads' wife became a first class socialite of the Hampton's, you couldn't hold a party if you didn't invite her. Her life was all about status, only the first lady of this great land was more popular than her. Brad, well he did what any other husband of a socialite did, looked good, made money and joined the exclusive country club like all the other well to do folk. They kept moving up in the world of tall shrubbery, becoming members of exclusive golf clubs, rubbing elbows with movie stars and presidents, they had it all!  They eventually had three children, a decent marriage and of course the family pooch. Life couldn't get any better, that is until the Stock Market crash of 2008. Brad lost it all. I don't have to tell you what devastating consequences that would have on any family let alone one accustomed to the finer things in life. The wife took it the hardest. Unable to show her face at those glitzy gatherings, loosing memberships to those exclusive clubs and getting snubbed by her once so called friends, killed her, she fell apart, couldn't take it and fled! She moved back with her family, out of state, left her husband and sadly the kids which was more devastating than the money they had lost." I was completely taken in by Elijah's story and had noticed by this time the pub was clearing out. It was getting quit and only now I had noticed others had gathered around to hear  Elijah's tale. For how long they were there I couldn't say but I was like a fish on the line. I nodded to Elijah and he continued:

"Brad McCallaster tried to reconcile with his wife who he loved very much in spite of the phony life they had built but she wasn't about to have anything to do with a man who lost his standing in the community and especially one who was broke! He tried and tried to win her back. He wanted to put the family back together for the children's sake but to no avail, she'd have none of it. He started drinking, became a complete mess, and worse of all couldn't continue to take care of the kids on his own. One dark day he went to Montauk, his place of birth, parked his car at Camp Hero walked down to the beach. Sat there for a while, Indian style, got up then walked straight into that cold unforgiving water. His body washed up on shore, found a day or so later. It had been so cold his lifeless body and handsome self was still a sight to see. The papers ruled it an accident but an Olympic class swimmer doesn't just drown- it was no accident, Montauk took him." I sat there with goose bumps covering my body. The hair on the back of my neck stood up...."He drowned himself Elijah? " "Yes sir, he walked right into that water right near the lighthouse and never looked back. You OK Mister? You look like you just about seen a ghost. I didn't mean to scare you."  "I'm sorry Elijah, please go on. What about the kids, what happened to them?" "Ah, yes, here is the real tragedy of this tale. Those poor kids were passed back and forth among friends and family. Brad's dad by now had passed along with his mom so there was no one who really cared about those poor children. The oldest son took the news of his dads death the hardest. He was a kind hearted kid. Athletic himself, a tall handsome popular boy in school, he was known as the "protector' because he always came to the aid of other kids who would get bullied. He was a teenager at this point when the family fell apart and he up and disappeared." "How about the other kids you said there were three" "Yes, the daughter she's out there, just floating around like a cork on the sea. She grew up to be a real looker, wavy blond hair fine features with an athletic build; she could have been a model you know. She however stayed in the area, passing herself off to one rich playboy after another but never staying in one place for very long, always searching for something..." "Searching, you say...searching for what I'd like to know." "Good question Sonny, maybe for some explanation why the world is so cruel...." "And the last kid?" " Yes the youngest child. This is this the most curious thing, he actually benefited from this whole ugly tragedy. He was taken in by a family, a childless couple that had more money than god. Said to be related to the Rockefeller clan, the Averys'. However the Averys' were meaner than a ten headed snake, carpet bagger's they are! Mr Avery was extremely ruthlessness, a real devil of a man. Well anyway, they took in that youngest McCallaster, adopted him and claimed him as their own. They erased his history, his family, his identity and gave him a new one; he became one of them...cruel as could be"

"He took to the Avery's like a fish takes to water. The little tycoon acts like the governor, being driven around in that fancy gray car by a personal driver. He visits the stores and business's his folks own, firing people at will, teasing, demeaning them and treating everyone he meets like dirt. It's not a good thing to give so much power to a child-how the hell do they know how to use it? Some peoples dispositions are naturally evil or naturally good-In the case of the this young Avery the devil himself lives through him..." "Yes I know, like a real life Damien Omen", "Damien who..?" "Nothing old timer, where's he now?"  "He hasn't been seen lately. Heard he went to military school." "I may beg to differ Elijah. So you're telling me the older McCallaster kid is the Montauk Man?" "Not exactly Sonny. I don't know. Could be. What if the Montauk Man was really the Montauk Woman, or Montauk Devil....? In any case, this whole story I told you is just rumor, gossip, no one knows for sure not even me. Now, I need another drink.." The onlookers who had gathered dispersed as if a church mass had come to an end. I sat there not knowing what to do next - I just looked at Elijah and he sat there looking back at me.

End Part 6 Stay tuned for more.
Copyright Lewis Portal