It's just after midnight and quite a storm has been brewing off the coast. Most of the townsfolk in Bidderton have shuttered themselves in tight for the night. A small town on the west coast. Halfway inbetween San Francisco and Los Angeles and smack dab in the middle of nowhere. The town is fast asleep but lights still flicker on at the Bidderton Inn. A wayward outpost for the travel weary and sometimes just a local spot for husbands to stay when the wives have thrown them out.
The night clerk shifts uncomfortably in her chair as lightning and thunder break the silence. Sabby, is her name. Her uncle owns and operates the Bidderton Inn and tonight Sabby has agreed to watch the Inn while her uncle takes a well deserved rest. Just last week the Inn was overrun by dolphin enthusiasts and Poor Uncle Sid was run ragged with requests.
Nothing to watch on TV after the Late Night Talk Shows but infomercials, which Sabby secretly likes, so she turns down the volume on the TV and stares out the window.
It's time to run the numbers for the hotel. Nothing like using a little Algebra late at night to get the noodle working. Sabby runs through the numbers like a champ. She's always been good in math. It's only a 10 room hotel, anyways, so it's not like the night audit work is that complicated. Besides that there are only 3 guests staying in the hotel and two of them are permanent guests. Mr. Alex and Mr. Jacque. They like Bidderton with it's dry climate and the fresh salt water air.
The Third guest is a strange pale fella by the name of Mr. Peter. That's how Sid likes to run the show. Everyone is Mr. and then their first name. Uncle Sid says it's to make the guest feel at home, yet still be respectful.
Thunder and Lightning.
The Bidderton Inn is a four story building with a tower and a courtyard and a pool. It's a glorious Victorian building that has seen it's golden day. The last time it was painted was a decade ago. It has large Pepper Trees that hides it from the street and it's neighbors. The yard is properly maintained but there is always so much work for Sid to do and although Sabby helps, they are both overworked.
Sabby finishes up the paperwork, stapling and sorting out papers. That's when Mr. Peter comes downstairs and wonders around in the lobby. It's so strange. Usually Sabby can hear someone walking into the lobby, this old house creaks so much, but Mr. Peter is silent as a mouse.
Sabby calls out to him when she see's him by the window.
"Hello Mr. Peter," Sabby says, "Boy, you sure are a quiet one."
"Good Evening Sabby, " Mr. Peter says, "I couldn't sleep with all this thunder, I think I'll go out, do you know of any bars open?"
"Bars? There's the biker bar along route 1, but that's it and It's raining cats and dogs out there," Sabby says,
"you should at least take an umbrella if you go out."
"Thank You Sabby." Mr. Peter takes an umbrella from the stand next to the front doors and turns around and waves to Sabby and then steps outside.
Sabby makes a note in the front desk book ~ Mr. Peter went out in the Rainstorm around 12:45am. Then she returns to her paperwork. Maids reports, monthly projections and figuring out the Average Daily Rate. She's 19 and all that Algebra, Trig and Geometry have really helped. She's not going to take any math when she goes to college. Where ever that may be. She's got a year off and Uncle Sid is being so cool to let her work at his Inn. She's met so many interesting people. Like that traveling entertainment group that sang childrens songs and lived in a bus most of the time, but needed a place to shower every once in a while. Mr. Greg had tried to lure her into joining the troop, but Uncle Sid was having none of it.
Sabby laughs to herself as she thinks about Uncle Sid protesting and promising to sell the hotel and join the band, too.
That would have been fun. Uncle Sid and Sabby and the Kitty Cat Claw Band on the road.
It's a quiet town.
Nothing much happens here. Well, there was last summer. Love and Excitement with Brett, but then he fell in love with Jaenine and forget about those two. Stupid Boys.
"I hate boys!" Sabby says to no one in particular.
