The Lady In Blue Ch 01

Dan was off to California on a business trip that he hoped would soon turn to one of pleasure. He had two days of a three day trip booked tight with meetings, nearly round the clock. But he had hoped doing it that way would mean that the third day would be all his to soak up some California sunshine before taking the red eye back to New York.

He had preliminary meetings with the architecture firm's clients that evening over drinks at the Moss Beach Distillery. Dan was eager to finish the meetings and head back to his room to relieve himself of the jetlag that was now setting in; he hoped the drinks and meeting would be over quickly. Then he could walk to the elevator and conveniently go straight from the bar to his room. Room 216.

After settling in at the bar to wait for his clients he began to have a conversation with the bartender the bartender wanted to know where he was from. Why he was in town, and if he planned to stay in The Distillery's hotel as well. Sometime during their conversation the bartender began to tell Dan about the history of The Distillery. It had been an old speak easy in the 1920's & 30's and was a real figure of the landscape in this area of California. The bartender told Dan stories of how it had been to be a bartender back in the roaring 20's and 30's and how they would get raided sometimes and have to try to conceal all the liquor and gambling that was taking place in the bar.

"Do you like...believe in like...ghosts, man?" The bartender asked.

"Hardly." Dan replied with a chuckle.

"Well, you just might if you stay in this joint long enough. Some crazy shit happens around here." The bartender continued.

"Oh come on, they just pay you to spread that crap around to interest more people in staying here a few days and nights...don't they." Dan answered.

Just then the barmaid who was serving drinks to the tables on the floor walked up behind the bar.

"No, he is definitely not kidding...we girls won't even go take a pee in this place without going together, we never go alone, not after what happened to Marcy last year..." The girl said with a blank stare as if she was remembering something terrifying.

"Haven't you told him the story yet Pete?" She asked the bartender.

"Wasn't sure he wanted to hear it..." The bartender replied.

"What the hell, I'll settle the argument, why don't the both of you tell me this "Story" of yours..." Dan chuckled.

"It isn't our story dude; it's hers..." the bartender said with a glance towards the picture that hung by the bar.

"Oh, let me start it Pete," the barmaid said.

"After all it's a love story...better told by a woman." She continued.

"Back in the 1920's & 30's, this place used to be a speak easy. There was a piano player named Slick Sam that everyone loved to hear play. There was one particular person though who loved it more than most. She always wore blue like in that painting up there; I guess she thought that would make her stand out of the crowd to Sam each night as he played. And she was right it did. The beautiful blonde in blue and the awesome piano player began to have a torrid affair. There must have been a husband involved, because the affair was very hush hush. She'd come in for the last few songs and leave at the end of the last one, but rumor has it that she always waited out there on the bluff for him.

One night as she was on her way to meet her lover for yet another sizzling evening something went horribly wrong. As she made the corner there on the way up the bluff she was confronted with a car that was coming her way, in her lane, and was out of control. It ended with her and her car in a fiery heap at the bottom of the cliff—The same cliff where she used to wait for Slick Sam. Who knows, maybe it was the husband, maybe he'd found out. But what is clear is that she never reached her final destination that night, with a heart, mind and body full of heat and lust for Sam, and she's still trying to find him today.

To date there have been numerous sightings of the beautiful "Lady in Blue" as she has been deemed here by the locals. Many people have seen her standing out there on the bluff looking out, waiting, and waiting still after all these years. They've seen her from the windows of this very bar. We've lost 5 cooks in the last 4 years because the pay phone, that one there by the end of the bar, will ring when there are only single men here at work. Like during the early evening times when we are preparing the food and things for the night ahead. They all say the same thing—that they answer the phone and hear a ghostly voice that whispers—"I STILL WANT YOU SAM"....

We have lost tons of waitresses do to the face in the bathroom. Apparently if you are alone in there and you look up into the mirror as you are washing your hands you'll see the beautiful face of the lady in blue. She must have gone in there to check her hair and makeup before her meetings with Sam.

We've also had tons of customers report that they thought that there was someone in the other stall in the restroom at the same time as them. Then when they emerged from the stall they found that they were all alone and they'd look up in the mirror and see her face there in the mirror.

And if you think these stories are wild you should here what the concierge and the maids from upstairs in the hotel part of The Distillery have to say...apparently even more goes on up there than down here...."

The Girl said in deep thought as her voice trailed off like that of a voice on the wind.

"Well, that was fantastically told. But I still don't believe it. It's just a myth told to entice the tourists. One of which I am not. I am a business man and I am here to do business and that's it." Dan replied as he nodded to the doorway and his entering clients.

"No more time for myths, ghost stories, legends or local folklore ladies and gents...Dan Bateman has to go and sell some architecture..." Dan said as he started to wave and walk away to meet his clients at a table.

"Thanks again for the great hospitality, the great company and the story, you two." Dan said as he left.

"Your welcome, Dan...be careful tonight upstairs...she likes them young and single you know..." The bartender replied with a smug chuckle.