Exhausted and worn from a seemingly endless day, your shuffling tread across the Brooklyn Bridge brings you to the splintered doorsteps of a two-story tenement, over which hangs a tattered sign of wood which bears the words Second Heaven Lodging House in neat script. Heaving a relieved sigh, you push open the red door -which emits a light creak- and step into the dimly lit room that greets you with a strange hospitable ambient that would make one feel welcomed almost at once.

   
    Your eyes survey the room's interior with striking accuracy as you take in everything from the peeling wallpaper and missing candles on the above chandelier to the small mouse hole near the stairs and the rusty penny staring at you just out of  reach on the hardwood floor. You draw close to what you take to be the would-be lobby's desk and note a copy of Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper nailed to the wall behind the counter between two richly decorated candleholders blemished with dried wax.


    Suddenly, a figure pops up from behind the counter: a teenaged girl, her back toward you. Busily filing envelopes and folded notes into small cubbies, some of which are laden with dust or their openings masked with cobwebs, she has yet to be made aware of your presence. Realizing this, you clear your throat at a dramatic volume and wait. Almost instantly, the young woman spins around a bit startled and then smiles upon locking gazes with you. Her dark eyes are warm, and she laughs as if to excuse herself for the unintentional rudeness in not having heard your entrance.


    "Hi there, welcome to Second Heaven lodging house. The name's Dewey." She holds out her hand to you, but not before lightly spitting onto her palm -as is the custom among those who peddle papers. You return the greeting and introduce yourself as well, adding your wish to find accommodations in a lodging house if any vacancies are possibly available.


    Dewey nods emphatically, her soft brown ringlets of hair bouncing with each head bob. "Well let's show you around, shall we? I'll let you have a look at the rules and lodge book in the office. Then you can relax your feet in the bunkrooms and get acquainted with the dolls and gents while you're at it." She smiles. "Afterward, I'll take you to the library -the place where no story goes untold. We'll pass the kitchen on our way out so if you'd like a snack just let me know. And our last stop will be the fire escape -the place where we chat into the late hours of the night."


     Leading you toward the office, she gives you another warm smile. "C'mon, let's get going then. I hope you like the place and enjoy to stay!"



The Office * Girls Bunkroom * Boys Bunkroom * Library * Fire Escape


                     HOME                                               WELCOME


  
   



















Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1