Dialogue Prompt:We Are Not Alone In The Universe!

Chapter -2

" Yes, everything is fine now. I can go on the trip to New Hampshire."

"Good."

I got up from bed to pack for my trip this afternoon.

Chapter 2

A couple hours later I hugged my wife and daughter and told them I will be back in a few days. I made sure I mentioned, we have more vacation days left together as a family.

I jump in my Jeep and start heading back to Norfolk to the airport. Flying out from the location was familiar because of the other stories I had a chance to be assigned to for the newspaper. I know the routine well. Each time there was a chance to fly, it’s always a new the experience, except for the metal detector.

Taking off my shoes and putting my items in the plastic container and hearing the famous words… “Step Through Please”. Glancing at the tickets, the flight time is not that bad, about an hour and 20 minutes landing at Portsmouth International Airport in New Hampshire. Seabrook was about a 12-mile drive from the airport. Time flies on a short trip.

As I’m landing, I notice two items right, away, that’s different from Virginia, one the accents I hear called a 'New England accent'. No “R” in most of their speech and I know when they hear me speak they, will say I have the accent.

I didn’t speak much, I was all ears listening to the accents of people walking about and taking it all in as I was learning the New England accent from New Hampshire. The second item I noticed was the weather compared to Virginia, a little bit colder.  I walk over to the Hertz rental car area, gave them my information and they told me they have a car reserved for me right outside. I

was wondering which car Amelia reserved for me. I like when she picks the rental cars, then I know not to go overboard with price choice and she is the boss.

She rented me a Full size 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. I’m happy with her choice, there's lots of room to move around. I called my wife to tell her that I have arrived safely in New Hampshire “Hi Honey, how you doing? I’m here.”

“I see”, Sundara said. I can tell my wife was happy I made it in safely and sad I’m away from her and my daughter.

I spoke louder than normal in the airport concourse. “ Did Laura get the extra  cookies I left her”

In the background, I hear a voice yell out, “Yes, I got it" I smiled through the phone.

“Okay, just making sure, Honey I will keep you posted where I am..  please keep your Apple phone nearby," I told her I needed her here because of the weather its cold here. She laughed in Virginia.

As soon at the call ended. I mentally came back to New Hampshire. As if I came out of a phone booth like Clark Kent. I started my road trip to Seabrook from their airport in the car driving 55 miles per hour.

The scenery very nice. I couldn’t even turn on the radio it was so nice to see during this time in the fall multi-color leaves on the ground and on trees, very outdoorsy feeling ..

Great for the eyes and the fresh smell of fresh air…I’m understanding why many want to move here now…

It took me no time to arrive in the ocean town of Seabrook, there was a welcome sign reading “Welcome to Seabrook Beach, New Hampshire" I was staying at a hotel near the water called The Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, it was at 11 Rocks Road. As I checked in I see the newspaper in the lobby The Laconia Daily Sun I read at the Pilot back home on the counter. 

This time on the front page a news story about residents who will have the opportunity to become members of the state house of representatives.  I didn’t see hints or more stories about the lottery winner in the paper. It felt like the person who won vanished from community thoughts. I knew this wasn’t true.

While in the hotel room relaxing, I thought, "let me reread the article to get more hints." I reach into my suitcase for the local paper and I thought to myself, I didn't catch the person's name here in New Hampshire, I look again focusing below the picture, I see the name, Brent Brooks. I write the name down in my notepad. I already had the other items for researching, on my smartphone and laptop.

I look around the room with all its amenities… the room seemed to hug you in comfort. While researching the winner of the lottery; I have pieces of paper everywhere. I work with a mad organizational purpose that only makes sense to me. This hotel room won't look the same when I check out.

I start to think it's time to Google his full name first. I put in the search bar “Brent Brooks, Seabrook, New Hampshire" and wait for the search engines feedback.

It said Coastal Beach Watershed, I wrote on my notepad, then I see American Motorcyclist, then another search read The Greenpeace Chronicles. I write all this all down. Then I thought, let me look at the picture again from the Lottery and I scan the picture like a hawk looking for food in the air.

My eyes perk up because I see my first clue. I take out my magnifying glass from my suitcase like Sherlock Holmes and there on the shirt, a logo. Many in the picture wore these shirts. Brent didn’t wear one, about five people did. I thought I saw a Lowe's here in Seabrook. So I Google Lowe's Hardware store in Seabrook, NH and the search returned with its answer. It seemed like it was in neon lights

LOWE'S OF SEABROOK, NH - Store #1979 and I pause .

The address reads 417 Lafayette Rd., Seabrook, NH and it gave a phone number. I paused, then checked the time on my watch to see if it was a good time to call. It was 3 pm EST so I decided to call 603-760-4019. The phone starts ringing and a woman's voice said,  "Seabrook Lowe’s, can I help you?"

I paused and said, “Hi there, I’m Marc and I was calling to see if you know of a Brent Brooks?"  She paused to almost yell "Yes."  Then her voice went calmly, “He doesn’t work here anymore. I soon as I heard the word “more” my intuition processed.

 “Okay, well thank you for your time.” I looked around the room and it was starting to look a lot like my desk in Norfolk,Virginia, papers scattered on the floor and bed of clues in Seabrook.

My thought patterned started to turn. Anyone who wins a Lottery, they're not going to go back to their jobs. They now have a new life and purpose.

I put myself in his shoes, would I go, back to the newspaper if I won the Lottery? The answer came into my head in about two minutes. No, I would go back but I would help the newspaper with stories. Kind of like a newspaper vigilante reporter. I’d have a nickname and all.

Back to the case at hand. . . I decided I needed to drive to Lowe's and talk with some of employees at Lowe's, maybe someone there can help me with some information toward finding Brent, the Lottery winner of New Hampshire.

I was hungry ,so I wanted to grab something to eat. I would ask the front desk if they can give me a good place to eat nearby. She said there a was a Wendy’s not too far from here. I said thank you and have a good day.

Went to Wendy’s, came back to the Hotel to relax a bit. I decided to head out in the morning for a fresh start.

Later that night I hear my phone in my room. I thought who knows I’m here, only my managing editor and wife. By the third ring I decide to pick the phone and there was silence on the phone. I kept saying “Hello, Hello", no one answered back. I waited for a few seconds to hear if someone might speak, but there was still a void on the other end of the phone. I hang up and immediately I panicked and thought something must be wrong. I thought, let me call home to Virginia. The phone, rings then my wife's voice comes on and I say “Dear are, you okay?”

“Did you just call me? “ Sundara said no she did not call. “That’s weird, Marc. Someone knows you're there or it was a miss dial."

Marc responded back, "I got worried that’s why I called."

“Nope honey I’m okay," remarked Sundara.

“ How's our daughter, honey?”

"She's fine Marc."

"Okay, I spoke slowly. "Okay. I wish you were here in New Hampshire, Sundara. You would like the weather here too, its like Virginia in some ways." I decided to tell Sundara the location for tomorrow, so she will know where I am.

"I have to go to the Lowe's Department store to find out more information on  Lottery winner. I found out his name is Brent Brooks…”Really.”  Yes, I’m not sure if anyone is going to tell me anything when I get there. But I have to try…"

 "Okay Marc, go find out what’s needed. We will be here waiting for you to come home. Love you Husband, will talk to you to tomorrow."

" Okay, Mrs. Dazet.

Chapter 3

My alarm wakes me up at 8 am in the morning … I put it on snooze, but decide immediately to wake up thinking about the reason why I’m here. I start to get ready and decided to grab some Continental Breakfast from the breakfast in the hotel near the lobby. As I was walking through the entrance where the breakfast was being hosted I stood in the room and said WOW to myself and out loud, two Wow’s!

They had everything spread out on the breakfast table. I was wishing I had more time to eat everything they had. There was sliced bread and butter with Jam and honey, cheese, croissants, pastries, rolls, fruit juice, and various hot beverages.

I wanted hot coffee and two croissants with butter and jam. I must take a picture and send to my wife, but I thought others would think I was awkward taking a picture of the Mega Universal Breakfast.

After I was done with eating breakfast. I started heading to my rental car. Fortunately, the car had a cool GPS system. I put into the system 417 Lafayette Rd. Seabrook, NH. When looking at the screen I notice there was a Seabrook, Texas, I made sure it showed New Hampshire. The lady's voice said Would YOU LIKE TO BEGIN NAVIGATION then she said PLEASE DRIVE THE HIGHLIGHTED ROUTE

It was 15 miles from the Hotel…Followed the route I was dressed very casually to fit the Lowe's setting.

Made it to the parking lot at about 10 am in the morning, not many cars…which is okay the employees working this morning, I was thinking would have time to talk to me instead of being busy…As I was walking in I see a Cardboard life-size picture of Jimmie Johnson #48...I am a secret NASCAR fan I have not told many at work. I went to my first race in Richmond, VA When you see race car drivers, landing near the race track in helicopters and watching others having fun barbecuing before the race and interacting. I was hooked on NASCAR.  

At Lowe's… the person who greeted me waves and says Hi, Welcome to Seabrook Lowe's. I say Hi to her and give her the thumbs up. This place is absolutely massive!! All stores seem like an indoor football field. I start walking and I see the dark blue vest employees walking around.

My thoughts where to start? I receive a Text from Amelia our Managing Editor while I was walking in the middle of the store I a sent text back  “On the Story Now Talk Later”. She finally said OK…

 I was thinking, Okay "Which department in Lowe's would Brent Brook work in? I walked down the aisles. Electrical, Appliances and Home Decor, I thought... umm I’m going go to the painting department first I. There were always lots of people who ask questions about painting and paint colors.