‘I think I could live in Maine year-round, Billy B said enthusiastically.

‘Well, I saw an advertisement that said the homeowner was renting their home for four cold weather months and that if the tenant could offer some upkeep of the place the rent was negotiable,’ Jane commented.

‘Let us call the Maine Air B&B and see if the deal is still open,’ Neva J said.

‘The Maine Owner says for us to come on out and that they will even pay our plane fare,’ Chet announced with delight. The excitement on the other end of the phone was palpable and I said we would be there by the end of the week, Chet said.

‘Maine in the winter…we better pack our L.L. Bean clothing and perhaps even our snowshoes,’ Neva J suggested.

The house was lovely and large and old. It had a gargantuan porch that looked out over the ocean and an antique bell to ring at your pleasure. There was no air conditioning but then again who needs it in the winter…in Maine.

When they first arrived they were greeted by an etheral ‘Hello…Hello’ but found no one in the house.

‘My goodness I think it is Lobster O’Clock, Billy B said. ‘You know I wonder why the property manager did not meet us…unless the ghostly Hello was his manner of getting acquainted in the Maine Winter,’ he continued.

The House dates back to before the Civil War and has a rich history. It had been a vacation spot for some of the early silent film stars. They enjoyed its seclusion and being able to blend in easily in the rural and quaint towns of Down East Maine.

Of course, there was the missing property manager… except for the disembodied voice.

‘Come quick and look at what I have found, Jane called out. ‘There is a living quarters at the foot of the half stairs leading to the basement.’

The rooms were very spacious…in fact, their dimensions did not match what appeared to be the limited dimensions of the outside of the basement. They were in fact larger than the circumference of the entire structure.

‘Welcome friends…I have just been enjoying a silent movie. I love the old movies, don’t you? I am so pleased that you have taken me up on the winter rental of my lovely home. I inherited it from my great-grandmother. She ran a hospital for the injured Union Soldiers during the Civil War. Many of them died within these old walls.

‘My name is Chet…I enjoy watching Silent Movies on Turner Classic Movies…what is your name?’

‘My friends call me…Fatty…wait until morning when the Bald Eagle screeches…’