Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Renting a House
The registration clerk, without even lifting their head, jotted down the names of the two individuals, Mr. Tony Monet and Miss Wendy Howard. It wasn't that the clerk was negligent; they couldn't verify Monet and Wendy's information for two reasons. First, this was the Capasia Line, not the Titanic, so the clerk didn't have their details. Second, the survivors of the Titanic couldn't be impersonated; they were rescued from the sea. No impostor had the opportunity or capability for such deceit. Of course, time travelers like Monet were beyond the clerk's imagination.
After noting down their basic information, the clerk handed one of the forms to them and said, "Take this form to room 305 in the back."
"What are we going there for?" Wendy asked in confusion.
Monet pulled her aside and whispered, "It's probably what I mentioned earlier, the hush money and confidentiality agreement."
As it turned out, Monet's guess was correct. Upon arriving at room 305, the staff inside asked them to sign a confidentiality agreement. The content was mainly about not disclosing the details of the shipwreck to anyone. If they agreed to sign, they would receive a $300 insurance payment.
Both of them, well-prepared for this, didn't hesitate to sign the confidentiality agreement and then left the ship with the money.
On their way, Monet whispered to Wendy, "Remember to hide the money well. I suspect it won't be long before word gets out in New York that each survivor has a sum of cash. New York's safety isn't comparable to Paris or London, especially for a young, single lady like you. So, be cautious."
Monet wasn't trying to frighten Wendy intentionally. In fact, not only in 1912 but even in 2020, there were certain neighborhoods in New York that weren't suitable for young women to venture into alone. Even men should avoid going out alone at night, as it was easy to become a victim of robbery or other forms of violence.
"Well, what do we do now?" Wendy asked Monet, her voice trembling with anxiety.
"The first step is to find a safe place to stay, and then we can consider looking for work," Monet replied solemnly.
Wendy pondered for a moment, then seemed to make a decision and softly asked Monet, "Mr. Monet, could I ask you for a favor?"
"Sure, go ahead," Monet replied casually.
"Could we rent a place together? I mean, separate rooms, of course. You see, I'm all alone now. My brother is gone, and in the whole of New York, you're the person I'm most familiar with, so..."
Monet had already anticipated this, so before Wendy could finish speaking, he agreed, "As long as you trust me, we can do that!"
Wendy nodded repeatedly and said, "Of course, I trust you. We were both rescued from the same ship, and you know so much, like the hush money just now. So, I believe you must have been a very important person!"
"What important person would dress like me?" Monet quipped, making a jest of himself.
Although they were speaking English, for Tony Monet, who was unfamiliar with the city, it wasn't clear where to find a suitable house. Moreover, being newcomers, both he and Wendy were at risk of being overcharged.
After pondering for a moment, Tony took Wendy's hand and headed towards a nearby church. Wendy, puzzled, asked, "Mr. Monet, weren't we looking for a house? Why are we going to a church?"
First, Tony shared his concerns, then he explained, "Relatively speaking, priests in churches are more likely to be kind-hearted, so let's inquire there about the current rental prices in New York and where we can find reliable accommodations."
"You're right. As servants of God, they shouldn't deceive us!" Wendy exclaimed, understanding.
Tony shook his head, saying, "It's not a guarantee, so we should ask multiple churches, compare their information, and then decide where to rent. By the way, since we'll be living together, you don't have to call me Mr. Monet anymore; you can call me Tony!"
"Alright, then Tony, you can call me Wendy!" Wendy agreed with a nod.
Entering the church, Tony and Wendy began with a silent prayer. They waited until there was no one near the priest and approached him, introducing themselves, "Hello, Father. We are survivors of the Titanic!" They also showed him a newspaper with the front-page headline about the Titanic disaster. (They completed the disembarkation process two days after reaching the shore, so the incident was already being reported in the outside world.)
"I've heard about this. It's truly a disaster. I was just praying for the victims," the priest said sorrowfully.
"On behalf of all the victims, thank you. Oh, there's something else I'd like to ask for your help with."
"Go ahead, child. If it's something I can assist with, I'll do my best."
"Well, here's the thing. We've just arrived in New York, and we don't know anyone. We don't even have a place to stay. So, we wanted to ask you if you know of any safe and affordable accommodations," Tony explained.
The priest pondered for a moment and then replied, "I actually know of a place that's up for rent. It's not only in a safe neighborhood but also quite inexpensive. The only downside is that the house is a bit run-down."
"That's fine. We wouldn't be able to afford a perfect place anyway. Could you show us the place?" Tony quickly responded.
"I'm quite busy today, so I can't take you there personally. However, it's easy to find. I'll draw you a map, and when you get there, just tell them that Father Milton referred you. Aunt Mia, the landlady, will definitely offer you the lowest price!" The priest began to sketch out a map.
When they arrived at the location, Tony found that it indeed met his requirements. It was spacious with two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a kitchen. However, the house was quite dilapidated; there were even some leaks in the ceiling. But considering the information they had gathered from others on the way, this was already the most cost-effective option.
After some discussion, Tony and Wendy signed the rental contract with Landlady Aunt Mia. Next, they began contemplating what kind of work to seek in order to make a living. Tony's original profession in finance and accounting might work, even though the accounting systems were different here, and he didn't know manual bookkeeping. Moreover, he could explore his previous part-time jobs; it seemed that many time travelers followed a literary route. However, at this moment, a brilliant idea suddenly struck Tony's mind!
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