"You are definitely missing out something, if you are not experiencing the 20’s... yeah. ...Sure, you are experiencing the 20’s, but if you ask me, the wrong ones. I absolutely don’t want to create any FOMO in you for not being here now... but ours are called for a good reason the roaring 20’s (and yours probably not)".
• This decade is for you, if:
1) You like wild parties in secret, mostly underground places.
2) You are a fan of Prohibitionism.
• This decade is probably not for you, if:
1) You give at the 2 points before the exactly opposite answer.
2) You have intention to do some long- term financial investment, beyond the year 1929.
I’m an undercover reporter, for this reason I cannot tell you my name. My job is to choose the most topical and engaging news for my readers (whatever decade or century they are in), and then to investigate to the bottom line. I am currently investigating a particularly intriguing case that is shaking up the high society (and beyond) of our time. If you are interested in learning about the fate of the legendary disappeared singer (or if you know anything about it), then what follows may be of interest to you.
Lydia Chestercobb is the most glamorous and fashionable star of our time. She is basically all anyone talks about, each of her steps is followed by gossip, and I am sure that her glory is still alive in your time. She is an incredible singer, has an angelic voice, and is able to act in a way that ...no, actually she is just beautiful, but that was enough for her to make a career. ...That, and the fact that he is the love interest of the most influential gangster in our city: Frankie Starnutazzo. ...Yes, I know, his name gives shivers just by reading it. While Lydia is always in the spotlight, and loves to be it, Frankie for obvious reasons is forced to avoid it, as it is hardly compatible with his gangster business, which is mostly illegal and clandestine.
There is only one problem with Lydia: she has disappeared. …I mean, completely disappeared. And everyone is worried: her agent, her production company, her record publisher, photographers. In short, everyone who makes money from her.
Since I am one of the undercover- reporters with the best reputation of my time (but you can't verify it, because you don't know who I am), I have been assigned to find out the secrets of her disappearance. And most importantly to find her. In the ideal case alive, but that does probably not depend much on me.
I have identified 3 key places to follow closely:
1) The Speakeasy, where she used to perform in secret.
2) Frankie's garage, since he is a big car enthusiast.
3) The train station, to see if they try to leave town.
You can follow my movements and investigations closely, entering the various places and exploring the city with all its features of this era. I have been promised a reward should I succeed in finding Lydia. Of course, I will not share it with you.
Well, we are in the midst of the prohibition era. And as you can imagine, not everyone complies 100% with every single restriction that this entails. Gangsters in particular have developed a tendency to circumvent laws, import, sell and consume alcohol illegally. The absolutely hottest venue is the Speakeasy. Of course I cannot tell you where it is, but know that to enter you must first be introduced by a particularly influential person, then you must know a supersecret password, then you must arrive in the company of another very influential person, with an absolutely strict dress- code. Or alternatively you can just join the community on Storyexpe, and enter. It's up to you to decide which option is easier for you. I enter as an insider, but I won't tell you how I made it happen. This is where Lydia met Frankie. The club belongs to him, and he was a big fan of Lydia's. Gossip had been talking about their "secret" relationship for some time, and at one point photographers managed to paparazzi Lydia together with Frankie. Then suddenly nothing anymore, no trace of Lydia (...continues below).
Among the various suspects for her disappearance are:
1) Frankie's family began to consider the attention she generated a danger, so they made her disappear, likely against Frankie's will (perhaps they made him disappear as well).
2) Members of an opposing family kidnapped her, to attack Frankie's family (these things happen among gangsters).
3) Lydia escaped in great secrecy, perhaps finding out too late that Frankie was a gangster (actually everyone knows, but it may have taken Lydia a little longer to figure it out).
4) The two simply went on a vacation in secret, and they did not want paparazzi to publish the photos in the newspapers (since social media still do not exist, the risk is reduced to newspapers and maybe radio).
I will regularly go inside the Speakeasy, and tell you about the wildest parties ever, the most incredible people, and the most illegal drinks. ...And yes, of course, about Lydia and Frankie, too.
Frankie is a great car collector. I wouldn't call them classic cars, because what you call classic cars are now current and very modern cars to us, and what we might call classic cars, are horses pulling carriages. Frankie owns a secret garage, actually a huge warehouse at the port. It includes only the most exclusive brands: Rolls Royce, Delahaye, Isotta Fraschini, Cadillac, Hispano-Suiza, Duesenberg, Bugatti. All brands that probably no longer exist in your era. He goes very often there, almost daily, also to monitor his various " commercial activities" at the port, if you know what I mean. I myself managed to get an undercover job at the warehouse next to his garage.
The key person in the garage is Alfredo. He is his trusted mechanic, the one to whom Frankie entrusts his most important cars. The only one from whom he takes advice, and the only one who is authorized to drive them. I have often seen Frankie and Alfredo leave the garage always with a different car, usually with Alfredo driving. At first they talk about the car, its features and performance. But at some point during the trip Frankie begins to get confident and feel safe, then to tell his "work" facts (...continues below).
How do I know this? Let's say that Alfredo likes to do 3 things in particular: 1) Repairing cars. 2) Driving cars. 3) Talk about cars. When I see him coming out of the garage to smoke a cigarette, I often take the opportunity to leave the warehouse where I am "working" and approach him. I pretend to be curious about the cars I see passing by. At first, Alfredo was still cold and wary of me (well … ...rightfully), but I quickly discovered the secret to attract his attention: it’s enough to say that I have seen a car similar to the one he drove with Frankie the last time, ...but even more beautiful. At that point I have his full attention. But since I don't understand anything about cars, he almost immediately takes the word. And with a couple of targeted questions, we end up talking about Frankie.
I lurk here almost every day. I'm sure at some point we'll be able to have a nice little tour of the city, and hear what Frankie has to say. If you want to, just follow along. And if you want to check out the garage, just join the community (you don’t need to work undercover at the port to do this).
This is probably the most fascinating place. In your time, it is simply a place where commuters and travelers rush around, but here it has a whole different charm. Here every journey claims its own time: slowly leaving the city behind, perhaps with thoughts still filled with the emotion of a farewell, and with the voice of the person still echoing in one's mind. Then the gradual transition, the places changing slowly outside the window. The air that is always a little different at each station.
I come here regularly should Frankie and Lydia decide to leave town. In this way I get to stay among the people, and listen to stories of great journeys, hopes, farewells. When I happen to have some time, I will transcribe here some of the most moving and intriguing ones. Of course should I discover them about to leave, I will not hesitate to get on their train and follow them. And you can follow them with me on the journey. You do not need a ticket, it is enough to join the community.
PS: in my absence you can explore the station by yourself, and if you spot anything strange, please let me know.
