It was very late when Ian pulled into the motel car park. He smiled. ‘The ABC Motel,’ the sign said. How original he thought as he left his car running and went into the office. There wasn’t anyone there. The lights were on though. He rang the bell a few times before the dirty plastic curtain parted and a man of no particular description or age, made his appearance. He tried to smile. He had food in his mouth, so he just grinned. He pulled a paper from under the desk and placed it in front of Ian. He assumed Ian wanted a room for the night. Isn’t that what they wanted when they all made their appearance at that time of the night? The man glanced over Ian’s shoulder at his car still purring away in the background. Was he looking to see if Ian was alone? It wouldn’t be unusual if he was. People who frequented his motel at that time of night were never alone. But Ian appeared to be.

“Nice car,” he said pointing outside. Ian turned around briefly and looked at his car. He turned back and looked at the form.

“Do you happen to have a pen?” the man apologised and pulled a chewed pen from the desk draw. Ian hesitated for a second before picking it up and filling out the form.

“That will be $150,” the man said. Ian was going to object. It was obviously his car. He swore the sign said $50, but he wasn’t in the mood to argue. He gave him 3 $50 bills. The man held them briefly up to the dim light, Ian was amused. He handed Ian a key, “around the back,” he said, “room 123.” Ian smiled a little wider.

“No joke?” he replied. The man looked confused. “ABC Motel,” Ian tried to explain, “and room 123.” The man still didn’t understand but Ian wasn’t in the mood to explain further.

“You do want the room for just one night, right?”

“Yes, only one night. I’ll be out of here first thing in the morning.” Ian picked up the key and got back in his car. The car park was nearly empty. There were a couple of cars but other than that, the place was in darkness. Ian found his room, locked his car and unlocked the door. He kept the door open while he looked for the light switch. He turned it on, but nothing happened. Yes of course the lights wouldn’t work. It fit the pattern for the day. He left the door open until his eyes got used to the darkness and then he walked across the room to the bathroom. The light in there worked, so he left that on. He returned to the bedroom and sat down in what felt like a broken cane chair. He threw the key on the bed and slid down in the uncomfortable chair. He closed his eyes trying to go over in his mind the day’s events.

He hadn’t expected to pick up a hitchhiker. He knew against his better judgement that he shouldn’t have, but the man looked harmless. There as a knock on the door and Ian opened his eyes.

“Everything ok?” asked the owner.

“Yes, yes,” Ian replied, hoping the man would leave.

“Just wondered,” he continued, “you have your door open.”

“Oh, that’s because the lights don’t work in here.” The man reached over under the curtains and flicked a switch, the lights came on. “Oh thanks. I must’ve tried turning on the wrong light.” “Goodnight,” the man closed the door behind him. Ian looked up, smiled and then looked back down again. He closed his eyes.

What did the hitchhiker say his name was? He didn’t even when he pointed to a lonely stretch of the road and asked Ian to stop there. “I’m nearly home,” he said, “I can get out here.” Ian pulled over his car and looked at the man in his rear-view mirror.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

The man smiled, “yes, I’m sure. See that little road off to the right.” Ian looked but couldn’t see anything. It was dark, there weren’t any lights anywhere. Ian didn’t reply. The man lived there not him and so if he said there was a road there, then there was a road there. Ian unlocked the car and the man opened the door. He was about to step out and Ian got a good look at him. He was older, didn’t seem to be dressed the way he would expect a man of his age to be dressed. Ian was going to ask him but then decided against it.

“Thanks for the ride, Ian,” the man said. At first Ian didn’t think much of that but once he left, he realised the man knew his name. He must’ve told the man his name when he first got in the car.

It was better in the dark Ian realised and reached around the curtain and turned off the light. The light coming from the bathroom was enough. It fit the mood he was in. He wondered if the owner was standing outside looking into his room through the large picture window. He was about to get up and draw the curtains, but realised he didn’t care enough. He sat back in the uncomfortable cane chair. What was it the man had told him his name was? He had got out of Ian’s car and closed the door behind him. Ian was about to drive off leaving him there on the side of the road when he appeared at his window smiling. Yes, the man didn’t belong to that age. Ian lowered the window.

“Thank you for picking me up,” he said. It was the first time Ian heard his voice distinctly. It was a European accent, German most likely.

“My pleasure. You just have to be very careful out here at this time of the night.” The man smiled and touched the peak of his cap. He stood back as if to let Ian drive off. But they both remained there for a few long seconds. Neither man seemed as if they wanted to leave.

“I see you here every night,” the man finally said. Yes, Ian thought to himself.

“I’ve seen you here before as well,” he replied. And he had. Every time he left his office and drove along that lonely road home. It was usually devoid of much traffic and Ian could just set his car on cruise control and it knew its way home. He turned on the radio and let his mind empty.

“You like Mahler,” the man said.

Ian was surprised. “I do, yes.”

“His Fifth symphony?” replied the man in the back seat.

“Yes, I assume you like him as well.”

“He’s good, I prefer his later symphonies.”

“Like his Eighth?” asked Ian.

“Yes, but his Ninth is the best.”

“The Ninth?” asked Ian a little surprised. He thought he knew Mahler but had never listened to his Ninth.

“You must try it one day.” The man said and Ian nodded his head. “You can drop me just up here, there’s a road off to the right I live down there.” Ian dropped him off even though he had only been in the car about five minutes.

Ian fell asleep in the uncomfortable cane chair. When he awoke the sunshine was pouring into his room. He got up gingerly not knowing what to expect and went into the bathroom. A few minutes later he came out and exited his room. He walked over to his car.

“Good morning,” said the owner and Ian waved to him. “Going on your way, are you?”

“Yes. I don’t usually stay over night anywhere I just drive home.”

“You saw the man, didn’t you? The hitchhiker,” he added. “You saw the hitchhiker, didn’t you?” Ian didn’t answer. “See you again sometime,” the owner shouted as Ian pulled out of the car park. He didn’t wave to him.