This time of year, I love going into Hollis Queens to pay homage to one of their own celebrities – Run-DMC. I always think of them at Christmas time for some strange reason. Maybe it is because they made one of my favorite holiday music videos from back in 1987 called “Christmas in Hollis.” If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth googling it if you need a good laugh. Yes, I know it’s cheesy, but it still makes me laugh when I watch it.
This can be a very busy time of year for everyone. Shops are open later, everyone is rushing around to get the fixings for cookies or the ingredients for the holiday “pot-luck” they are going to after work. It’s one of those rare times when people actually use snail-mail to wish people a happy holiday instead of emails or texts. It can also be a special time to reconnect with those we haven’t been able to make time for in quite some time. Some head back to their hometowns to visit family and old friends that they haven’t seen for a while. It’s always great to reminisce about that time they skipped school to hang with friends in Holliswood or drove to Montauk Point because it was like another world compared to Hillcrest or wherever you were from. Yes, this time of year can truly be a wonderful time.
Unfortunately, some people are not having such a great time of year. We often get calls from clients who will not be spending the holidays with their significant other for one lame reason or another. They know it’s a lie, but deep down they need proof so that they can get the guts up to confront them about it and move on. They need closure in order to prove that either their instincts are wrong, or that they are spot on and it’s time to drop them like a lump of coal.
Because in some cases, things are not as they appear, it is best to be certain before you “cut ties.” That is where this story begins…
Once upon a time, we had a woman call us right around Christmas time. She was seeing this man for a few years and they were very much in love, or at least she thought so. However, the past couple of weeks he was always too busy to see her. He kept giving her these lame excuses and could not be reached at night. When she tried to call it always went to voicemail. The next day he would look like he’d been up all night and would then give her some awkward reason why she could not reach him, which did not fit his lifestyle. “I went out with a co-worker for drinks after work,” or “I went to a bar to watch the football game and lost track of time.” This from someone who was very much a homebody and couch potato. He kept assuring her that nothing was wrong and that he would make it up to her at Christmas. But she had her doubts. When he said that once again he was not able to see her Saturday night because he was not feeling well and was going to bed early, she hit her limit. So she called us. She hired us to do surveillance on the young man to find out what was really going on. So that is how we wound up in Hollis, Queens.
We arrived at the man’s residence just in time to see him leaving. We noticed that he was very well dressed in a suit and tie, not what you would expect from someone that was supposed to be home with a cold. We followed him on foot to the bus which took him (and us) to Fresh Meadows, where he slipped into a very fancy restaurant. We thought we were going to get what we came for and moved into position. We waited for about a half-hour to make sure that he settled in with whomever he was meeting and then went inside under the pretense of making a reservation for New Year’s Eve. Well, you can imagine our surprise when it was the subject that was at the host station! He was working at the restaurant, not meeting someone there. We told him that we were interested in possibly having an event there at the restaurant and began chatting with him. It was a quiet night and he was more than happy to chat with us for a bit. We found out that he was actually moonlighting at this restaurant to save up enough money to buy his girlfriend an engagement ring for Christmas. We asked if we could have him work at our fictitious event and he said that he could not, but there were others who would be just as good. You see, he would be giving in his notice after this weekend. He wanted to get back to spending every minute with his soon-to-be fiancé now that he worked long enough to make what he needed for the ring, so he was done. We left the restaurant with a smile and went home. The next day we met with the client. We simply told her that we never saw him with anyone else and that it was our professional opinion that she had nothing to worry about. This obviously was the news she was hoping for. So we left the meeting, feeling inspired by the magic of the holidays.
Sadly, not all stories play out this way, but this one did, which renewed our faith in humanity. Quite often, when people come to us, it is an unhappy ending. In those cases, we always try to find out what is going on to the best of our abilities so that the clients have closure if nothing else. So if you have questions about your significant other that you need to be answered so that you can start the New Year with a fresh start (and a new partner if need be) please reach out to us. We may not be Santa, but we often find out who’s been naughty and who’s been nice. When we do, we will be able to let you know so you can choose how to proceed with your relationship.
We wish everyone a very happy “ChristmaKwanUkkah” (or whatever you celebrate this time of year) and a joyful New Year filled with amazingly happy moments with someone who values and treats you the way you deserve to be. If they don’t you know where to find us. We will be happy to help. But in the meantime, think positive and have a happy holiday everyone, from your friendly neighborhood spies at Investigreat. And seriously, you’re on the internet anyway, make sure to google that song. If nothing else, it will put a smile on your face.
Investigreat, LLC is a recognized full service Private Investigation Agency that is fully licensed, insured and bonded, handling cases in Queens NY, Brooklyn NY, Bronx NY, New York City, Staten Island and Long Island NY and all over Connecticut. Terri Dornfeld along with her husband, Adam have been working cases for Legal Teams, Insurance Companies, Private Businesses, Municipalities, School Systems and general investigation services for the public since 1992.
Investigreat, LLC | Private Investigators serving Jamaica NY, Brooklyn NY, Queens NY, Connecticut | Office: 718-412-1845 | Text: 718-309-1269