The stories we will share with you are true situations. Some stories are heartwarming, some are not so heartwarming. But all are true!
Life as an innkeeper has never been what I expected. For a year and one-half, we spent eighteen hours a day lovingly restoring a century old Victorian house to open as a start up bed and breakfast. In 1985, five days after our grand opening, my husband (now ex-husband) decided he wasn't going to clean any more toilets. This was just the first of many surprises.
Everyone has heard Forrest Gump's line, "Life is like a box of chocolates." The truth for innkeepers is, "Life is like a string of surprises."
After resolving the issue that my husband was no longer interested in cleaning toilets, we decided it might be better for him to become an "ex-husband." As a single woman, I attended many social gatherings as well as frequented several local night spots.
At one such gathering, I met a nice gentleman who wrote and took pictures for National Geographic. We discussed our professional backgrounds and he indicated he had a need for lodging for three days in the near future. Naturally, I did everything possible to tie up the sale.
Some time later, he checked in for a three-day stay. On the second day of his stay, my Irish Setter had a stroke. The guest in question offered to help me load my pet into the car and accompany me to the vet's office. Once at the vet's, it became clear the best route was to put my pet to sleep. This lovely man held my hand and comforted me while my dog was euthanized. After his stay, he checked out and I thought we would probably never pass paths again.
Several weeks passed, and I was reading the local newspaper when I saw his picture there. I was excited to see his photo and sat down to read the article with anticipation.
The article explained how my former guest had been rounded up in a dragnet several blocks away by the FBI and local authorities. The crime? He had escaped from a federal prison several states away where he was serving time for multiple bank robberies!
Would I host this person again? In a heartbeat!
By the way, he paid cash.
The Kovaciks run Commerce Team, a "no commission" consulting team specializing in bed and breakfasts.
