A Hotel Love Story

My hotel days were filled with some of the weirdest characters on the face of the earth, and I cherish those memories. However, I met some of the greatest people I have ever known in the hotels, too. I met US Senators, sports stars, Las Vegas show people, Jose Felciano, Ray Charles,(I have a story about the late, great Ray Charles that I will share later) Mickey Finn, Rickey Nelson, The Lawrence Welk orchestra, and many, many others that I have stories about. But, today I am going to take a break from the seedy and the glamor to tell you a true love story that happened at my last General Manager's job before I retired.

Love comes as a surprise when it does come, and it often sends its sweet arrows when you are not even looking. I had been divorced from my first wife for twenty-three years, and quite frankly, I did not know if I would ever tie the knot again. The older I got, the more set in my bachelor ways I became, and I didn't even know if I wanted to leave the comfort zone, Yes, I was lonely at times, but my job allowed me to go from place to place, and added a degree of excitement to my life. My two children were grown and doing very well, and I had the very special love in my life, my grandson in Seattle.  I was content, although sometimes I longed for that special someone again.

I was always looking for good employees, especially housekeepers. At the time I was seeking a housekeeping manager to shape up my ragged staff. Believe me, they are very, very hard to find. Then one day in late March of 2006, a lady came in to apply for the job in housekeeping. She was also looking for a place to live as she had just moved here from back East. We did weekly rentals of a few rooms for construction workers, and folks looking for housing as they moved into the city, so I not only hired here for the housekeeping position, I also rented her a room by the week. I was pleased because I had found an excellent housekeeper whose resume was loaded with excellent experience.  I just did not just how well I had really done, yet.

Lifetimes and events are defined by moments that we might not even be cognizant of. They transpire like the rapid wing flutter of a hummingbird, and yet they change our lives forever. Such was the afternoon of April 20, 2006, and I was not even aware that it was happening. I was at the Front Desk dealing with a very disgruntled female guest. I cannot even tell you the details of the confrontation because quite frankly, it was just another day for me. Candy, my new housekeeping manager had come down to the front desk, and from what I was later told, I looked over at her in a way that “melted her heart" I didn't even know I had done that! Apparently, from what she later told me, she went back to her room and wrote in her journal"Oh my God" I swear I have no idea what kind of look that I gave her, but, that look changed both of our lives forever.

Candy kept her new found feelings for me to herself for months. After all, I was her manager,, and she thought that I had relationship in Los Angeles that I was serious about. Through a hotel guest problem that involved Candy and I , we began to talk, and even though I felt no romantic interest on the surface, I found myself seeking her out, making excuses to go up to the floor that she was working just to chat. I even asked her out for a casual dinner and we went for a drive, but I still didn't know where this was all going. We were, though, rapidly becoming good friends. I was blind to her real feelings,  and to mine, typical male that I am.

It was now late July and the heat was getting unbearable. Tourists were flooding the hotel, tempers were getting short, and my staff was way over worked. It was about two in the afternoon when I got a call from Candy asking me to come up to the third floor because she needed to talk to me. I assumed she wanted to talk about a problem with a guest. I went up there and she asked me if I was serious about my relationship with this lady from L.A. I told her I probably was, and then she dropped the bomb. She wanted me to know that if it didn't work out that I would never be alone. It took a few minutes for what she was saying to sink in through my thick brain, and then it hit me. I told her I needed to go, and I went down to my living quarter and lay down on my bed.

Wow, this was an interesting turn of events. What did I really feel for her? Several times in my life I had passed on possible relationships, but this time I decided to check this one out. About seven P.M. I called Candy and asked her if she wanted to go for a ride. I found out later that she was really scared that I was going to fire her. We drove into Spokane, and walked down the streets. It was then that I made a small gesture that would change everything. I reached over and took her hand. When we drove back to the hotel, we stopped at the city park, and I asked her if she was serious about her feeling. I then put my arms around her, and we shared that magical first kiss.

That was July of 2006, and on Feb, 12, 2007, we became husband and wife. Marrying Candy is the best thing that I have done in my life, and not only are we married, we are best friends, lovers, and buddies. I have never looked back, and every day I thank God for whatever look I gave her back on that spring day in April.