Diary of an Innkeeper

Sometimes I never know how friendly to be with a guest. I try to read people as they come in. Maybe they want to be quiet and read the paper or a book while having breakfast. Maybe they want to know a little bit about the area. I try not to overstep my boundaries, but sometimes I go too far.

Take last week’s guests. Two very nice couples. Parents and their son and his wife. The father came in early for coffee and George and I enjoyed our morning talks with him.

I enjoyed talking with all of them but maybe a bit too much. After reading today's TripAdvisor review, I learned a few new spelling words. A five star review. Great! A nice title. Good! Our place is immaculate and comfortable with a good breakfast. Perfect!

And... friendly, gregarious. Wait, what? Oh, man, this is one of those moments I wish I had done better in English class. Well, they wrote it next to the word friendly, so it is probably a good thing. As I press the button "define" on my iPhone I am hoping it is something complimentary - "Fond of company, sociable." Phew.

But wait there's more - "perhaps even a bit garrulous."  Oh that can't be good! That just sounds insulting. As I press "define" once again, I just know this is going to be something I wish I wasn't - "Excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters." Ugh!!

Really? Oh my god, I am so going to keep quiet from now on. Sometimes when I feel a little too comfortable with people, maybe I do talk too much. But wait, he said WE were garrulous. Maybe it was George that talked too much! No, I'm sure it was me.

Oh well, for those future guests out there that find me quiet, reserved, keeping to myself... I'm not being unfriendly. I'm just trying to give you your space and not overstep my boundaries. I'm going to work at being somewhere in the middle - gregariously ungarrulous (yes, I know those aren't words!). And hopefully the next TripAdvisor review will be something like - friendly. That's it. Just friendly! With nothing next to it that I have to "define."