The Woman in Room 19
Modern love
Everything carries me to you, as if everything that exists, aromas, light, metals, were little boats that sail toward those isles of yours that wait for me. - Pablo Neruda
This is a charming little story I wrote several years ago, just months after we bought the hotel. I recently wrote a post about some of the unusual clients we’ve had at the hotel. It’s really a mixed bag. But once in a while, we get to observe a wonderful story unfold, and this is my favorite. A love story rekindled after 50 years. The story is raw, written just after it happened, but I wanted to capture it while it was fresh on my mind. Feel free to leave your observations or suggestions as to how I can retell the story to make it more intriguing and compelling.
« Is that Room 19? » I asked my receptionist, indicating the woman in the bar. Nine months after purchasing a small hotel in a small French city, I had the professional patter down, referring to guests by their room number. Has 19 arrived? Is 19 having breakfast? 19 would like to check out. “Yes, that’s her. She’s come to visit her elderly father. She’ll be here for three nights alone, but then she’ll be joined by a friend who will be staying with her for the rest of the week. And,” my receptionist leaned towards me conspiratorially, lowering her voice, “he’s her first love and they haven’t seen each other in 50 years! She told me all about it just after she arrived! Just like that!”