A short story about the parents of the Bride and Groom

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An Old Tavernkeeper

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New to the forums I decided to tell you all one of those stories I can't tell to my guests, put in my newsletter or on our Facebook page. But I can tell you!
Years ago there was a wedding at the vineyard next door that brought us a group from the bride's side of the aisle On Sunday they all checked out after a wonderful stay. They mentioned that both the groom's parents and the bride's parents were arriving in a bit to stay for the following three nights at the Inn. They had stayed at the big box hotel with the lions share of the guests but wanted to enjoy the area for a few days after the wedding.
Sunday in the late afternoon the four of them arrived. The bride's parent were curt and clearly tired out from the stress of the activities. The groom's parents arrived and looked fresh and relaxed. They said thank you as I carried their bags in. Immediately after the next words rolled off of my lips, the bride's father said "don't bother with them, they are not from America and they don't speak a word of English".
For the next few days I listened to the bride's parents complain on their cell phones about how much the wedding cost, complain about how they were stuck with the groom's parents and how awful it was having to take them to the historic sites and national parks in our area. One time the wife complained to her hisband at the breakfast table about how 'boring' her new in-laws were. All of this was said in front of other guests AND the new in-laws.
For three days the in-laws said 'thank you' , 'more coffee please' and smiled with the most inviting of smiles. The bride's parents never said anything that did not accompany the scowls engraved on their faces.
The last morning arrived, the couples paid for their rooms and I loaded their bags into the car. As they got ready to go the groom's father pointed to his phone and indicated he had forgotten his charger.
I walked back inside with him, closed the door and started to walk upstairs to help him look for the missing charger. The moment the door closed he said, in perfect English.....My wife and I want to thank you for all of your hospitality. I am the mayor of (a major city with a population of greater than one million). Take my card, if you should ever be in that part of the world, please call ahead so that we may have you as our guests.
I stumbled for a brief moment, not knowing what to say. Then I said, I am so sorry, your daughter in laws father said you did not speak English. I did not mean to ignore you these past few days, I just thought you only knew a few words in English.
He said, "That is what my in-laws think. You see how they treat us, so please, when we go out the door let's keep it that way. And I promise if you come to visit, they will not be there."
And off they went to spend an entire week in Washington DC with their new in-laws.
 
You just never know.
We've had guests say nasty things about us and the rooms never knowing we understood them.
Until we said goodbye and thank you in their language.
 
That's a great story! Word of caution though, if you don't want guests and others to know the story came from you, you make want to change your name and also your signature line on your post. This website has a lot of google 'love', and will show up quickly if someone googles your inn name.
omg_smile.gif

That's why most of us are incognito.
 
I knew that was coming Janet. As another suggested you may want to remove your signature and identifying stuff...we never know who reads here and many times it may be a guest :-(
 
I knew that was coming Janet. As another suggested you may want to remove your signature and identifying stuff...we never know who reads here and many times it may be a guest :-(.
Thanks to both of you.
At first I thought that it is better to be brave and face the world.
Then I remembered attending a BNB conference where someone from a major travel site gave a seminar that should have been titled - How to get perks from small businesses by threatening them.
So quasi-incognito we go.
 
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