It’s easy to focus on the bad when making posts. They make for more dramatic stories and sometimes it seems like there are more of those.

But every once in a while, as I’ve posted before, special people walk through the door and make your evening.

Tonight around 7:30 a gentleman walked through the door to check in for his reservation. I welcomed him, marked him as arrived, and explained that his reservation was for the patio.

Unlike the five or six tables tonight who were angry to find this out he looked at me as said, “is that what I booked?”

Yes. It is.

I don’t suppose you have anything inside.

At this point I usually push for them to go outside for a few reason.

We have staff outside that are counting on the covers to pay their rent.

We are often full inside and have no other option.

More often than not the people are rude and deserve to be cold.

This man gently ask if there was anything. And then explained his elderly mother in law was with him and she couldn’t be out in the cold.

I ask him to give me a second.

I look.

All I have is a large table that seats 12.

I ask him if that will be okay.

He says yes and in two minutes, he’s brought his family in and has been seated at the VERY large table.

As I turn to leave he shakes my hand with a folded bill in it. I pocket the bill and walk away.

90 minutes or so later their server appears telling me that the table is asking for me.

I approach them and ask how their meal was.

They rave about dinner.

They then say that they are in love with Maine and are wishing they didn’t have to leave tomorrow.

I ask if they are thinking about moving here.

Seems they have been in New England for almost two weeks driving around Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine thinking about where they’d like to live. They are currently living in LA. and are looking for a place to move.

They ask how I got here.

I tell our story about our friends Michelle and Lisa. About coming to visit. About convincing Adam to move. About moving six months early. About writing a check we couldn’t cover for our first apartment. About struggling the first year. About the magical things that have happened since we’ve lived here.

I tell them about traffic that extends my commute by four minutes. I tell them about the mall for when you need a candle from bath and body works. I tell them about the food. The wonderful food. I tell them about mall food. I tell them to rent until they know where they want to live. I tell them about the beauty that is living in Maine.

They tell me about being up north earlier in the day and people being rude to them while they were getting gas and snacks. I ask if they were wearing masks and explain that Maine is red in the north. Blue in the south.

I tell them about real estate prices since COVID. About South Portland being one of the most sought after areas in the country.

They ask lots of questions. I give them lots on answers. He works for the academy of motion pictures. She works in construction.

Both can get jobs here.

I have these conversations so much more than I used to. And I love sharing the wonder that is Maine. Relocating here. Life on the other side of big city living.

They ask about snow.

N’or Easters.

Winter.

The ocean.

Skiing.

Commuting.

We talk for about 30 minutes. My staff hates when this happens because I’m not around to do comps and voids and cash outs.

We all shake hands.

I give them my card. Which excites the wife because we have Moo brand business cards. They are very nice business cards. They are extra thick. Super expensive.

We all say goodbye and I go back to find the burger I was cooked for dinner is cold but still delicious.

They were wonderful people.

Which reminds me why I like my job.