As a parent, it’s the call you never want to receive.  The call that creates a crazy, surreal moment in your life that you will never, ever forget. It’s the call that one of your children has been injured in an accident.  As a parent, you stop breathing, literally stop breathing, for what seems like hours, and maybe it is. Our son was in a serious motorcycle accident four months ago and I don’t think we’ve taken a breath since. As an innkeeper, there are any number of crises you will have to deal with. There is the occasional burst water pipe or over-flowing bathtub, maybe a double booking or sick guest. No matter what the crisis, my hope is that you never have to deal with this one.

It was a Saturday morning in July. We had a wonderful couple staying with us and were enjoying our time at breakfast, which included great food (if I do say so myself), wonderful conversation and lots of laughter. Along with this couple was their teenage daughter, who they were dropping off at a camp not far from us. It was the first time she would be away from home on her own. The parents would drop her off and then continue on up to Québec for a short vacation and then back to stay here for a night before picking up their daughter to head home.

The phone rang around 11am and I excused myself from the conversation to answer it. As I went to the phone, our guests made their way out of the sunroom to track down their daughter. My spouse headed out to the deck to tend to her hanging plants. I answered the phone as I always do, “Donomar Inn, this is Mary, can I help you?” The voice on the other end was clearly shaken and distraught. It was the voice of a local parent whose son was our oldest son’s best friend. Our oldest son was spending the summer in Los Angeles where he had lived for 6 years with this best friend before coming back to Vermont to finish his degree. Our daughter is a costume designer and also lives in LA. Our youngest son had decided to join his siblings in LA for a weeklong vacation.

As I struggled to listen to this parent I noticed my spouse’s reaction to the change in my voice. All I remember is hearing that my youngest son had been in a serious motorcycle accident and it was really bad… really bad was all my fellow parent could say. It was his son who was driving the motorcycle and my son was on the back. They were driving down Sunset Boulevard at 1:30am and a drunk driver pulled out in front of them. They hit the car at approximately 70 miles per hour and careened off and hit a parked car at approximately 50 miles per hour. There was no word on the injuries to my son.

As calmly as I could I told my friend I would have to hang up and call the hospital. As soon as I hung up I looked at my spouse and said our son has been in a serious motorcycle accident. At this point I was having an out-of-body experience. I had no idea what had happened to my guests. Had they over-heard my conversation? What had I been saying? Where were they? Had they quietly drifted out of earshot? All I knew was that I wasn’t breathing.

The world of inn keeping is full of unexpected ups and downs. You really have to be ready for almost anything. No… I think you have to actually be ready for anything, anything at all! I’ve had guests come to breakfast with their ski boots on or in their boxers, spill red wine all over a white coverlet as well as all over the wall/floor/ceiling, return to the inn injured after a day of skiing or hiking, or become ill on their vacation, etc.  I’ve driven guests back and forth to restaurants so they could enjoy that extra glass of wine or when they have ridden their bicycle.  When it comes to being an innkeeper I think I’ve learned how to bob and weave, adjust to what comes along. If I only had to wear my innkeeper’s hat it would be easy, but how do you blend having guests in your home and your own personal life?

I think the answer is -- honesty. Sometimes I am reminded by my guests that I am welcoming people into my home and they understand that life happens. I am happy to make concessions when their lives get complicated and they give the same back. I am constantly surprised and renewed by the caring and compassion of my guests. I’ve had guests that have suffered enumerable painful experiences, whether it’s illness or injury to themselves, a family member or friends. Everyone seems to have a story and all are happy to share it, and I am happy to listen. We share sadness and joy and it all seems to be quite healing. One more unexpected treasure in the making of a Vermont Innkeeper! Oh… by the way… our son is on the road to recovery after two surgeries, lots of physical therapy, hard work and much love and support from family, friends and even guests!