Tales of the Napping Cat Guest House
I don't usually write about my house guests. 'Just 'cause you are staying in my space doesn't entitle me to spew your story out over the internet' has been my general philosophy. Until now. The last 24 hours has been a whir-wind here at the Napping Cat Guest House and I am spewing forth, so sue me. I will refrain from naming names however.
For the last two weeks our house guest has been a sweet gay man from Germany via Washington state. He is a friend of a friend (all of our guests fit that description though). He has been out partying for most of his visit, often gone for a day or two at a time, but that makes my job easier, so I don't mind at all. The last time we saw him he said that he was staying in on Monday to pack up as his flight left very early on Tuesday morning. When I got home from work Monday night I could tell he wasn't there. He wasn't there when I went to bed either. In fact, he wasn't there when our mutual friend called us at 5:30am on Tuesday to see if he had arrived. Mutual friend said that he put the guest in a cab at 8pm the night before. Hmmmm? Curious. But do we worry? Should we call the police? hospitals?
By noon we heard that he had been located, alive and mostly well. By this point MA had packed up all of his stuff because we had another booking and needed to prepare the room. Plans were made to swing by and get his luggage and hopefully get him on a later flight. Last night I got home at 5:30pm and the luggage is still in my front room. I called my friend, he is still trying to locate the guest who was supposed to be at his house by 1pm but didn't show up. While I was on the phone with him he got a phone call from a bartender at the Country Club, the guest was located again and my friend was going to jump in a cab and go get him before he disappeared again.
Meanwhile Cousin Joe stops by to get the key for the next guest staying in the house, his friend, who was coming in today. I explain the whole sorted situation to him while sitting on the porch drinking a beer. Before too long a cab rolls up with my friend and his very, very, VERY drunk friend in the back seat to fetch the luggage. I was really hoping for some resolution to the story, but since my friend is leaving town today for a couple of weeks I won't get the gorey details for a while. We haven't ever had anything like this happen before so it was fun to tell the story a few times and laugh at what a mess the guest was and how pitiful it was that a grown man had to have other people taking care of him like this.
Today, guest number 2 arrived. She tells us the story of her dysfunctional family, and most notably her brother who doesn't speak to her, but, via e-mail he let her know that she isn't welcome on or near his property while visiting here in New Orleans. The brother is mad because 5 years ago, she had a funeral for their dad and he was still mad about it. What??
Apparently dad was an abusive drunk and the brother didn't think he deserved any respect, even in death. I had a hard time understanding what kind of bitter crank would hold onto something like that. Guest #2 lets us know that the brother has agreed to deliver their 91-year-old mother to our house to visit with her this afternoon. I am slightly worried, what is this guy like and how do I feel about him coming to my home, and what kind of drama is going to be happening in my house?? She gets him on the phone and I have to give in directions to my house and he sounds like a reasonable person. She even says, "He doesn't sound like such an fucking bastard on the phone, does he?" as I handed her back her phone. After about 15 minutes or so the car pulls up and I see the man helping his old momma out of the car. I step out onto the porch and realize I know this guy. I work with this guy. "Well Hel-lo!" I say. "Hi Jen. I didn't know you knew my sister." "I don't, she is just staying in my guest house." The sister explains the relationship through Cousin Joe. He helps the momma up the stairs and before I can invite him in to see my house, he gets back in his car and drives away.
I stopped being shocked by the 'it's a small world' factor long ago. I am never surprised by the way so many people know the same people, especially in this town. But I know there is going to be more to this story. The momma is in the guest house visiting with her daughter right now. The brother is going to have to come back to get her at some point. I am going to see this guy at work and try to catch his side of the story.
But WOW! You just can't make this stuff up.
I wish I had better writing and typing stills.
I know there is a book in here somewhere.
For the last two weeks our house guest has been a sweet gay man from Germany via Washington state. He is a friend of a friend (all of our guests fit that description though). He has been out partying for most of his visit, often gone for a day or two at a time, but that makes my job easier, so I don't mind at all. The last time we saw him he said that he was staying in on Monday to pack up as his flight left very early on Tuesday morning. When I got home from work Monday night I could tell he wasn't there. He wasn't there when I went to bed either. In fact, he wasn't there when our mutual friend called us at 5:30am on Tuesday to see if he had arrived. Mutual friend said that he put the guest in a cab at 8pm the night before. Hmmmm? Curious. But do we worry? Should we call the police? hospitals?
By noon we heard that he had been located, alive and mostly well. By this point MA had packed up all of his stuff because we had another booking and needed to prepare the room. Plans were made to swing by and get his luggage and hopefully get him on a later flight. Last night I got home at 5:30pm and the luggage is still in my front room. I called my friend, he is still trying to locate the guest who was supposed to be at his house by 1pm but didn't show up. While I was on the phone with him he got a phone call from a bartender at the Country Club, the guest was located again and my friend was going to jump in a cab and go get him before he disappeared again.
Meanwhile Cousin Joe stops by to get the key for the next guest staying in the house, his friend, who was coming in today. I explain the whole sorted situation to him while sitting on the porch drinking a beer. Before too long a cab rolls up with my friend and his very, very, VERY drunk friend in the back seat to fetch the luggage. I was really hoping for some resolution to the story, but since my friend is leaving town today for a couple of weeks I won't get the gorey details for a while. We haven't ever had anything like this happen before so it was fun to tell the story a few times and laugh at what a mess the guest was and how pitiful it was that a grown man had to have other people taking care of him like this.
Today, guest number 2 arrived. She tells us the story of her dysfunctional family, and most notably her brother who doesn't speak to her, but, via e-mail he let her know that she isn't welcome on or near his property while visiting here in New Orleans. The brother is mad because 5 years ago, she had a funeral for their dad and he was still mad about it. What??
Apparently dad was an abusive drunk and the brother didn't think he deserved any respect, even in death. I had a hard time understanding what kind of bitter crank would hold onto something like that. Guest #2 lets us know that the brother has agreed to deliver their 91-year-old mother to our house to visit with her this afternoon. I am slightly worried, what is this guy like and how do I feel about him coming to my home, and what kind of drama is going to be happening in my house?? She gets him on the phone and I have to give in directions to my house and he sounds like a reasonable person. She even says, "He doesn't sound like such an fucking bastard on the phone, does he?" as I handed her back her phone. After about 15 minutes or so the car pulls up and I see the man helping his old momma out of the car. I step out onto the porch and realize I know this guy. I work with this guy. "Well Hel-lo!" I say. "Hi Jen. I didn't know you knew my sister." "I don't, she is just staying in my guest house." The sister explains the relationship through Cousin Joe. He helps the momma up the stairs and before I can invite him in to see my house, he gets back in his car and drives away.
I stopped being shocked by the 'it's a small world' factor long ago. I am never surprised by the way so many people know the same people, especially in this town. But I know there is going to be more to this story. The momma is in the guest house visiting with her daughter right now. The brother is going to have to come back to get her at some point. I am going to see this guy at work and try to catch his side of the story.
But WOW! You just can't make this stuff up.
I wish I had better writing and typing stills.
I know there is a book in here somewhere.