#221 A night at the hotel; another Jane story

This tale happened when Jane was 14. Her mother had gone to New York City to visit her brother Lee and his wife. Her dad invited a few friends over for drinks and conviviality. As the evening wore on their discussion got livelier and louder. Since the gaiety interfered with Jane getting to sleep, she went to the hotel for the night.

She asked for a room and the desk clerk questioned her as to why she was not at home. Her response was that there was company at home. The conversation went something like this:

Clerk: “What do you want?”
Jane: “A room for the night.”
Clerk: “Why aren’t you home?”
Jane: “If you must know, we have company and it is too crowded.”
Clerk: “How will you pay?”
Jane: “Dad will.”
Jane got the room.

The next morning her dad found her at the hotel. When questioned she told her father why she had gone to the hotel. Her father then asked how she was going to pay for this. Her reply, “You are, or mother will learn of your party when she returns from New York.”

Her father paid. He liked the way she used her head to deal with situations. To this day she is quite proud of how she was able to control her life. She remembers her father as a person who was used to getting what he wanted. He was a force to be reckoned with.

It is clear that she learned how to use her wits to protect herself and make her way through the world.

#221