Awards

Phil Cordell and me, Epcot Center, Disneyworld, April 2000

Yesterday, while reading the Cape Gazette I came across a notice that the Hampton Inn of Rehoboth Beach received an award for excellence.  The award was presented by Phil Cordell, global head, Focused Service and Hampton Brand Management, Hilton Worldwide.  That brought back memories.  I was also presented an award by Phil Cordell.

The year was 2000 and the place was the Epcot Center in Disneyworld, Orlando, Florida.  I was presented with the President's Award for Outstanding Guest Service.  This award was given to me when I worked at the Hampton Inn in Lionville, Pennsylvania.

My Excellence Award from the Hampton Inn -1999

This award was special to me because at 59 years old, it was the first award I was ever given in my life.  All during high school I wanted and expected to receive an award for .....something....anything.  So many of my classmates had received awards.  At one time I was sure I would receive an award for "Most Improved Shop Student" but alas, it was not to be.  I remember who disappointed I was at the weekly assembly when the award was announced and the name announced wasn't my name.  Like most kids, I wanted recognition for all my hard work and achievement.  Maybe that's why to today I resent people like Michael Phelps who receives numerous awards for nothing more than the way he was born with a fish body.  I respect people who get awards as a result of hard work.

The Hampton Inn staff - Lionville, PA - 2000 (I'm the tall one on the right)

I realize that some may have considered my previous posting about Michael Phelps unfair.  Not me.  I offer no apologies.  I knew guys like Michael Phelps in my high school days where everything seem to fall in their lap just because of they body they happened to be born with.  They don't deserve awards.  Someone like Gabby Douglass deserves awards.

Yes, I got to go to Disneyworld!  Here I am with Mickey and my Aunt Mabel (my guest) - 20000

Anyway, I'm getting a bit off subject.  Here are a few photos of my glory days at the Hampton Inn in Lionville, Pennsylvania.  I worked there from 1998 to 2001, almost four years.  The previous thirty seven years I worked at banks.  Why did I end up at a hotel?  My first job out of the Army in 1963 was as the Pittsburgh Hilton Hotel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  I only had that job for about three months before I quit when I realized that I would be working most weekends and holidays.  Not an attractive scenario for a young gay guy out in the world.  So I quit and got an office job where I would have weekends and holidays off.  After I retired from banking (and three pensions), I returned to hotel work.  And of course I now work at a small hotel in Lewes, Delaware part-time.  Ironically when I moved to Delaware I applied for a job at the Hampton Inn in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.  With my President's Award in hand I walked up to the front desk and asked for an application.  They never gave me one.  I went back twice more and made numerous phone calls to the manager but I could never get my foot in the door.

Me behind the front desk at the Lionville, PA Hampton Inn

As it turned out, them not hiring me was their loss but things turned out better for me anyway because if I did get a job at the Rehoboth Hampton Inn I would have had to travel the logjam that is Route 1 to go to work.  As it is with my job at the hotel where I work in Lewes, I can take a back road and get to work without all that traffic hassle.  And another big plus is that I work with wonderful people, from the owner on down and I work at a small hotel.  The Hampton Inn in Pennsylvania had 96 rooms and most evenings I was on alone.  Where I work now has 22 rooms and 3 suites.  At this time of my life I can handle the smaller number much better than I can a large hotel.  I can give better, more personalized service.  Of course I won't be seeing Phil Cordell again at the Epcot Center in Disneyworld but that's all right.  I'm happy where I am now.

Me (on the right) with Angelo, a fellow front desk clerk after I was notified I received the award

Ron and Bill's Excellent Adventure Day Six

Bill enjoying a laugh with "Jack."

Tonight we are staying at the South Hill, Virginia Hampton Inn.  This is without a doubt the worst Hampton Inn we have stayed at.  From the time I walked into the lobby and saw the worn and dirty rug, the antiseptic smell in the air and the slovenly front desk clerk I had forebodings.

About two hours earlier, when we on I-85 headed north towards Emporia, Virginia I called and made reservations at that Hampton Inn because that is where we planned to lay our heads tonight.  However, when we turned off of Exit 12-A of I-85 and saw a Hampton Inn here and a Cracker Barrel nearby, I suggested to Bill that we stay here tonight before we take the last leg of our trip tomorrow. Bill was tired from driving all day and agreed that we could stay here.

Even though I had forebodings about this hotel that needs to be updated badly, I decided to stay here anyway because Bill was so tired from driving.  When the front desk clerk told me my rate would be $75.00 a night after my AARP discount, I knew for sure I would stay here.  I called the Emporia Hampton Inn and asked them to cancel my reservation, which they did.

I went out to our van where Bill was waiting for me and told him that we were staying here for the night.

We unloaded our luggage and sundries from the van and went to our rooms.  As I suspect, the rooms were also worn and outdated.  The bathroom counter top is one of those low ones (28 inches) they were standard for all bathrooms in the Fifties.  I like a higher bathroom counter, at least 32 inches high.  The room is "sticky".  Oh well, it won't kill me to stay here.  Bill doesn't care.  He's not as picky as I am.

Our day started out with a bad breakfast at our previous Hampton Inn in Anderson, South Carolina.  While the rooms were great, the breakfast lobby setup and hostess were not the usual quality Hampton Inn.  The layout was all wrong.  Also, the breakfast hostess didn't want to be there.  She had tight white jeans on and was more concerned with showing everyone her ass than providing apple juice for Bill.  When I worked at the Hampton Inn the breakfast hostess always came in by 4:30 am to get breakfast ready by 6 am.  It was obvious this morning that the breakfast hostess probably came in about ten minutes before 6 am because she was doing setups.  We managed.

Enough about my complaints.  Those who know me know that I have to rant when I'm upset about something. That's the way I let off steam and don't develop ulcers or a heart attack.

So here is what we did today.  No cemeteries today but we "did do" a church.  Specifically my brother John's church.  After checking out of our Hampton Inn hotel room in Anderson, South Carolina we headed toward my brother's home in Greenville.  Of course we weren't sure how to get there so I got our my trusty iPad and pulled up the Map app.  With my direction we got there!

John was waiting for us.  We went inside his home and sat and talked awhile with him and his wife Barbara.  Then John took us in his former backyard and showed (off) us his latest construction.  Both my brothers are very handy with there hands and can build things.  I can't.  I am always impressed with folks who are mechanically inclined and can build things.  Both my brothers are good carpenters and builders.  Not me.  I'm the gay one, remember?  I can bake a delightful apple pie. Neither one of them can.  So there.

After about an hour John then took Bill and I over to his new church.  He took us on the Grande Tour.  I won't recount every detail of our tour but suffice to say were were awed.  But what I really liked seeing was was watching my baby brother's enthusiasm in showing us every improvement he has made to his church.  I am proud of my brother.  I don't even hold it against him that he was a Bob Jones produced pastor.  While I"m not religious, I do respect those who are with the exception of religious zealots.  I'm happy when anybody else is happy with their job.

After The Tour, John took us to his friend Jack's house to show Bill the wonderful way this 83 year old widower customized his home with wood.  My Bill and Jack (the 83 year old widower) hit if off right away.  I was glad to see and hear Bill laughing.

I am so tired right now that I think I may flop over on my MacBook Pro laptop I may start sending them cash.  I'm going to wrap this up and go to bed.  I was up early this morning. Ill never relive those days.

I'm hitting the sack folks!  This time tomorrow night I will be "home sweet home".