Safely welcoming cautious visitors
We reopened Wednesday, and naturally the big question is: What will July bring? Was my timing completely off ? The country is facing a new lockdown, and we are surrounded by states with rapidly rising infections.
A month ago, I was tooting my horn about our good fortune of being a drive market for Texas, Oklahoma and Arizona.
Will guests refuse to wear masks like some of the knuckleheads equating and confusing our freedoms as Americans with their responsibility as citizens to protect one another from harm? We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, must wear the damn masks!
A silver lining is that Santa Fe is a sophisticated market of art lovers; history buffs; people fond of our culture, archaeology, anthropology and architecture; hikers; readers … visitors who are assuredly more cautious than party hounds on the beaches of Florida and in the bars of Texas.
But hotels are synonymous with and defined by the word “hospitality,” which is defined as “the friendly reception and entertainment of guests, visitors or strangers.” So do we keep a wary eye out for Texas and Florida license plates and tense up when we see them pull up to the front door?
Of course we cannot do that, just like a hospital cannot turn away someone in need of a room. Everything seems insane right now. We have found ourselves in bed with Russia and Brazil as unwanted visitors to Europe.
So we have just one option: Put on a genuine smile and safely welcome the country’s cautious refugees for a brief respite from the horrible realities of 2020.
We have to maintain our identity as one of the world’s greatest cities and realize how truly fortunate we are to call this our home. Like newlyweds waking up on day one of a marriage, divorce has to be the furthest thing from their minds.
So likewise, we Santa Feans must feel the warmth of the sun on our faces, leave our fears in bed and meet tomorrow with the positive energy that defines us as the City Different.
Failure has to be the furthest thing from our minds, hospitality in the forefront and remember the value of counting blessings is tenfold greater than the counting of dollars.
As a small-business man who elected to close for the past three months, my heart is lonely for the colleagues who will not be returning to work with me. But I know that change can sometimes be a good thing even when not wanted or expected, and I wish each and every one of you and your families health, safety and the very best.
So tomorrow will be the end of our first week of reopening, and in the immortal words of Jackie Gleason … ”And away we go!”