Escaping the Giant Wave Read Free Page B

the first-class hotel,” I told BeeBee.
    â€œWe should ask for a refund,” BeeBee said. “There isn’t any water in the swimming pool.” She pointed at a large concrete hole in the ground that was surrounded by a six-foot wire fence.
    We walked beneath scaffolding and finally reached the lobby, where three workers with staple guns were noisily laying carpet. A too-cheerful person greeted us: “Welcome to Frontier Lodge!”
    â€œWe have reservations,” Dad told the woman behind the desk, “but we didn’t know the hotel was still under construction.”
    â€œWe were delayed by a labor dispute,” the woman said. “You’ll be staying across the street at the Totem Pole Inn. I’m sure you’ll be most comfortable there.”
    â€œWhy weren’t we notified?” Mom said. “We’re supposed to attend a convention here.”
    â€œOur convention and dining facilities are ready and your meetings will be held as planned,” the woman said, “but our guest suites didn’t get finished. I’m sorry for the inconvenience. We were lucky to find rooms for all of the convention registrants who had planned to stay here. Many of them are at hotels in town; at least you are within walking distance of your meetings.” She said it as if we should be grateful rather than disappointed.
    â€œWe ought to get a discount on the room,” BeeBee said. “Being across the street from the convention is not as good as being in the same hotel. What if it rains?”
    The woman behind the counter leaned forward and glared at BeeBee.
    â€œThere’s no nature trail,” BeeBee said, “and no water in the swimming pool. That’s false advertising.”
    â€œShe’s right,” Dad said. “The rate we were given was for a brand new hotel, with the convention meetings on site. We shouldn’t have to pay the same rate for older, less convenient accommodations.”
    By now Daren and his parents, and the other couple from the bus, were in line behind us. The woman at the counter lowered her voice and said, “I can give you a special rate of two hundred fifty dollars per night.”
    â€œThat will be fine,” Dad said.
    BeeBee grinned. I knew she was figuring out how much the discount had saved Dad’s company. One hundred twenty-five dollars per night times five nights equals seven hundred twenty-five dollars!
    I gave BeeBee a thumbs up.
    A bellhop piled our bags on a luggage cart and pulled it down the plywood walkway. As we left the lobby, we heard Mrs. Hazelton yelling at the desk clerk, demanding to stay at the Frontier Lodge. Daren’s voice joined his mother’s. “I want to stay here ]” he whined. “You promised!”
    I hoped the clerk would give in and find a room for the Hazeltons. That way Daren would be across the street from me rather than in the same hotel.
    â€œThis situation must be hard for you,” Dad said to the bellhop.
    â€œMost people are understanding,” he said. “A few get obnoxious and insist they’re going to stay in the new hotel whether the rooms are ready or not. When they find out the beds haven’t been delivered yet, they change their minds.”
    We crossed the street to a much older hotel that was only three stories high.
    â€œThe Totem Pole Inn will be torn down as soon as the construction is finished on the lodge,” the bellhop told us. “This land will be used for a parking garage, a restaurant, and some shops. There’ll be an overhead walkway across the street to the hotel and conference center.”
    â€œHow old is the Totem Pole Inn?” Mom asked.
    â€œIt was one of the first luxury hotels in Oregon,” the man replied. “Built in 1928. Three American presidents have stayed here, and so have many movie stars. It’s always been popular with celebrities because it’s so far away from town. If you like