Part 4
Part 3
Part 2
The week before Christmas, the cold winds
began to come down from the mountains causing a rapid drop in
temperature—much more rigid for the season. It looked like it had
created a direct line from the great lakes region to the Appalachian
Mountains. The nights had become so severe as to cause the blockage
of the normal life of the neighboring countries. The electrical
lines began to collapse and often the current was interrupted.
Two days before Christmas began a heavy snowfall that lasted for days. The streets had become expanses of ice and snow, no one dared to travel.
On Christmas Eve, on the night of the inauguration, the hotel bar was completely deserted. By now, they were preparing to celebrate on their own, when a man arrived in the bar breathless. A few miles back, a small bus was stuck. One wheel had gone off the road and the bus was not able to continue or even go back. On board was a group of children headed to a country twenty miles away. They were waiting for them for the Christmas celebration. The cell network wasn’t active and they weren’t able to call for help. The children on the bus were terrified.
Charles immediately took the truck equipped with four wheel drive. Luke climbed on the old truck used to plow the fields and attacked the old cart. Margaret took the blankets and together they headed for the bus. It was difficult to distinguish the asphalt strip covered by snow from the surrounding countryside. They arrived after half an hour amidst great difficulties. The bus was leaning on one side. The driver, the children and their two teachers were inside.
Twelve children were taken into the van. The others, along with the driver and two teachers, were wrapped in blankets and took their seats in the wagon dragged from the old crawler.
Slowly they came to the hotel. They all went in the bar next to the stove. The teachers called the theater of the country where they were to perform, announcing the impossibility of arriving. They’d stopped in the hotel for the night.
Soon the children changed their mood—from fear to excitement for the extravagant adventure. Each confided in the other the fear escaped. The teachers, together with Margaret, established the arrangement of the children in their rooms. When everything was in order they prepared food, moved the tables to form a single long table. The children were excited and happy while eating hot soup and sweets prepared for the opening of the hotel.
At the end of dinner, the great big table was moved, and the children sat on the ground. They wanted the same stage their performance. It was Christmas Eve and they had to follow the atmosphere. Under the tree decorated for the inauguration, the children performed in the story of the birth of Jesus. At the end of the play, with a guitar background, Charles played Christmas songs.
They pulled out sweets and soft drinks. To the teachers and the driver was uncorked a bottle of champagne. Eventually they shook everyone close and were taken a lot of photos. They would remain in eternal memory of the opening day.
When it came time to go to bed, the children screamed with joy. There was a frantic run from room to room. The teachers went to great lengths to keep them all calm. Eventually they fell asleep from exhaustion.
The next day, the paramedics came. The bus was released and the schoolgirl returned to their country of origin. The two masters were the last to go up. They hugged Margaret, saying, “You saved our lives. If there had not been this hotel on our way it would have ended very badly.”
Margaret smiled and greeting them. “I could never have imagined a more beautiful opening than this. We are to thank you.”
Some paintings with pictures of children were hung on the walls of the bar. In the following summer the school returned to visit them, each of the children had prepared a gift and a thought for their most beautiful adventure.
Two days before Christmas began a heavy snowfall that lasted for days. The streets had become expanses of ice and snow, no one dared to travel.
On Christmas Eve, on the night of the inauguration, the hotel bar was completely deserted. By now, they were preparing to celebrate on their own, when a man arrived in the bar breathless. A few miles back, a small bus was stuck. One wheel had gone off the road and the bus was not able to continue or even go back. On board was a group of children headed to a country twenty miles away. They were waiting for them for the Christmas celebration. The cell network wasn’t active and they weren’t able to call for help. The children on the bus were terrified.
Charles immediately took the truck equipped with four wheel drive. Luke climbed on the old truck used to plow the fields and attacked the old cart. Margaret took the blankets and together they headed for the bus. It was difficult to distinguish the asphalt strip covered by snow from the surrounding countryside. They arrived after half an hour amidst great difficulties. The bus was leaning on one side. The driver, the children and their two teachers were inside.
Twelve children were taken into the van. The others, along with the driver and two teachers, were wrapped in blankets and took their seats in the wagon dragged from the old crawler.
Slowly they came to the hotel. They all went in the bar next to the stove. The teachers called the theater of the country where they were to perform, announcing the impossibility of arriving. They’d stopped in the hotel for the night.
Soon the children changed their mood—from fear to excitement for the extravagant adventure. Each confided in the other the fear escaped. The teachers, together with Margaret, established the arrangement of the children in their rooms. When everything was in order they prepared food, moved the tables to form a single long table. The children were excited and happy while eating hot soup and sweets prepared for the opening of the hotel.
At the end of dinner, the great big table was moved, and the children sat on the ground. They wanted the same stage their performance. It was Christmas Eve and they had to follow the atmosphere. Under the tree decorated for the inauguration, the children performed in the story of the birth of Jesus. At the end of the play, with a guitar background, Charles played Christmas songs.
They pulled out sweets and soft drinks. To the teachers and the driver was uncorked a bottle of champagne. Eventually they shook everyone close and were taken a lot of photos. They would remain in eternal memory of the opening day.
When it came time to go to bed, the children screamed with joy. There was a frantic run from room to room. The teachers went to great lengths to keep them all calm. Eventually they fell asleep from exhaustion.
The next day, the paramedics came. The bus was released and the schoolgirl returned to their country of origin. The two masters were the last to go up. They hugged Margaret, saying, “You saved our lives. If there had not been this hotel on our way it would have ended very badly.”
Margaret smiled and greeting them. “I could never have imagined a more beautiful opening than this. We are to thank you.”
Some paintings with pictures of children were hung on the walls of the bar. In the following summer the school returned to visit them, each of the children had prepared a gift and a thought for their most beautiful adventure.
Good Hope Hotel - Incipit
Good Hope Hotel
Part 1
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Fairy Tales
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Good Hope Hotel
