Ken Libertoff: A small-world connection, courtesy of Vermont maple syrup

This commentary is by Ken Libertoff, who retired after 30 years directing the Vermont Affiliation for Psychological Well being.

“Did I overhear you say, actual maple syrup?”

We seemed up from our empty plates. Simply quarter-hour or so in the past, our breakfast feast was stacked excessive. In response to the query, we nodded and engaged our weary, sleepy-eyed, middle-aged waitress in what grew to become a surprisingly significant and heartfelt dialog.

In November 2021, we arrived in New Mexico initially of an adventurous 12 days within the nice Southwest. Following an extended day of air journey, flying from Burlington to Albuquerque, I used to be prepared for an early, hearty breakfast. I’m a great eater, and there’s nothing fallacious with fundamental diner fare again dwelling, however now I anticipated a particular Southwestern meal. I’m a loyal fan of spicy Mexican meals, like huevos rancheros, ready with crimson and inexperienced chili, which warms my coronary heart and palate.

Touring is a favourite exercise and our current journey mixed household visits to New Mexico and Arizona whereas additionally touring such numerous locations as Santa Fe, Sedona, the hilltop outdated mining city of Jerome, and the desert-like surroundings of Lake Havasu close to the California border. It has all the time struck me that when touring, one learns lots about oneself, to not point out touring companions. 

Drafting plans prematurely is useful for us; the anticipation of an journey fuels the spirit and soul. However normally, there are some variations in priorities, ranges of consolation, and, in fact, the prices related to leaving dwelling. Discovering a compromise will not be all the time simple.

I’m inclined to hunt out easy, frugal lodging whereas my spouse, Sarah, appears to benefit from the thrill of an overpriced room in a extra upscale resort that’s spotless and in excellent order. Apart from not eager to waste cash, I desire rubbing shoulders with the grittier points of life on the street the place one meets actual individuals versus plastic, uninteresting robots who usually are bland and finish a dialog with needs for a great day with out wanting up from their fancy resort entrance desk pc display screen. 

To steadiness our variations, on this journey, we took turns choosing sleeping quarters on this journey. I had the primary selection, which is how we ended up on the San Mateo Inn in Albuquerque. Even I needed to snicker with muted amusement on the brilliance of naming this facility an inn since, even to the uneducated eye, the power was an outdated, shabby and rundown motel that had seen higher days. However who’s to quibble when the every day price is $69.

Our room introduced us with some points and challenges. The central mild fixture close to the beds didn’t work, and the entrance desk of us admitted that it wanted consideration. 

After a day and a half of a fairly gloomy, darkish ambiance, this malfunction was corrected, though a number of makes an attempt failed, making us surprise why they gave us this room to start with. Sarah once more uncovered her lofty requirements when reporting that the rug in our room was unsatisfactory, claiming it was sticky. 

Considering positively, I assumed maybe the inn utilized some distinctive system to maintain older patrons from tripping and falling. It might need been the inn’s dedication to frugality and retaining issues fundamental that discovered our abode missing stoppers in each the lavatory sink and bathtub. And after a quick search, we agreed that the room didn’t include each amenity . . . like a field of tissues. My suggestion to substitute rest room paper for tissues didn’t go over properly. Not daring to remark, I did detect a selected odd stale odor that permeated our little love nest.

Once we engaged with workers on the entrance desk, they had been, nevertheless, extraordinarily sympathetic, heat with concern, and customarily caring, even when they struggled to unravel most issues. Sarah, regardless of her reservations in regards to the place, gave them excessive marks for “making an attempt” and for being “engaged” as we discovered a lot in regards to the life historical past of a number of entrance desk workers who shared particulars about rising up within the Land of Enchantment, figuring out native hotspots and offering suggestions for affordable meals. They identified one tangible asset of staying on the inn: specifically its proximity to a close-by Denny’s restaurant that’s steps away.

For the primary three mornings, we walked out of the entrance door of the San Mateo and virtually landed on the entrance door of Denny’s restaurant. Whereas the gorgeous Sandia Mountains loom tall over the town, our view from the inn was restricted to the again of the restaurant, which, whereas not inspiring, tell us when the huge rubbish bins within the again wanted consideration. I used to be uplifted, nevertheless, to study from the entrance desk workers that our San Mateo key afforded us a ten% low cost on meals at Denny’s, inflicting me to take consolation that we had been saving much more cash. 

We each needed a stack of pancakes, however at this native Denny’s, to get the pancakes, you needed to order the Grand Slam, an “All American” meal. Our waitress rattled off the deal, which, in fact, began with two nice and good-looking pancakes, accompanied by two eggs, two items of bacon, two items of sausage, a serving to of potatoes, and, final however not least, two buttered items of toast. 

As a bona fide “good eater,” I had little to complain about — besides that I refuse to eat pancakes with pretend syrup, which normally is available in a big plastic container with no figuring out labels. Whereas my culinary requirements are low, I refuse to eat this breakfast deal with with out good, outdated Vermont maple syrup. 

Being a loyal and patriotic Vermonter, I all the time carry a small container of maple syrup bought at Morse Farm up on County Highway exterior Montpelier once I anticipate a pancake restaurant deal with away from dwelling. After making derogatory remarks in regards to the pretend stuff, I produced my cherished Morse Farm container. What pleasure and what pleasure to slyly open my liquid gold and smother our pancakes with the true factor. 

Even Sarah, who years in the past discovered my habits to be “uncommon,” needed to agree that my method had some advantage as I took pains to remind her that it was a sound financial technique with hints of frugality, since many eating places, particularly high-end eating places, present actual maple syrup however solely when including an additional exorbitant price to the invoice. 

With a stack of gorgeous pancakes all buttered up, I fumbled in my jacket pocket and pulled out my enticing glass container from Morse Farm, and poured the syrup with anticipatory glee. And for that second, the shortcomings on the inn melted as Sarah too labored her approach by means of the stacked pancakes, enhanced and graced by ambered coloured Vermont syrup.

“Did I overhear you say actual maple syrup?” our waitress requested as she slipped our invoice on the desk. This stranger, this hardworking, first rate girl who seemed like she had been serving meals since earlier than dawn that morning, got here nearer to examine the enticing syrup bottle formed like a maple leaf.

To our shock, tears welled in her eyes, and she or he momentarily couldn’t speak, choked with emotion. This stranger with moist cheeks, dabbing her eyes dry, collected herself and associated in a halting voice how her expensive, deceased mom all the time glazed the household Thanksgiving turkey with nice Vermont maple syrup. That recipe was now a part of her vacation custom. 

She fondly informed us how her mother splurged over this particular Thanksgiving deal with, hinting at modest household means. Seeing our maple syrup bottle clearly triggered a sequence response of feelings that keyed on her affection for her mom and nostalgia for household Thanksgiving gatherings throughout her youthful years. 

As she composed herself, all three of us had been moved. We thanked her for sharing this slice of her household historical past. Impressed by her story, we advised that after we ready our Thanksgiving turkey later in November, we additionally coat it with a dollop of maple syrup in honor of her mother.

We paid our invoice and headed out. Due to the San Mateo Inn and the close by Denny’s, our probability encounter in New Mexico reaffirmed the goodness and shared humanity that may movement from connections with complete strangers, giving hope for household reminiscences and the longer term.