Glendive, Montana

We are spending two nights in Glendive, Montana. This will be our base camp as explore Williston, North Dakota to see the effects of their oil boom. (More about that tomorrow.)

We wanted to stay as close to Williston as could. After too many phone calls to count, we finally connected with an RV Park in Glendive which is about 100 miles away. I talked with an elderly man who told me, “Yes, we have room; you can stay here on those nights. I have you down.” Then he promptly hung up. He’d never asked for my name let alone my credit card info. While this was odd, it wasn’t that odd for calling around the oil boom area.

We weren’t sure we had a reservation, so Rich was a little worried as he walked into the park office.

An elderly couple welcomed him as he said, “We have reservations.” The woman asked his name and said she didn’t have his name listed. He told her that we had called last week. She proceeded to rip him up one side and down the other because he didn’t leave his name. He said that the man we talked worth didn’t ask for our name or credit card.

That’s when the husband quietly snuck out the door.

She said we still should have left our name. . .

Rich asked if she would prefer cash or credit card. “I will always take cash because cards cost me money,” she barked. The total came to $53.50 for two nights. (It’s a pretty rough and primitive park and the price reflects that.)

Rich gave her a one hundred dollar bill. She gave him two quarters, a one, a five, and three twenties.

By the time he came out to the motor home he had counted the change and realized that she had given him too much. He went back into the office to give her the extra twenty back.

As he explained what had happened, she told him that he was wrong and initially refused the money.

He patiently explained again, and she finally understood and thanked him for being so honest.

What I like about this story is it shows patient Rich was with this elderly couple who are very close to being unable to continue to run their business.

He’s a sweetheart whose love for and time with his dad helped him understand the changes we all go through as we age.