The Spirit of Hospitality: Part Two

A mysterious guest at table four

Part One of this story was published in December 2025.

By Luis Romero

“Where the #$@! are the crab legs?” Alma muttered to herself while rummaging through a stack of papers in her office. Shelley, the magnum, looked compassionately from the shelf above.

“Joe is here!” Carly yells from across the tasting room.

Alma grabs her iPad and the papers, tangling them between her hands. She walks to the tasting room only to find flowers lying unceremoniously on a table and decorations of gold and silver exploding onto every surface without order or direction. It is December 31 and party guests will begin arriving at 5 p.m. The clock above the bar is slowly moving its needle toward 11 a.m.

“This place is a mess,” Joe smirks with a side smile, taking off his yellow raincoat.

“We have six hours,” Alma announces with the conviction of a drill sergeant determined to get recruits to the finish line.

The stack of papers lands on the bar counter, propelling the tablet onto the floor.

“All good,” Alma quips, trying to erase the moment by retrieving it at light speed.

She asks, “Has anyone seen the caterer? I thought they would be here by ten.”

The clouds and misty rain move lazily across the windows.

Carly inquires about the band and whether the tables should be moved to make room for a dance floor next to the remnants of the original building's parquet flooring.

“Great idea,” agrees Joe, as Alma continues shuffling through the papers, her device dangerously close to the next fall, while he and Carly leave to follow their self-assigned orders.

“Where is the number?” Alma fusses as she searches invoice after invoice, flipping through papers and the tablet as she walks back to the office.

At the turn, she notices the same stranger in the black wool coat from three days ago moving ahead in the hallway.

“You know, this really isn’t a good time,” Alma tells the figure before turning into her office.

“Hello, Alma,” the stranger says casually, glancing at Shelley, perched out of danger on an upper shelf as Alma sets everything down onto her desk.

“I already told you this is not a good time,” Alma says, looking directly into the stranger’s eyes.

“You know, I wouldn’t worry about the crab legs,” the stranger replies, nonchalantly.

“Easy for you to say,” Alma retorts with frustration.

“The caterers are here!” Joe yells from across the hall.

Alma stops, both because of the timing and her relief at hearing the party staff has arrived.

“All right, you’ve got my attention,” Alma says, slowing her breath and resigning herself to the conversation.

“It was nice of you to talk with Mr. Hemmich the other day,” the stranger says, sitting on her desk and looking out to the rolling hills blanketed by rainy mist.

“We’re not about to go on another trip, are we?” Alma asks, bracing for impact.

“Relax. Today is about the present. It’s a big party– and the end of the year.”

“Yeah, and the numbers are abysmal. Attrition is through the roof. I’m afraid I may not be able to afford Carly past the holiday season. We need higher sales and more sign-ups or… are you going to take care of that?” she asks as she glances toward the window.

“I’m just a messenger. The magic is all yours, my dear.”

“I didn’t know we were on terms of endearment already. So, what’s your advice? Put a sign over the door that says ‘believe’?”

The stranger chuckles, catching them both by surprise.

“I’ve always been fond of our conversations. If nothing else, you’re never one without a line. And no, that story belongs to someone else,” the stranger says confidently.

Alma stops, not sure if the figure is being sarcastic or recounting a previous deed.

“Hospitality is ‘authored,’ not managed,” the stranger states as he picks through the mess of papers on her desk.

“What?” Alma asks, turning toward the stranger, only to find him gone.

“Alma?” Joe calls sheepishly. “You’d better come here.”

Without time to retrace the possibilities, she makes her way back into the tasting room. The flowers remain unarranged. The decorations continue to be mismatched, and now some are even on the floor.

Tables moved, Joe and Carly stand proudly next to a space they generously refer to as a dance floor.

The heat rushes through Alma’s blood, making her veins protrude, letting them know she’s not in a place to appreciate their masterpiece.

“We need…” Alma begins, then sees the stranger walking down the path outside toward the vineyard.

“Authored,” she thinks, as confused as the first time she heard it.

“We need to decorate this room,” she announces, grabbing some gold and silver tinsel from a table.

“What about the numbers? Shouldn’t we go over the game plan?” Joe asks, trying to interpret Alma’s mood.

“No,” Alma replies. “We worked hard all year. Today, we celebrate. My only directive is don’t overpour.”

Luis Romero, M.S., M.A., is a wine, beer and spirits educator, certified sommelier, beverage specialist, and owner of the International Beverage Academy, an approved program provider offering WSET certifications in English and Spanish to professionals and enthusiasts alike. With more than a decade of university teaching and beverage education experience, Luis has spent his last two summers working in wineries across the West Coast. This season, he’s pouring at Elk Cove Vineyards while preparing for his WSET Diploma exam. His writing has appeared in Bon Appétit, Plate Magazine, among other digital and printed publications. His passion for life is only rivaled by his desire to learn and share new experiences with readers and loved ones alike. Sign up for his online courses at www.beveragecertified.com.