Alaskans and outsiders, friendly, rude, or.....??? (room, people)

[Dusty Rhodes]

While we were visiting "Alaska", it is really too large to see at one time, and i've generally found it difficult to stereotype people based on......virtually anything, people are people, and there are myriad types. Anyway, I digress. While in a B&B outside Talkeetna, we had a flat, the rental had the standard donut, not a real tire. I changed out the flat and carefully drove into Talkeetna to call AAA. The store owner, in whose shop we stopped, asked me to wait a few moments. When the other customers cleared out, he closed up the shop, took me and the flat tire to a garage 15 or 20 miles away. He waited for me as the tire was fixed, drove me back to his shop and helped me change the tire. when asked "What do I owe you for the service" he smiled, and said, he'd have done the same for anybody, no charge. Betsy and I decided to do our souvenier shopping there, we had quite a list from the people back in N.C. who wanted something from Alaska. In all we picked out over $450 in merchandise, after we arranged it beside the cash register, the man rang everything up, put in a 30% discount and smiled. We found this same friendliness and warmth everywhere we went. En routh from Talkeetna to Carlo Heights, we stopped at a small grocery/gas station for a Pepsi and a pack of nabs. We figured to stretch our legs for 15 minutes or so, then get back on our way. Once in side we got into a conversation with the proprietors, two hours later we got back on the road. Perhaps not everyone will get this type of reception, but, I suspect if you are friendly and outgoing, you will be received in kind.

[nightphoenix]

Originally Posted by Dusty Rhodes

While we were visiting "Alaska", it is really too large to see at one time, and i've generally found it difficult to stereotype people based on......virtually anything, people are people, and there are myriad types. Anyway, I digress. While in a B&B outside Talkeetna, we had a flat, the rental had the standard donut, not a real tire. I changed out the flat and carefully drove into Talkeetna to call AAA. The store owner, in whose shop we stopped, asked me to wait a few moments. When the other customers cleared out, he closed up the shop, took me and the flat tire to a garage 15 or 20 miles away. He waited for me as the tire was fixed, drove me back to his shop and helped me change the tire. when asked "What do I owe you for the service" he smiled, and said, he'd have done the same for anybody, no charge. Betsy and I decided to do our souvenier shopping there, we had quite a list from the people back in N.C. who wanted something from Alaska. In all we picked out over $450 in merchandise, after we arranged it beside the cash register, the man rang everything up, put in a 30% discount and smiled. We found this same friendliness and warmth everywhere we went. En routh from Talkeetna to Carlo Heights, we stopped at a small grocery/gas station for a Pepsi and a pack of nabs. We figured to stretch our legs for 15 minutes or so, then get back on our way. Once in side we got into a conversation with the proprietors, two hours later we got back on the road. Perhaps not everyone will get this type of reception, but, I suspect if you are friendly and outgoing, you will be received in kind.

Wow! Great story. All of the comments have given me a tad bit more hope about people in general. The one community I lived in (a huge county by lower 48 standards) I remember when a family of tourists broke down along the road....they tried flagging people down, but no one would stop...finally the sheriff came by, said he'd help, be back with a tow truck in 20 minutes...3 hours later these people finally hiked up to our door.....told us the story, we invited them in to use the phone, offered them a snack and they waited for help to arrive etc....

Another story was when a delivery man got stuck in the snow in a neighbors unplowed driveway after making a delivery....the neighbor watched the guy dig his truck out of his driveway for 2 hours all the while laughing it up from inside the house. The neighbor proudly told us the story a few days later.

Another time I broke down, (actually slid off the road in winter on a back road, learned that the edge of the road is not really the edge of the road in wnter, due to plowing..lol!)...I walked out 8 miles with a high temp of -2 degrees....finally made it to the blacktop road, waited for someone to come buy...finally a school bus came by...flagged it down....explained what happened asked for a ride back towards town (we lived right along the main route) he said NO....I was shocked, but then he got on the radio with the sherriff, the police dispatcher said "he's on his own"......the bus driver left me high and dry........luckily an electrician came by, and did give me a ride back home...another 45 minutes it would have been dark, and there would have been NO traffic at night. It was another 17 miles back to the nearest house, not like it was 2 miles away, and it was 20 below that night.


the whole community was like that, I could tell stories for weeks.....and if they did help someone out, they kept a list of what they did and that you owed them back a favor...(some literally had a list of people who owed them favors on the fridge)....so while I loved the land, the countryside and even some of the people, I admit these experiences have made me cynical about people who live in similar remote places. Originally being from the south (not deep south, but Ohio river valley area) I'm used to doing things or helping people because its the right thing....not because you'll then have a favor coming back to you. Anyways, I guess things have colored my opinions more than I realized, but I am glad to read all the stories about the people in Alaska. And I know there probably are jerks up there too, but not everyone, and that's what I wanted to hear.

[Picker]

Many years ago, I was sitting in the lobby of the Nordale Hotel, in Fairbanks, when a Big man came in. He had a entourage with him, carrying several large suitcases. He swaggered up to the counter and said he wanted four rooms.
The room clerk, a little man in bib overhauls, said that he was sorry, but there were no rooms available.
The big man huffed and puffed, and indicated in no uncertain terms just how important he was, but Jim was unmovable. He told the man that a room might become available during the afternoon, so the man sat in the lobby with all his luggage.

About fifteen minutes later, a scruffy looking man, wearing boots, shabby work clothes and a bushy beard, ambled across the lobby and said to the clerk, "Jim I need a room for about a week.". The clerk immediately had him sign the register, and handed him a key.

The big man strode up to the desk, and wanted to know why Jim gave a room to an old bum, instead of to a man of obvious means, like himself. Jim said, "You mean Frank? He's a gold miner, who can buy and sell this hotel. If you had a room, and Frank needed one, we would ask you to vacate."

And, that is the way some people in Alaska use to treat some kinds of people. I hope they still do.

[nightphoenix]

Originally Posted by Picker

Many years ago, I was sitting in the lobby of the Nordale Hotel, in Fairbanks, when a Big man came in. He had a entourage with him, carrying several large suitcases. He swaggered up to the counter and said he wanted four rooms.
The room clerk, a little man in bib overhauls, said that he was sorry, but there were no rooms available.
The big man huffed and puffed, and indicated in no uncertain terms just how important he was, but Jim was unmovable. He told the man that a room might become available during the afternoon, so the man sat in the lobby with all his luggage.

About fifteen minutes later, a scruffy looking man, wearing boots, shabby work clothes and a bushy beard, ambled across the lobby and said to the clerk, "Jim I need a room for about a week.". The clerk immediately had him sign the register, and handed him a key.

The big man strode up to the desk, and wanted to know why Jim gave a room to an old bum, instead of to a man of obvious means, like himself. Jim said, "You mean Frank? He's a gold miner, who can buy and sell this hotel. If you had a room, and Frank needed one, we would ask you to vacate."

And, that is the way some people in Alaska use to treat some kinds of people. I hope they still do.

Hmmm! Not sure what to think of that story. What's supposed to be the moral of the story exactly? That rich people (the gold miner) can kick people out of a room who aren't as rich? (the guy in the suit?)

Because to me, that's how the story comes off. But it could be just due to my overly cynical way of viewing things as of late.

Certainly the "business man" guy was a jerk, but simply because a guy comes in with with millions of dollars doesn't make him anymore important than the regular joe who doesn't. Even if that millionaire looks like a "bum".

I don't care what the guy looks like, or is wearing, or how much money he has....gold miner, suit, or anywhere in between.....yeah, being a jerk and "demanding" a room simply because "I'm an important person" is nasty, jerky, and not very nice. Of course neither is throwing someone out of a room they payed for simply because they have more money. If the "bum" turned out to be donald trump in disguise, just what would be the moral of the story then? What would we think of Jim or Frank then?

Would Jim kick me out of my room just so frank (the trump) could take it? Or is the moral of the story simply to be respectful, friendly, and people will treat you right, and not to judge people by appearances?

Sorry, i've had a rough week (year for that matter) and I love parables but this one has me a bit stumped........maybe that just makes me stupid, or too cynical. The story would make more sense to me if "frank" was a gold miner, but didn't have the ability to buy the hotel, however because of his good reputation, honest nature, and the other guys bad attitude, he gets the room. As it reads (again only to me) its a story of whoever has the most money is the most important. And I'd hope Alaskans don't believe that. (I'm sure they don't)

And again, I'm really not trying to be argumentative, I guess I'm just not getting the meaning of the story, for that I apologize.


PS: just realized this is a true story and not a parable. (or not only a parable)

[Metlakatla]

I couldn't relate to the story either; it really isn't the Alaska that I know. Is this story true? It must have happened during the gold rush days because there hasn't been a millionaire gold miner around Fairbanks since then, and the Nordale Hotel burned down a long time ago.

I've never been asked to vacate a room simply because a rich person wanted it in Alaska or anywhere else.

[Rance]

Might be the local thing. That local will be there all winter keeping the hotel in business. The snooty suit guy would be more than likely a one time customer. Maybe the snooty suit guy started the fire! Who knows.

[Arcticthaw]

HA, HA, HA.

Your all funny!

There are more Millionaire miners than the IRS knows about!!!!

Metlaktla your right! well not on paper any way! Thats part of why the feds fly out to the mines all the time!

Pickers story has the flavor of things I herd as a child here. Alaska has changed tremendously since the flood of 67 and discovering oil up north.

[Arcticthaw]

Originally Posted by Xa'at

What the - was I even thinking?

I enjoyed reading your story, Jeri. Glad you had a great vacation!

Arcticthaw, my name means "Salmon" in Tlingit, because I love Salmon, and Tlingit. It's my minor!

IF Tilingit is you minor, are you going to college to learn it, or looking for the easy A?

[Tressa]

[quote=nightphoenix;1611021]Hmmm! Not sure what to think of that story. What's supposed to be the moral of the story exactly? That rich people (the gold miner) can kick people out of a room who aren't as rich? (the guy in the suit?)


Perhaps the miner had a room booked for the season, and was to be available at all times.

[Rance]

It's like the restraunts north of Fairbanks. The truckers have a certain area and tables set aside just for them. Because they will still be there all through the winter helping to keep the place open, while the tourist types are a one time deal. Kinda works the same way in the local bars/restraunts in my area with the locals.