Are you lonely?

Trout Lodge at the YMCA of the Ozarks is a large resort-type building which can house up to 316 people in private bedrooms or two level suites. It also has a large dining room and kitchen on the floor with the offices and entrance lobby. On the second floor there are four large meeting rooms that overlook the lake as well as a nice lobby. The third floor has two smaller meeting rooms and a very large lounge/lobby with a fireplace. The first floor has another meeting room, and the vending machines and ice. Of course there are numerous restrooms, elevators, steps and storage areas.

Why do I tell you all these details about the place where I frequently go to lead classes at an Elderhostel? Because last Wednesday night I was the ONLY person in this large facility from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m., when the kitchen crew came to start their days' work.

My room was on the second floor right by the elevator and steps and backed up to the large empty meeting rooms. My balcony looked out over the lake, where there were usually people sitting around on the huge deck. But that night there was absolutely no one, anywhere, except me.

The program I was leading had finished at noon and all the participants had gone home. I had been asked to stay over an extra day to have a class with some people on a Bank Tour from St. Louis. But they were not staying overnight. It happened that there were none of the family groups that usually begin to come to the lodge before the weekends.

Since there were no guests to look after, the staff people began to leave shortly after a quick dinner. Even the ladies at the front desk did not need to stay after they got all their paperwork done.

They were concerned about my being there all alone so they gave me a walkie-talkie that could connect with the Program Coordinator if I needed anything. After they wished me goodnight, they left.

They did tell me that the security people would come through all four floors around 11, but unless something was amiss they would not return until dawn.

So there I was, all by my lonesome.

The last thing the coordinator said was that I would have complete use of the one television set that the lodge has.

They feel that people who come to a rustic lodge in the Ozarks are more interested in the outside beauties as those on television. Somehow the idea of sitting alone in that large lobby watching TV did not appeal to me. I had a good book, so I propped myself up in the bed and read-after I double bolted the door to the hall and to the balcony.

In the 19 years that I have been going to this resort I have never double bolted a door even when some happy young adults were partying down the hall. But in this empty building I felt the need for more security. From what? From ghosts? Prowlers? Hidden-away former guests?

I seldom am alone and often complain about that fact. But here I had the epitome of being alone and I wanted company.

Obviously I survived the night even if I did awaken twice, hearing footsteps in the hall. Once could have been the security man. But the other time it probably was my imagination. The next time I go, I will have three family members with me. I probably will wish I could be alone.