Change of Perspective on The House of Misery

For these next few posts, I’m taking a walk down memory lane. Early in our marriage, Eric & I lived in Delaware for a year & boy did we have some adventures! I kept notes & emails from that year, & it’s amazing to see how much my perspective of our experiences during that time has altered. The best example is of our experience in the town of Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, where we stayed at “the house of misery.”

The town is named for James Francis Thorpe, who was the first Native American to win an Olympic gold medal. Thorpe was stripped of his medals but there is no doubt he was one of America’s all-time greatest athletes. The way Thorpe has been perceived throughout the past century is an excellent lesson on perspective. Angelina Jolie is producing a movie about him that is currently in development, so keep your eye out for it.

A town named for such a fascinating man is bound to be equally memorable, & it certainly was so for Eric & I. On our first visit to Jim Thorpe, we stayed in the scariest bed & breakfast ever! Upon entry to the Victoriann B&B, my eyes were assaulted by gaudy red velvet walls, oppressive oriental furniture, & mirrors everywhere. I swear I could hear the beating of the Tell-Tale Heart within the walls. Our hostess, Louise Ogilvie, was a lady of indeterminate age & was a retired cabaret star in New York & Puerto Rico. I am usually drawn to quirky characters, like a moth drawn to the flame. But in this case, my instincts were screaming “run, before she eats you!” Her adult son helped run the inn, & he was equally creepy. He prefaced every conversation with “Mother” or “Mother dear” in a formal tone. The toilet was placed directly in front of a low window with no curtains & was on the main street. So we had to hold a towel up while the other used the potty, which had magnolias painted on the seat and inside the toilet. You know why I remember that? Because people ALWAYS remember trauma! That evening, while Eric & I were enjoying an early romantic interlude in bed, a raspy voice announced “turn down service” which was promptly followed by our door knob being forcefully turned. She was trying to enter the room without knocking! Thankfully we had the door locked and she gave up after a few attempts. We were the ONLY guests, so that next morning while eating breakfast we were really on edge. When Ogilvie Jr. told us “try the tator tots, they’re to die for” as he violently speared one with a fork, Eric & I just looked at each other as if we’d been marked for death. It’s how I imagine I’d feel if the pilot announced “folks, the plane is going to crash.” Eric & I have always referred to that B&B as “the house of misery.”

But here’s how time & perspective have a way of altering things. While writing this post, I felt I owed it to the esteemed Ms. Ogilvie to do a little research. I’ve always wondered whether or not she was having fun at our expense or if she was just cuckoo for cocoa puffs. What I found was fascinating! As of 2016, Louise Ogilvie was 92 years old & living in a facility for seniors who had been in the entertainment industry. She owned the Lamplighters nightclub in Puerto Rico, where actor Raul Julia was discovered. She performed in New York, alongside Gypsy Rose Lee & others. She performed on the Queen Elizabeth luxury cruise liner. She worked in hospitality at the Plaza Hotel & Ritz Carleton in New York.

Without knowing it, we had been the honored guests of a highly talented woman who had led an extraordinary life. If I hadn’t been that naive, terrified 26 year old, I would have sat down with Ms. Louise over a glass of brandy & listened to some amazing stories. I recently contacted the retirement home to see if Ms. Ogilvie was still living.  They informed me she had passed away & that she was very much loved & missed by all.  How often do we miss out on opportunities, all because our inexperience or lack of imagination prevents us from seeing alternate possibilities?

The retirement home for entertainers is really fascinating & if you want to know more, click HERE.