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The Retired Librarian's Perspective

Dear Ms. Swift,
 

My name is Beatrice Langston, and I served as the town librarian in Casa Griago, Arizona, for over thirty-seven years before retiring last fall. I write to you today not out of habit (though I’ve written my fair share of book recommendations), but because I want to add my voice to those encouraging you to consider writing a song inspired by Mr. Robert Hines and the remarkable transformation of the Family Inn.
As someone who spent her professional life believing in the quiet power of words, I must tell you: Robert’s story reads like one of those rare novels that surprises you—not with plot twists, but with goodness.


When Robert took over the Family Inn, most of us were skeptical. The place had a reputation… let’s just say it wouldn’t have made our list of suggested lodging for visiting authors. But slowly, persistently, Robert rewrote that story. He didn’t just renovate walls and repaint doors. He rehabilitated trust. He made space for families, for healing, for the everyday dignity that is too often in short supply.


What struck me most was how he treated people. He reminded me of the best librarians I’ve known—those who saw each patron not as a problem to be solved, but a story in progress. He counseled guests with respect, not pity. He didn’t judge anyone for where they’d been; he simply tried to help them decide where to go next. And he did it all with a humility that made you feel you’d stumbled upon a secret chapter of something beautiful.


He even stopped by the library sometimes to check out books on hospitality, counseling, plumbing—you name it. He once said to me, “I didn’t buy a motel, Miss Langston. I bought a chance to help people start over.”


Robert is also one of your biggest fans. He once explained that your music helped him feel less alone in the hard moments and gave him courage when self-doubt crept in. He joked that your lyrics made his life “thirteen percent more meaningful,” but I suspect the number is even higher.


I believe your music could carry his story further—to those who’ve lost their way, and those who are trying to help them find it again. And I believe it would mean the world to Robert, even if you never told him the song was about him.


Warmest regards,
 

Beatrice Langston
Retired Town Librarian
Casa Griago Public Library

REMINDER: The story of this blog is entirely fictional and has been generated by ChatGPT. All individuals--other than Taylor--are entirely fictional as are businesses, organizations, and events portrayed. 


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