The Gift of Hospitality by Barbara Clouse

THE GIFT OF HOSPITALITY

“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

BARBARA CLOUSE Saddlebag Dispatches Research Director

SOME PEOPLE HAVE A natural ability to make others feel welcome, comfortable, and familiar in peaceful surroundings. Dusty and Pat Richards were the kindest greeters in their home, at conferences, or at their book table in community arts and crafts settings. They had the blessed “gift of hospitality” with a servant’s heart.

The first time I met Dusty and Pat was in about 1984. We were attending a writer’s conference at the Mount Sequoyah Retreat and Conference Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas. This was my first trip away from home in a very long time and my first seminar for writers. The entire group was especially informative and treated me like a member of their family. I am sure the other guests felt the same way, and it was a tremendous boost for me.

I complained that I felt like I was the only one interested in becoming an author in my area. Dusty suggested that I go home and start a new club for poets, writers, and future authors. He encouraged me to book a room at the library for a meeting, put an ad in the paper, and prepare a short speech. He admitted that is how many of their writers’ groups in northwest Arkansas got started. Invitations to meetings also in Missouri became a treat to the fledgling members of our club in Oklahoma.

Dusty and Pat often opened their home for Saturday morning writers’ meetings in those early years. Their local critique group met several times a month, but the weekend was the only time I could attend. We called them the “potluck” meetings because everyone was encouraged to bring a dish and stay and share lunch with the crowd. After a short business meeting, everyone had a chance to share news about their latest projects or story ideas. Sometimes we read short passages out loud or asked for help with certain aspects of a story. Dusty kept the momentum of the meeting moving forward, so we could finish and have lunch on time.

Pat was always in the nearby kitchen getting ready for our “buffet,” and we took turns helping her prepare the spread. After a word of prayer, Dusty invited us to line up and enjoy the feast. Dusty and Pat both made sure everyone got plenty of chow and relaxed after the meeting. Some of us took a short tour of Pat’s gardens and flowers, admiring the view from the wrap-around deck of their lakeside home. A few of us had to leave shortly after the meal since we had to drive several hours to get home. Others would stay long into the afternoon, talking, sharing ideas about characters and books. Pat kept the coffee pot full, so their guests would stay as long as they needed, to share with Dusty, the long-winded storyteller.

After I heard about the Ozark Creative Writers (OCW) Conference at Eureka Springs, Arkansas, I encouraged my local writers’ club to make their reservations. The first time I attended the OCW seminar, I knew it would be a great experience for beginning writers. Dusty and Pat were always there, greeting the new folks, directing first-timers to the meeting rooms, and giving out details of the conference and the layout of the center.

DUSTY AND BARBARA DURING THE NORTHWEST ARKANSAS WRITERS’ WORKSHOP FREE CONFERENCE IN 1984.

Sometimes Dusty would take a group out to lunch, showing us the local places that had great food. Often, Pat would invite the spouses of the writer attendees for a sight-seeing adventure since some of the guests were from out of state. On occasion, Pat would announce she was going to play at the Cherokee Nation Casino, which happened to be west of Springdale, Arkansas, at the state line in West Siloam Springs, Oklahoma.

DUSTY PRESENTS THE OXBOW AWARD FOR BEST WESTERN SHORT STORY TO BARBARA AT THE OZARK CREATIVE WRITERS CONFERENCE IN EUREKA SPRINGS, AR.

Through the years of the Ozark Creative Writers conferences, Dusty was a leader and inspiration for all of us. His book table was generally in the same location every October at the convention center. Pat tended the table, sitting there with Dusty’s western paperbacks spread out around her, keeping an eye on things. She was so gracious, visiting with the writers, authors, and guests, sharing the news about recent publications. Pat was always kind enough to listen to all of us with our tales of woe and frustration in the book publishing business. She would smile and nod, as if to say, “I’ve heard this story before.”

LINDA QUALLS, BARBARA CLOUSE, AND PAT RICHARDS TAKE TIME OUT TO SMILE FOR THE CAMERA DURING THE CONFERENCE.

If a person sat down at the table with Pat, we would hear her side of the story about Dusty and their adventures around the country. She shared with us the places they traveled to the Western Writers of America Conventions, the writers’ meetings, and speaking engagements he had. They made friends all over the western states and were often asked to return the next year, to not only share his knowledge and experiences, but also to sit by their campfire, maybe ride horses, go fishing, or watch a rodeo.

Dusty and Pat spread kindness everywhere they set up their table to sell his books. They seemed just happy to be there, under their white canopy, to offer some shade. On one occasion in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the city hosted an arts and crafts fair, with booths to entertain the children as well as adults. Our Tahlequah Writers group read books to the gathered crowd of kids. We helped with arts and crafts projects and showcased our club members.

Dusty spoke to a small audience about his books and shared some of his stories about the world of writing, publishing, and marketing. Some of us read poetry and talked about our projects, encouraging others about our club of authors. In the middle of the afternoon, the weather changed dramatically. A huge wind blew in from nowhere, and people started scrambling.

Dusty and Pat rushed to their canopy tent, to take it down and rescue the books scattered across the table. Soon after the sharp wind came the rain, all the visitors to the community event ran for cover. Dusty and Pat sat in their truck while the shower passed, his novels safely tucked inside with them. I saw them laughing about it, as we all tried to find safety in the huge city tent nearby. A moment later, the wind and little shower stopped, and the blue sky returned. That brief interruption did not phase Dusty and Pat at all. They smiled and waved to us as they drove away, finished for their day of book sales in Oklahoma.

The gift of hospitality never disappeared or faded from Dusty and Pat Richards. With new friends or old acquaintances, they made guests feel welcome in their presence. Through the years, we shared meals together, attended writers’ meetings, assisted at seminars, and jumped in at gab sessions when they found a vacant spot to visit.

Dusty shared his knowledge of his spontaneous “on the job training” in learning how to not only write a novel, but publish a book, negotiate with agents, publishers, and editors, plus hone his marketing skills to make sales. He encouraged everyone to just write the story and worry about the editing later. He believed in teaching others what he had learned the hard way. Both Dusty and Pat gifted us with their friendship and their warm hospitality, and we were all blessed by their example.

“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” —(Peter 4:9-10)

BARBARA CLOUSE is retired from the Department of Justice in 2009 after 20 years spent working in the Office of United States Attorney. She lives on a farm south of Muskogee with her husband Jerry, where she enjoys gardening, growing gourds for art projects, genealogy, and entertaining their grandchildren.