Propelling.

A guest came in today and informed me he needed a room on the first floor because he was afraid of heights . Our hotel is only two stories, and I myself have an intense fear of heights, but really? It reminded me of one of our most extravagant guests that arrived at our hotel about a year ago. This is the story of Mr. Propel...

A package arrived about a day before our intended guest came to check in. We held the package for him, and I was the lucky person to hand him his extremely heavy box on the day of his arrival. " Did you fly here?" I asked, because usually when guests are coming from far away, many times they mail packages for themselves in an attempt to save on those terrible baggage fees. " Yes. I did. I had to mail this box here because I never check into a hotel without its contents." At this, my attention and curiousity peaked. What could possibly be in this heavy cardboard container that had to be escorted to every hotel he had ever stayed in? Perhaps his own air mattress, in case he didn't like the comfort of our own beds? Knowing it was none of my business, yet insanly curious at what could possibly be filling the contents of said box, I gave my " Oh, really?" comment at such an insatiable interest I knew he would have to tell me . He did. And what he told me reiterated my fact I have held to be true, that the craziest people can be found at hotels.

" Well, I always come prepared before I go to hotels. Just in case I am stuck with a second floor room, I mail my rope and harnass for safety. " " For safety?" I asked, incredulous. " Yes, just in case the building is on fire, I can propel myself out the window to safety."

I hid my utter disbelief at this man, who spent 32 dollars mailing a package to every hotel he had ever stayed at, handed him his key, and directed him to his first floor room.

Why he could never call the hotels prior to arrival and request a first floor room is beyond me..

Having worked at a hotel for the past two years, I feel as though I have seen it all. I've had the guests that require 12 extra pillows for their one person bedroom, the ones that ask for a wake up call every hour, so they can " feel like their wife is there, waking them up." I am an expert now, an expert on the crazy people.

I'm starting this blog for other front desk people who need to know they are not alone, and for those that need a good laugh. I currently work at a hotel to pay my way through school, although the only thing its really paying for is my increasingly large bar tab after work. I work for one of those chain hotels, the ones you see in every town in the U.S, but for the sake of my job, I will leave out the name.. That is of course, until my readers reach the thousands, and this certain hotel chain offers me millions for posting their name in discreet ways into my blog. But until then, I will keep their name silent... but to the readers out there in cyber space, heed my advice. There is no hotel in the country safe from the insane, the bizarre, the outright unbelievable.

These are my tales.