Servant Class

Crazy Things Guests Say and Do: Part 89 of a 737 part series

Very few people are like this, but there is a certain type of person who treats me like a member of the servant class. It's the tone of voice, the demanding way without any sort of politeness. You know, the kindergarten words they teach you: please, thank you, etc.

I had one of them call me at 7:20 AM from the courtesy phone outside the office door. The office was still closed, but I was working hard to open in time for breakfast.

"What time do you open for breakfast?" he asked. This could have been a polite tone, or even a confused tone, but it wasn't. The tone was rude, almost snarling.

"I'll open for breakfast at 8:00, and--"

"Eight o'clock?! I've NEVER heard of a motel that doesn't open for breakfast until eight!" His tone was almost like I'd told him there would be no hot water, or that he'd have to double bunk with a homeless man I'd found living under the bridge.

"--and I'll open for coffee at 7:45," I continued. I forced my tone to remain calm.

The thing is, I open for breakfast at eight because that's when people start to come in. In the winter, when people are anxious to get up to the mountain for first lifts, I open at 7:30. If there's a special event, I open even earlier. But on a normal day, I can bust my tail to open early, but nobody will come.

And I'd kept the office open until 10:00 the previous night, with people camped out in the front room with their laptops until then. It takes me a good hour to get everything prepped in the morning. When do these people think I sleep?

"Eight o'clock," he repeated with disgust. "Jesus Christ!"

Slam.