Last Sunday, I wheeled my little psychedelic flower patterned carry on luggage into my “home away from home” hotel in Houston a little after 9 pm, anxious to get my room keys and get settled in.
“HEY! Terese!” A big smile from the man behind the counter, and not just because I’m a Platinum Elite member. The last time I heard him say my name, it was not with the jovial brightness that was now standing in front of me.
7:15ish on a Thursday morning, and my hotel room phone rang. I was running late (of course), and it took a second for me to comprehend what the sound was. The hotel room phone? When was the last time anyone had called me on a hotel room phone? Even the hotel now sends text messages to me after check in to let me know they’re glad I’m here.

“Hello?”

“Terese.” A solemn statement, not a question, short and hard.

“Yes?”

“It’s John, downstairs. Just say yes or no. Do you need help?”

“Ummmm, no. I don’t think so?”

“Are you alright?”

“Ummmm, sure?”

Audible release of breath. “OhthankGod! OK, I have your keys down here. Just stop at the desk and I’ll explain.”
My keys? Thoroughly confused, and with a half of my hair straightened (which makes me look kind of like this)

 

 

 

 

 

 

i headed downstairs.

That’s when I found out I’m an idiot.

I was greeted by a very pale, nervously laughing Laura (desk agent), and a semi-wild eyed John (manager).

“Hey…where’d you find the keys? I didn’t even know they weren’t in my purse.”

“They were in your car.  Which was running.”

Running?  I’d gotten out of that car 12 hours ago.

Laura had come in for her overnight shift, and after a bit noticed that there was a car in the parking lot with the headlights on.  After an hour or so, she determined someone must have just left them on.  Since they only have one person at the desk overnight, it was policy not to leave the office area, so she didn’t go out to turn the lights off.

When John came in, she told him that the lights had been on all night, and she was really surprised that the battery wasn’t dead.  When she pointed out the car, he recognized it as the one I was driving that week.  (I am, after all, an Elite Platinum member.)  He went out to see if the car was unlocked so he could turn off the lights.

“I got about 5 feet away, and realized it was running….and that’s when I went cold.  The car was unlocked, so I opened the door, and saw your security badge laying in the passenger seat.  I turned off the car, and tried to think of the most likely scenarios.  The most logical one was that someone had taken you.”

I let that sink in for a second.  These poor people thought I had been abducted.  No wonder Laura was the color of a fish belly.

I thought back to the night before.  I was at the office late, then stopped to pick up some chicken wings.  I had called my daughter to catch up with how her week was.  I heard myself tell her I was going to jump off because I had just gotten back to the hotel, but then remembered ‘one more thing’ I needed to tell her.

“No purse, so maybe it was a robbery, but that still didn’t explain where you were.  I realized I needed to check the trunk, although it wouldn’t be likely that someone would have parked you here and then shoved you in the trunk.  Anyway, as you know, you weren’t in there.  So, I was back to abduction.  I went back in to call the police, and another scenario hit me:  What if someone had taken you out of the car and into your room?  It was possible that you were being held against your will.  I decided to call your room first, just to make sure.”

“How far down the list of scenarios was the one where the stupid woman got out of her car, gathering her briefcase, purse, and carryout dinner while yacking on the phone with her daughter and just forgot to turn it off?”

“Didn’t make the list.  We actually have training classes on guest safety, and abduction scenarios are covered.  I never thought I would need that training.”  I realized his hands were shaking.  I had terrified these poor people.

I don’t know how much I tried to simultaneously thank them and apologize, but it was a lot.  I couldn’t believe I had done something so careless.  I gathered my keys, ran back to my room to finish my de-frizzing activities, and headed to work.  All day, I was bothered by the thought of how much I’d upset Laura and John, and incredulous that I’d left a car running all night without it being stolen….AND only sucking up 1/4 tank of gas!

There’s no way to sufficiently thank people for caring about you, or apologize for scaring the holy hell out of them.  My poor attempt was a box of fine chocolates for Laura, and a giant coffee mug adorned with pictures of superheroes for John.

Tonight, I grabbed a couple of diet Pepsi’s from the refrigerator in the Pantry section, and asked him to put them on my room.

“What are you doing here on a Sunday night?”

“Someone called in sick, so I had to step in.  Saw your name on the list, and figured it wouldn’t be a dull evening at least.  Got your keys?”  Big smile.

“Eh, maybe.”

He handed over the keys to a room on the second floor, and upstairs I went.  Except, somehow, the security latch was deployed on the door.  To an empty room.  Which is kind of impossible.  I hauled my little suitcase back downstairs.

“Oh, no.  Now what?”  I explained.

“How did that happen?  Nevermind, I’m switching your room.  I’m putting you downstairs next to the office.  It’ll be easier to keep an eye on you.”

Thanks, John.  Elite Platinum has its rewards.