What I Would Say
It had been a long morning. Linen changes are linen changes, but linen changes in the summer heat of Missouri. Well, that's another thing. After a a whole summer, I have come to accept it with a smile.
Anyway, my last linen change that day was in the motel. The linen combination for the motel room is very simple: 4-4-1. I grabbed four towels and four washcloths, swung a bathmat over my shoulder, and headed to the room at the other end of the motel from where I was: Room 201.
I rapped my knuckles on the door and called out, "Housekeeping." No response. I pushed my key in the lock. It wouldn't turn. I tried again. It still wouldn't turn. Finally, I jiggled the key, pulled it a centimeter out of the lock, and turned it. Success. I kicked the door as I turned it (most of the doors at this camp respond very well to kicking, I've noticed) and began changing the towels.
The door opened when I was halfway through my work. I turned to see a young man, probably in his late 20's, enter. He took a step back when he saw me holding his dirty towels in my arms.
"Oh, hello," he said.
"Hi. Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," I said.
"It's all right. How are you doing?" he asked.
"I'm fine, thanks. How are you?"
"I am very well, thank you," he said.
By this time I was on my way out the door.
"Have a wonderful day," he called as I left.
I sang all the way back to the Housekeeping van. It was such a little thing, and yet so important to me. If I could go back to room 201 and speak to that guest I would say, "Bless you for asking me how I am doing. Bless you for responding with the correct phrase 'I am very well'. You did not say it over your shoulder at me while I bent to pick up your towels. You said it straight to me. Bless you for wishing me a wonderful day. Bless you for saying thank you."
People might think that Housekeepers are not important, but they are. People might think that Housekeepers don't remember how people accept our service, but we do. The way that young man treated me told me something about his character. So, the next time you are in a hotel being waited by someone, what will you say?
I know what I would say.
Anyway, my last linen change that day was in the motel. The linen combination for the motel room is very simple: 4-4-1. I grabbed four towels and four washcloths, swung a bathmat over my shoulder, and headed to the room at the other end of the motel from where I was: Room 201.
I rapped my knuckles on the door and called out, "Housekeeping." No response. I pushed my key in the lock. It wouldn't turn. I tried again. It still wouldn't turn. Finally, I jiggled the key, pulled it a centimeter out of the lock, and turned it. Success. I kicked the door as I turned it (most of the doors at this camp respond very well to kicking, I've noticed) and began changing the towels.
The door opened when I was halfway through my work. I turned to see a young man, probably in his late 20's, enter. He took a step back when he saw me holding his dirty towels in my arms.
"Oh, hello," he said.
"Hi. Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," I said.
"It's all right. How are you doing?" he asked.
"I'm fine, thanks. How are you?"
"I am very well, thank you," he said.
By this time I was on my way out the door.
"Have a wonderful day," he called as I left.
I sang all the way back to the Housekeeping van. It was such a little thing, and yet so important to me. If I could go back to room 201 and speak to that guest I would say, "Bless you for asking me how I am doing. Bless you for responding with the correct phrase 'I am very well'. You did not say it over your shoulder at me while I bent to pick up your towels. You said it straight to me. Bless you for wishing me a wonderful day. Bless you for saying thank you."
People might think that Housekeepers are not important, but they are. People might think that Housekeepers don't remember how people accept our service, but we do. The way that young man treated me told me something about his character. So, the next time you are in a hotel being waited by someone, what will you say?
I know what I would say.
What a nice young man. What a pleasant read. Thanks for sharing it. :) Thanks, too, for encouraging thoughtfulness in relating to people. That's always a good reminder.
ReplyDeleteLinda