I Have a Few Questions For You...

Quick rant here...

This is one of the scariest moments for a person working at the front desk.  You're assigning rooms and you realize you're oversold so you have to move some things around.  The phones are ringing like crazy and you don't have enough hold lines to pick up the next call.  And then the guests come in.  One by one at first, then they start to come in more bunched together.  And then they come in groups.  And it hits you:  TONIGHT WILL BE HELL.

You make your way through the first few guests and get them into their rooms without a problem.  The 4th or 5th guest in line checks in with no problems, but then proceeds to ask you questions.  Lots and lots of questions.  The line gets longer, and there's nothing you can do.  It kinda makes me want to interrupt her and ask "DON'T YOU SEE THERE'S A LINE OF PEOPLE BEHIND YOU???  GO TO YOUR ROOM, TAKE A BREATH, AND COME BACK IN A FEW MINUTES!  YOU'RE NOT GOING OUT TO EAT DINNER AND SEE A BROADWAY SHOW WITH YOUR LUGGAGE IN HAND ANYWAYS!"  But I can't.  We all know that.  Even though I REALLY REALLY want to.

Luckily we have some solid guests (most of the time) and they understand that people can be difficult.  It's nice when they make fun of the annoying guests when they walk away, just to lighten my mood when they see I'm frustrated.

On a complete side note but is strangely connected to the title...I had an undercover cop come in to the hotel today...

Cop: "Good evening, [flashes badge and has a stone cold face] I have a few questions for you."
[My stomach drops and heart stops while thinking:  This is my first day back from a two week vacation!  I couldn't have done something wrong already!]
Me: "Hi officer, how can I help you?"
Cop: "I'm tracking a bad guy [yes, he called the suspect a 'bad guy'] and I found this key in a stolen vehicle.  Does it belong to your hotel?"
[My stomach slowly crawls back up and heart speeds up a bit while I slowly exhale]
Me:  "Oh yes, that's ours, but it's a standard Hampton Inn key and there are eight in New York City, so it can belong to any of them."
Cop:  "F*ck!  This case is going to be harder than I thought!  Crap!"
[I stare at him, not knowing what to say...]
Cop:  "Is there any way to track the card and see where it came from?"
Me:  "I can try to read the card, but if it's past it's checkout date, it will come up as voided and we won't find anything out."
Cop:  "Oh what the hell, give it a shot.  I found it four days ago.  I might as well go home..."

After trying to find information in the card reader, I tell the officer it's voided and there's no way to know which hotel the card is from.  He hands me his card with the suspects name written on it, thanks me for my time, and heads out.

Morale of the story:  I have to be more careful when I steal cars in the future.  Just kidding.  I don't carry hotel keys when I steal cars.

Real morale of the story:  Don't jump to conclusions when a cop comes up to you saying he wants to ask you a few questions.  I think I grew a few gray hairs and lost a few years of my life from that.

Oh, and if you know anyone who stayed at a Hampton Inn in New York City who steals cars, call the NYPD.  You would be a big help to the poor cop who came in today, and you'd be doing a big service to the community.