Another Night at the Hotel

Chapter One

I sat in the back office, staring at my laptop screen.  “No one should have to be awake at this hour,” I said to myself, aimlessly answering trivia questions on MySpace.  I know, I should be working on my Diversity homework, but I don’t feel like it.  Once again, I am at work, it is 2 in the morning and I am doing as little as I possibly can.  I know I tell everyone that I love my job, and I do, but I get so bored sometimes.  I just wish real excitement would walk through the door.  But until that miracle happens, I continue reading my fan fiction online and playing the Never-Ending Movie Quiz on MySpace.

Ah, the phone.  My bitter enemy.  The phone rings and I have to unwrap myself from my blanket and hopefully get to the phone before it rings too many times.  I answer the mundane question asked of me, and hang up.  Where are the vending machines? Do you know of anyone who delivers now?  I need a wake-up call.  The same old stuff over and over again.  My life is an endless stream of the mundane.

The front door shuts, I unwrap myself from the blanket keeping my legs warm.  As I walk to the desk, I make sure my sweater is pulled down and my skirt isn’t hiked up.  I flip my dark-brown hair off my shoulders and greet the tall man in front of me.

“I need a room,” He slurs.  Oh yeah, another drunk coming in to get a room for the rest of the morning. 

“Certainly, would you like a king bed or two doubles?”

“Umm…A king, if you have any.  Does the $39 rate apply?” Oh yeah, this is a drunk who thinks he is going to score with whatever girl is currently in his car outside.  Yep, he is getting points for getting the room, not.  Next he’s going to tell me he is paying cash.  Just watch.

“We can definitely do that for you sir.  Name please?”  I get the rest of his information; he shows me his license so he doesn’t have to work at remembering his own address.

“And how would you like to take care of the room?”  I ask, knowing it will be cash.

“Huh?”  Oh, a smart one.  This girl is getting the best.  I wonder how much he spent on her at the bar.  She certainly isn’t after him for his intelligence.

“How would you like to pay for the room?”

“Oh, cash I guess,” as he pulls some alcohol-soaked bills from his pocket.

“Okay, your total with tax comes to $43.29.”  I finish the transaction, having him sign his name on the registration card and pointing him in the correct direction of his hotel room. Well, once again someone is off to get some action, and I helped bring the happy couple together.  Sigh.  Back to my laptop and the never-ending quiz.  Anything to put-off doing my homework.

I just get my blanket tucked around my cold legs, when I hear the door shut again.  Damn, why is it so busy tonight?  I get up.  Once again, my skirt managed to creep up my legs in the brief seconds I was sitting down.  I tug it down; making sure everything is laying flat.  I hate when I looked creased. 

It’s probably another drunk, so I plaster my perky, its-not-really-three-am-smile in place.  I look up to greet the newcomer.  Oh my God. This was not another drunk.