Kenneth Smiled

Kenneth Smiled

“Who is in charge here?” a voice came from behind.

“Can I help you?” Kenneth said turning.

The woman on the other side of the counter squinted a bit, sizing him up, then apparently decided he was worth starting with, and said. “I am very unhappy about my room.”

“I am so sorry. What can we do to fix this situation?”

“First, I asked for a room with a view. The view from my window is the building next door. I have to lean close to the glass to even see a speck of sky.”

“Let me get your reservation up on my screen.” He clicked away on the computer and then leaned in apparently reading.”

“I’m afraid your reservation does not contain any information about a window.”

“I told them immediately when I arrived that I needed a window with a view.”

“I’m afraid it’s too late by that time, the clerk who registered you when you came in was just following the reservation on his, or her, screen.”

“His or her? You don’t even know!”

“I’m so sorry. I can find out who was working at two am, but it would take a few minutes… Was it a man or a woman?”

“I have no idea; it was whoever was at the desk!”

“Did that person check you in, give you your key?”

“Yes!”

“And you don’t remember if it was a man or woman?”

“I was a bit… inebriated.”

“I see… well, we can try and get you another room. But we’ll need to wait until after eight.”

“Why?”

“Well, we are totally booked right now, and we will need to see who is checking out.”

“Why can’t you do it now?”

“They’re all asleep, it’s three am.”

“Oh.”

Kenneth smiled, he loved his job.