December 17
We got presents from our employer last night. Included in our present basket was a hoodie and nylon duffel bag.
It’s quality stuff, too. The sweatshirt is nice and warm, gray with blue sleeves with the Monte Carlo logo discreetly embroidered on the front. The bag rules, too. It’s pretty big and has a main compartment and two end compartments. The shoulder strap wasn’t included though, or at least I haven’t found it.
[Editor’s Note: Gaylon would later find the shoulder strap.]
And the EDR was in top form, too. There were ham and prime rib carving stations, all the trimmings and a dessert bar that took up an entire wall. There were even tablecloths.
Of course, that was all while I was working swing shift. Graveyard must be like one of those top-secret spy organizations the government doesn’t acknowledge exists because we weren’t entitled to all that. The gift line was shut down by 2200 and all the EDR had was some leftover, skanky prime rib and ham, what trimmings were left were coagulating and peeling away from the sides of the serving pans and the dessert bar had been dismantled. We didn’t even deserve table cloths.
77Rick joked that the gifts will probably make their way to the graveyard crew by Easter and they’ll only have Smalls and triple-X’s left.
The swing shift Mary 2 gig was slow. I did provide backup for Eddie and Ray once, though. I was patrolling the garage and they were sent to valet for something or another, which turned out to be a guy yelling at his girlfriend.
– Baker 1, Mary 2.
– Mary 2, in the garage.
– Yeah, could you get down here, he’s giving us some attitude.
Of course, I can get down there. I flipped on the yellow lights, which completely rules, speed down the garage ramp and am there in a few seconds. Funny thing was, Eddie and Ray were standing back and the guy was still yelling at the girl.
I get out and approach Eddie and Ray and suggest we make contact.
“Good afternoon, sir,” I say. “What appears to be the problem here.”
The guy was more than a little drunk and told me that whatever was going on was none of my business and invited me to butt out.
That was not the constructive attitude I was hoping for, once we are there we are not going away until the situation is resolved to our satisfaction and you cannot have an argument in the valet area of a three-star hotel.
“Actually, sir, it is my business…”
He continued to insist it wasn’t and then, with perfect timing, Eddie stepped in and took the guy away. I heard him apologizing for my obviously insolent behavior and generally playing good cop and while some may have gotten angry at this, it was exactly what the situation needed. Before you know it, Eddie and the guy are pals and he later told me the guy thought I was the supervisor and that he wanted to kick my ass but Eddie said he calmed him down by telling him – and I am not making this up – that I used to be an admiral in the Navy.
Meanwhile, I’m talking with the lady. She says she’s all right and we can leave them alone he’s only had a little too much to drink and everything will be fine and it may very well be I did her more harm than good because now the guy thinks he’s been dissed in front of his woman and maybe he’ll be smacking her around later.
Here was your Henry lineup for last night:
Henry 1 – OMP
Henry 2 – moi
Henry 3 – Jose
We had the usual call off so the Henry units took the now-obligatory broom handle. We were pretty busy, too. The key machine at the front desk went out right after OMP went 482 and Jose and I spent a lot of time scrambling around letting guests in their room.
We also ended up on the roof. At 0615 dayshift Henry 1 gets a call asking if he opened the north tower door because the alarm went off. He says no and since someone opened it he goes and investigates, finds a guy who is not staying with us loitering in the stairwell and escorts him down.
Meanwhile, Jose and I are in the second-floor E-Core so he can collect my scanner and take it 10-19 when the north tower alarm goes off again.
Since Tom is 10-6 with the first guy so we are obliged to go and check it out. We take the guest elevators to 32 and head down the 200 wing, enter the stairwell and head up to the north tower door without encountering anyone.
Since we are obliged to go check the roof, we both swear; I opt for a euphemism for excrement, while Jose goes with the F-word. We probably could’ve gotten away without checking the roof, but Jose and I are both past Graveyard Employees of the Month and we didn’t get it for sitting on our asses (well, I did) so even though it’s really cold out we go and check the roof. It was all code four.
Here is your Henry lineup for tonight:
Henry 1 – OMP
Henry 2 – moi
Henry 3 – Jeremy
Henry 4 – X-Ray
At least, of course, until someone calls off. Then we take it in the shorts, as usual.