SHEsaysWITHaSMILE.blogspot.com

THIS IS WHAT STARTED IT for (me!) sandra, tvgp

-k-, so

there i was bein' my best professional self, when some of our distinguished guests decided they wanted to play poker

so they asked for a deck of cards and we obliged   /that is, chryse obliged

then they came back and asked for poker chips.   cards we have; yes.  but poker chips; no.   -so we both started offering creative suggestions..

"you could use the different colored sugar packets.."    /of course, that was my contribution. i'm sure you didn't have to guess

"you could use pennies.."  chryse said, "and make them any value you want.  assign any value.  they don't have to be pennies

and already, i think, my mind must of been on an unconscious hunt and rescue mission for why i was suddenly smiling out of nowhere

and then chryse explained how much it would be for a couple rolls of pennies, dimes, quarters, etc.    /math.  definitely her department not mine..

they agreed that would be a great idea, and so the task then came to me...   "can you roll some pennies for me"   chryse said

and there you have it.   favorite memory trigger retrieved.

"oh!  you have to read this one story...   too funny!"  i told her

and when time allowed.    /after, you know..  i clocked out on my break, let's say..

i ran to the computer.  found leonard's blog.   put "pennies" in the search bar

and printed out the story  (on a couple sheets of my own paper, that i brought in just in case) for chryse to read.

only..   she left before she had a chance to read it.

so..  now it's late at night.  i'm tired, giddy and without front desk supervision to keep me in line

my work ethic what it is..  everything was stocked.  floor was vacuumed.   counters spotless.   coffee, water, restocked...  reports printed, etc.   and only 1 guest left to arrive...

and so i took a moment to revisit the story myself

and sure enough!   i can't even re-read it without my smile growing into a giggle...   and then the giggle into audible laughter

and write in the middle of the story..  i hear the double doors opening to the hotel which means our last guest has arrived

so i put the story down on the counter immediately and jumped to ready position at the front desk computer.  started out with such a stellar and enthusiastic

"welcome!"  big smile.  direct eye contact.

but that.. my reader friends, was all she wrote.    the only word i got out before doubling over into one of those deep belly laughs

 "oh my God..  i'm so soooo..."    and i had to excuse myself and let the laughter out in the back office.

popped back out to the front desk, "let me try again..."  i said.   "it's not you.. you know that, write..  it's this short story i'm reading...

and i took a deep breath.  looked him directly in the eyes again..  "your last name?"

"anderson."   

and that somehow sounded like the greatest punch line to the funniest joke i had ever heard;  i went into hysterics

"oh my God!  i can't stop..  i'm so sorry..."    and i excused myself a second time.

said a prayer

and am happy to report, that on my third try, i successfully gathered all the information i needed to check this poor good sport of a guest into his luxury suite.

he said, "helps time go by fast doesn't it"

-k-   and that freaked me out a little, because earlier that day..  that was my prayer..  specifically.  that my shift would go by really fast.

and i said, "sure does"    -with a hint of suspicion in my smile

and forgive me, but how can i resist not closing with this:

   -how fast time flies when you read for fun.

posted by SHE @ 9:52 AM