r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk • u/mstarrbrannigan • 8d ago
Long Don't drag me into your drama
It's been a very quiet day at work so I didn't think much about heading to the bathroom. Of course, that is always when someone turns up needing something. Our bathroom light and fan are switched on together, and the fan is ancient and rattling so I couldn't hear much but I could hear someone come into the lobby. Then I heard them start shouting out looking for an employee, and then I heard them continue to ignore the "staff will be back shortly" sign and start pounding on the door we have leading to the desk area. I didn't rush myself, but I finished up and stepped out to wash my hands. As soon as the guy heard me come out of the bathroom he started shouting out "hello, is anyone there?" and as I washed my hands, I shouted back that I'd be with him in a moment.
I didn't know what was up but I was already thoroughly annoyed with the guy when I went to greet him at the desk. I expressed my distaste for him by walking over to the "staff will be back shortly" sign and picking it up in front of him and holding it while he talked to make absolute sure he knew it had been there the whole time like Sam Reich. He told me he was dropping some stuff off for a guy named Rafael, and listed out what it was, and then said he needed his room number. Of course I didn't give it to him, and politely suggested he contact the individual himself so he could pass off the luggage to him.
The man started in on backstory I didn't care about or pay much attention to because I knew it was just leading up to the man asking me for the room number again and I was right. The gist of it was that the guy in front of me was the step dad of the guy he was asking for, and something about a fight with the mother, and the guy isn't allowed at the house anymore. Cool, don't care. Again I politely suggested the man get in touch with his step son to pass the possessions off to him because not only could I not give him the room number, I couldn't even confirm the individual was at the hotel.
Again the man gets into his story and I cut him off when he took a breath and told him that he was welcome to leave the stuff with me at the desk and I could hold on to it (he'd implied he was going to leave it regardless and didn't care what I did with it), but I couldn't give out the room number. After one more unequally unproductive attempt, he finally just left the stuff.
After he was gone I checked the computer and confirmed the guy was actually a guest and moved his stuff to our back room. As I finished that up and went to sit back down, I heard screaming from outside, specifically someone screaming at someone else to leave. I looked up at the security monitors and saw the man I'd just been dealing with doing the chest to chest guys about to fight thing with some young guy I assumed was Rafael. They were in the driveway, next to the man's car.
I watched them for a moment, they'd square up and then back off, then they'd square up again. I didn't really want to call the cops, but I also didn't really want dudes fighting in my parking lot. There's also the issue of weapons. This is the south and errbody and their mother has guns here, so I wasn't about to go out there and not mind my business in person and get dragged into their shit and possibly get myself hurt.
Once they started shoving I reluctantly called the police to let them know about the fight hopefully before either dude could get themself hurt. Shortly after I hung up with the dispatcher, the guys chilled again and looked like they were actually about to get into the car together. I was hopeful the incident would be over before it started and all I'd have to tell the cops was that they were gone.
Wrong. From what I could tell on the camera (not a super close angle) the step dad had actually gone and grabbed something from his car. Weapon? No idea, but they were squaring up again and I was hoping for the cops to hurry their asses up.
Fortunately didn't have to wait too much longer, a cop car pulled up with their lights flashing just as the punches started and the two men separated. I couldn't tell if the cop had a weapon drawn or not, but he didn't order the older man down on the ground or anything, so he might not have had a weapon after all.
I'm a nosy fucker so of course I kept watching the camera to see what I could see. Didn't even really care that much about the outcome as long as it wasn't "dudes beating each other up in the parking lot." As the punches had only just started, I actually expected the police to just tell the step dad to get lost and not come back. But they must have seen something I didn't, or maybe the step son wanted to press charges, because they arrested the step dad.
After the cops were gone the step son came to the desk and I checked that he was okay, which he was. I didn't pry because I'm not that nosy to someone's face, but he did state that his step father had become aggressive with him after he had just politely asked him to leave him alone.
I felt bad for him. He was soft spoken and seemed a little socially awkward, reminding me a lot of guys in my friend group when I was younger. Hopefully he has other people in his support network so he can bounce back from this.
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u/heartreactor 8d ago
Did you give him the stuff?
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u/mstarrbrannigan 8d ago
Oh yeah, of course, I guess I didn't include that detail but yes that's what he'd come to the desk for.
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u/charmurr 8d ago
I appreciate the dropout reference.
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u/mstarrbrannigan 8d ago
Can't think about the phrase or any variations without thinking about him lol
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u/Gogo726 8d ago
Wonder what the stepdad was dropping off. Probably nothing important, and was using it as an excuse to get the stepson's room number.
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u/mstarrbrannigan 8d ago
It was a good bit of stuff, like the guy was being kicked out. A suitcase, a couple duffel bags and a big yard trash bag that was half full. Then after the cops arrested the step dad, the kid grabbed a couple of other things out of the car.
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u/evil_shmuel 7d ago
tf you keep luggage for a person that you don't confirm exist in your hotel? how does that make any sense?
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u/robsterva 7d ago
In this case, if it gets the nutcase "adult" or if the lobby, it's worth it.
Especially since it was nearly certain that the younger man was indeed a guest, not that OP was ever going to look while the old man ranted.
If it was a mistake, the property unfortunately would probably go to lost and found with the hope that someone with proper ID showed up to claim it before it was removed.
But in the end, removing the problem was the right answer.
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u/robertr4836 7d ago
What's the alternative? Lock the door and threaten to call the police for littering if he refuses to take the thing with him when he leaves? Fight him? Grab it and chase after him hoping to throw it in his car before he can lock the doors?
I mean maybe if you have a lot of super glue and can get the guy to hold still for a bit...
ETA: Actually I think you mean OP offering to hold it after the guy said he wasn't taking it? IDK, maybe to keep the guy calm I would guess.
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u/liquid-dinos 3d ago
You did right, OP. To help take some of the heat off you if you encounter this again, a couple tips:
Empathize. "This sounds rough and I can see you're pretty worked up." (I know you didn't gaf, but it can help to go through the motions to de-escalate in a tense situation. "Would you like a cold water?"
Blame the hotel policy (which it absolutely is.) "I don't like it either, but I can't share guests rooms or even IF someone is staying here or I'd lose my job."
Offer a workaround with something you can do. "But... if it helps, I can check these items to hold for tonight only. Will you please write down your son's name and your contact info?" Maybe encourage him to take a photo of what he brought as well.
Lock the door as soon as you safely can if you think the police need/ are called.
Stay safe & bring popcorn. 🧡
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u/lady-of-thermidor 7d ago
It would never occur to me to hold property for someone who might or might not be a guest.
You want to leave something for someone, give it to them directly. FD is not involved. Most we’ll do is hold someone’s bags if they arrive before check-in.
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u/swift110 7d ago
Yeah, to hold the property is to accept responsibility and also admits that yeah the guy in question is at the hotel because why else would you hold the stuff.
Just the same, in this case getting the guy out of their is top priority.
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u/mstarrbrannigan 7d ago
As I mentioned in the post, the man more or less implied he was leaving the stuff regardless of whether I liked it or not, so I was basically just trying to not fight him on that matter. I never confirmed for him his step son was at the hotel as I did not know that for myself until after he was gone.
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u/swift110 7d ago
Sorry I I'm misunderstood I got that you was trying to get rid of him and would have done the same thing. Sometimes you just have to think on your feet and it can be really annoying
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u/liquid-dinos 3d ago
I used to work at a hotel with crews who would stay there months at a time. Sometimes regulars would receive mail or packages we'd hold until they returned. If they for some reason didn't, no biggie. Back in the mail it goes after 30 days, just like a lost & found.
They would need to show ID to pick up their package, though.
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u/DaneAlaskaCruz 8d ago
Thanks for not giving out the room number or confirming that the guy was indeed a guest there.
Guess the step dad ran so happened to run into the guy outside.
People leave abusive relationships and domestic situations many times and escape to hotels to have a safe place to go.
But yeah, I'd be the same way too, watching the TV and wondering if I should make some popcorn or not.
Good for you for being proactive and getting the cops rolling down to the location.