Another day in the Hospitality Industry

Today one of my coworkers came into the front office. His eyes opened wide with astonishment as he told of walking down the hall behind a big woman in stilettos with the largest calf muscles he'd ever seen.

"I'm telling you, she was this big," he proclaimed, raising his hands and arms to illustrate Amazonian proportions. As he shook his head in amazement, he added, "You should have seen her trying to walk in those heels."

He brought his shoulders to his chin and his jowls quivered in disgust as he declared, "I've never seen such an ugly woman."

A few minutes later he called to tell me she was now at the pool in her bathing suit.

I was pretty sure that I already knew who this woman was, but I took a little stroll to the other side of the hotel, because I couldn't resist seeing for myself.

Sure enough it was Rachael.

Rachael is a c*r*oss d*r*esser man. We know he calls himself "Rachael" because a very important hospitality rule is: Call the guest by his/her name whenever possible. To comply one of our guest service reps asked him what he would like to be called when in feminine attire. He was very pleased that she asked and he happily told her that he would like to be called Rachael.

He is sitting outside his poolside room in a woman's one-piece bathing suit, heels, long glue-on fingernails, red lipstick and a shoulder length chestnut-colored human hair wig.

This is the first time I have actually seen Rachael.

The guest service reps tell me that he checks in about every 3 months...usually at night and usually as a (very unattractive) woman. When he checks out he is a senior citizen man.

He never bothers anyone. Except for our employees strolling by his room to catch a glimpse, he is all alone out by the pool. I would have loved to stand there and gawk a bit, maybe even chat with him a little, but I just nodded and said, "Hello." He smiled and returned the greeting (in his manly voice).

A housekeeper came from another direction. We gave each other a knowing glance in passing. Neither of us could suppress a slight giggle.

I wonder what Rachael's life is really like? Does he have a family? A job? What does he think as he watches all of us walk by? Is he embarrassed? Excited? Angry?

I guess he must want us to give him attention. Otherwise he would not be sitting there publicly flaunting himself in all his feminine glory.

I bet you thought the hospitality industry was just carrying luggage and giving out room keys!

I rarely have a dull day at work.