no reservations, part 1

I travel a lot for business. The folks in the office who don't get to go think it's some glamorous perk. I will admit, I've seen some great places that I wouldn't have and had some wonderful meals. But more typically, it's another Comfort Inn in another nondescript city, and dinner might be Subway in front of the TV.

But one time, I was to spend a few nights in a major city and was able to book a 4-star hotel within my travel budget by using Priceline. I checked in to a double-queen room with nice furniture, a great view and an outstanding bathroom. It was early afternoon and I had no business until the next day, so I decided to go for a walk.

As I passed through the lobby, I could see there was someone having a heated discussion at check-in. I stopped to hear it. The customer was an attractive woman in her forties, and looked a bit like Meg Ryan. She thought she had a reservation, but the desk clerk said she didn't, and the hotel was sold out. Not only that, due to the convention that I was in town for, all the downtown hotels were solidly booked.

The woman gave up and, with shoulders slumped, walked away from the desk. I stepped up to her and explained I had overheard the conversation.

I said, "I know it's quite forward of me to ask, but would you like to stay in my room tonight? I have an extra bed. They've provided robes, and I will be very discreet."

She told me it was very kind of me to offer, but she was traveling with her daughter. I told her they could share the extra bed, or we could request a rollaway. I was thinking she was an older mom traveling with a young girl.

The woman accepted my offer, got out her cell phone and placed a call. It seemed her daughter was somewhere outside, and she was telling the girl to come back to the hotel lobby. I soon saw a very hot twenty-something enter the lobby, and she walked right over to the woman, whose name I had learned was Jane.

Jane said, "Al, this is my daughter Felicia." I greeted the girl with a handshake, and realized that with these two women in my room, my bed would resemble a campsite due to the tentpole I'd be raising all night.

read part 2