We had stayed there several times before, and had always been happy with the service. This time all I saw was the top of a head huddled deeply over a computer keyboard.
No eye-contact, no "Hello", just a brusque "Your ID?" I presented my driver's licence which was intensely scrutinised by the head over the keyboard. Then some slow tap-tap-tap on the keyboard, followed by "Number of car?" Number of car? "Just one!" "No, number of car!"
I went outside to quickly look at my registration plate, and called it out to the huddled head. More slow tap-tap-tapping on the keyboard. Then the head emerged from behind the counter and went outside for what I thought was a double-checking of my registration number, but no, she - it was a "she" - had expected me, without saying a word, to follow her to the EXPRESS CHECK-IN BOX where my room key was waiting for me.
Handing me the key, she launched into rapid-fire instructions of what I must and must not do, when I must check out, and that I must not park my car in any spot other than the one marked with my room number.
I had to stop her a few times as I couldn't understand her accent. It had also been a long drive and a long day. and so I simply snatched the key from her hand and proceeded to my room. Her enunciation suddenly became very clear, "You are a racist! And have your hearing checked!"
Until she'd decided to use it as her reason for calling me a racist, I had not even noticed her darker complexion. What is the world coming to? Should I be grateful she's not filing a racial discrimination complaint?
When I came home, I found an email from the motel in which they invited me to "tell us about what you enjoyed or how we can improve your stay". I told them! Not that it matters as I won't stay there again!
