Hotel Porter: Character and Emotions
- Morning! Can I help you, Sir?
- Hello. Yes, I guess you can. I want to complain about your porter. When I asked him to help me, he refused. Also he spoke rudely and treated me in a very bad way.
The gentleman looked a bit irritated and arrogant. But all receptionists know that when you speak with a stressed or upset person you just have to stay polite, calm, and patient.
- I'm sorry, Sir. Who exactly are you talking about?
- I'm not supposed to know his name. But he was working yesterday in the evening.
- It's impossible, Sir! Yesterday evening was Robert's shift and he is never rude to our guests. I'm telling you, it must be a mistake. I don't mean to say that only Robert is a good porter in our hotel, but he is the kindest and the most well-mannered person I know!
- Now as you've mentioned, I know for sure his name was Robert. I'm not mistaken. He was being rude and I want him to be punished.
- Maybe you are exaggerating a bit? Robert is a great guy.
- Look, I am a guest in this hotel, and I was treated badly. All I want is just some justice here. Am I asking for much? I want this great guy to be punished.
- OK, Sir. Of course. You can write your complaint here. And I will tell our manager about your case.
Later in the evening the receptionist and Mr. Truman were discussing this unusual situation. It was very hard to believe that somebody decided to complain about Mr. Truman, as everyone knows him as a very helpful and attentive man. The young receptionist was trying to persuade the porter to talk to that guest.
- Mr. Truman, you can avoid problems with that complaint if you talk to him. He will see what a nice person you are and will call his complaint back.
- No, Sam. It's not going to happen. I'm not going to talk to him and especially I'm not going to ask him to call his complaint back. I'm neither threatened nor worried. I'm totally and absolutely OK with that stupid complaint.
- Oh, come on, Mr. Truman, don't be so single-minded. You are just being stubborn now. A complaint never made anybody happy. You might even have a smaller salary in the end of the month. Besides you don't know this man. Maybe he is not that bad. Perhaps he was in a bad mood. You don't know, do you?
- I do, Sam. I know that guy very well. Or at least I used to.
- How come? What do you mean?
- We studied in the same class in the secondary school. Best friends, always together, shared everything, like brothers. He was fat and ugly, and therefore quite self-conscious. Nobody used to like him at school. But for me he was just a nice boy who would often feel humiliated and really needed support.
- But why, Mr. Truman, why is he behaving like this now? Didn't he recognize you?
- I don't know whether he recognized me or not. But I know for sure, despite the fact that now he is quite handsome and rich, he is still as self-conscious as he was at school.
