Checking In

I still would have known what had happened if I hadn't stood there. As I approached the counter, I could see Josh’s hands trembling. It took a beat too long for him to meet my eyes with his. When he finally did, I could see him battling back tears. I first intended to signal to Josh that he was safe with me, unlike the man before me. 

The first step was using his name. It was conveniently on the name tag pinned to the neatly pressed button-down shirt he wore. “Are you okay, Josh?” I asked quietly. I consciously made sure my tone of voice was low and projected calm. He took a shaky breath before giving me a soft “yes.” I took another moment. I slowed things down. No doubt Josh’s adrenaline was still high. His body was in fight-or-flight mode from being screamed at. 

The man before me had been very particular about the location of his room at the hotel, and it was a busy weekend in New York City. Although it was not his fault, Josh couldn’t accommodate the last-minute requests. The man’s tirade and the resulting nervous system response Josh’s body inflicted on him were the price Josh paid for this transgression. 

Eventually, Josh looked up again and gave me a weak smile and a “thanks.” “I’m sorry that man treated you that way, Josh. It wasn’t okay,” I said. Josh smiled a bit more and let out a breath he had unconsciously held. “It’s just been a bad day,” Josh replied. “A bad day?” I asked. Josh looked unsure for a beat. So I continued, “It’s okay, Josh. Whatever it is, you don’t have to tell me.” I wanted Josh to know that I cared about his well-being and saw his distress, but I wasn’t trying to dig into his business. We were still strangers. Josh finally met my eyes. They weren’t brimming with tears anymore, but they were sad. “My boyfriend and I just broke up. I was having a rough day before the jerk.” “I’m sorry, Josh. That’s a rough day.” 

While Josh checked me in, he told me about his breakup and how he loved his boyfriend, but they had been moving in separate directions for a while. He hoped they would find their way back to each other, but he wasn’t sure. When Josh handed me my key, he gave me a genuine smile. “Thanks for listening,” Josh said with a wink. Followed by, “I gave you an upgrade... sh.” Josh pressed his finger to his lips like we were keeping a mutual secret. 

My friends arrived from LA a short time later. It was nearing dinner time, and over the years, I’ve learned that if you want to find the best food while traveling, ask the locals. So, I asked Josh who was still working the desk. Josh’s eyes lit up at the question. “Do you like steak?” he said. I checked with my friends. Yes, steak was good. “Great! I have a friend who works in one of the best steak houses in the city. Let me call him, and I’ll get you a table. How many?” he asked. “Three,” I replied. “Awesome! One sec!” Josh said, clapping his hands in excitement.

I had one of the best steak dinners of my life that night. But what was better was watching Josh light up over the next few days whenever I saw him on the desk and he spotted me. He always smiled and waved.  On Monday morning, Josh checked me out before my flight home. “Have a safe flight, Yve,” he said, followed by “Thank you.” We both knew he wasn’t thanking me for staying at the hotel. He was thanking me for seeing him after another human being had just dehumanized him. “I hope it all works out, Josh, and you find what you’re looking for,” I said. He handed me my receipt. “Me too, Yve,” Josh said. “Me too”.