The hotel room desk had a note and a red box.
From the doorway, it looked odd. The box was familiar but not in this setting.
“Dear Mr. Ashlock, …I noticed that you were almost out of toothpaste, so I have taken the liberty of providing you a new tube… I hope you enjoy your stay,”
I looked at the box of Colgate and realized that it was as near to what I had as possible. I like to make sure I use everything in a tube. The current tube I had brought on the trip had enough to last me for a week of unlimited brushing. I could have gotten by. Yet, the act of kindness along with the personalized note touched my heart. While some would say that caring for my room was part of the attendant’s job description, this was beyond any expectation.
I reflected on my hotel experiences (too many years to count). This act of kindness is in the top-3 of anything an attendant has ever done for me. I was still thinking about it the next morning which lead to a handwritten note thanking the attendant by name for her actions.
In the evening later that day, I return to another note and new surprises. It was from a different attendant. With a similar style of handwriting, she thanked me for staying at the hotel, wished me well, and then noted that there were several things that she thought would help my stay be more enjoyable. Scent bags for my shoes, silk purse for my iPhone charger, and a small tube of stain remover that I could carry with me (how did she know this was needed!).
If there ever was a question of my loyalty to this hotel, two room attendants eliminated it. As to what I experienced, Shakespeare and a psalmist came to mind. “A rose by any other name is still a sweet as a rose.” “O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name!” (Psalm 103.1)
To each, again, thank-you.
