This type of thing happens to everyone... right?

I got to the hotel where they were pretty booked up for the weekend. When I made my reservation they didn’t have any more rooms available, so I booked into the women’s hostel. I have never stayed in a hostel before. I figured it would be… interesting. I was only booked in there for 2 nights, then I would be moved to a single room. Perfect.

I got there and went up to the room. It was nice, clean. It had about 7 bunk beds, and a whole bunch of lockers. I figured it would be fine. I met one of the ladies that would be in the room with me, turns out there were 4 of us staying in there.

After a nice evening with people I didn’t know, I got back to the room and on of the ladies thought it was getting chilly so she headed down to talk to management to see what we could do. Now, let me just say that it got to a low of about 60 in the whole time I was there. But, she was concerned that it would get cold. The hotel being older, apparently doesn’t have heat going into this particular room. At this point she became very concerned about the chill that could overcome us. In the brainstorming process that I was only half listening to she decided that the best bet would be to leave the door open to get some circulation from the hallway. I have to say that this did not sound like the best idea to me. But, on the other hand everyone that I had run into was very friendly, and there is the safety in numbers thing that we had going on in this particular room. So, not wanting to make waves or sound uncooperative, I figured there was safety in numbers so I said ok.

At this point I should mention that there was a wedding going on for the weekend and I am thinking that the rehearsal dinner was going on that Friday night.

The room was an L shape. 2 beds on the wall where you walk in and then turn a corner and there were 5 more beds. I was in the 3rd bed down after the turn. At around 5:30 in the morning this is the conversation that went down:

Cold woman near the door: “This is the woman’s dormitory.”

Drunk guy wearing only a pair of boxers: “I know”.

Stranger proceeded to walk into the room, turn the corner and come directly to my bed side table. As I was staring incredulously, he started fiddling with the table, like he was trying to open the drawer.

Calmly, I ask: “What are you doing?” I thought it was a reasonable question given that my stuff was on the table.

His response… “Shhhh”

Really???? This was not the answer I was expecting. I don’t know what I was expecting exactly.

Me: “No, really, what are you doing?”

His response: “Don’t worry, it’s ok.”

Me: “I don’t really think it's ok. Get out of my stuff”

Him: “Take it easy.”

Me: “Are you kidding??? What are you doing?”

Him: “Shhh. Going to the bathroom.”

Me (loudly, not that I wasn’t before): “Get OUT of here!!”

Him: “really?”

Me: “GET OUT! OUT, OUT, OUT”

Him: “What is your problem?”

Me: “This is a bedroom not a bathroom! Get out!”

He turns to leave, walks back toward the door and looks around before he goes, then slips out. Well, that was interesting. I will say that I don’t think that is my favorite way to wake up.

So, after an hour of tossing and turning, I got up jumped in the shower and got ready for the day. I got back to the room and struck up a conversation with the woman who didn’t want to be cold.

Me: “I am wondering if we should rethink leaving the door open at night.”

Her: “I saw that your friend came in.”

Me: “Excuse me?”

Her: “your friend”

Me: “That was not my friend. He was a complete stranger that came in and thought this room was the bathroom. I have absolutely no idea who he was. He came in because the door was open. Did you hear me yelling at him?”

Her: “oh. Yes, but I didn’t know why”

Me: “I would be more comfortable if we shut the door so strangers do not come into our room.”

Her: “Well, what about the heat?”

Me – dumbfounded: “Well, we will have to think about that won’t we.”

There we go. The safety in numbers really only works if we all participate. This is how my day started.