a HOTel for the night
Last week I flew to Seattle to give training (part of my job). My flight was scheduled to leave Detroit at 7:30pm EST, which was fine, and arrive at 9:30pm PST. I expected to get to my hotel and be ready for bed around 11pm, which honestly doesn't sound very late, but I expected to be tired, since I was sort of coming off a cold or slight illness, and 11pm PST is 2am EST. Little did I know how tired I would actually be after that night.
Though the plane departed a little bit later than I hoped, it arrived only about a half-hour behind schedule, 10pm PST. I was a little bit nervouse because I had told the rental car company that I'd be at their location at 10pm, and I knew that they closed at 11pm. My hotel was about a half-hour drive from the airport, so it was important to have a car starting that night. I got off the plane, then hit the bathroom, which is always the best time to do it if you have checked baggage because instead of waiting around near the baggage carousel doing nothing you're at least being "productive" and it's also nice not to have your biggest bags with you in the bathroom.
Anyway, by the time I picked up my baggage it was about 10:20. Fortunately, the electric tram from my arrival terminal to the main terminal arrived just as I reached the tram-stop, saving me about 10 minutes. I still had to find the courtesy shuttle to the rental car area and get there before they closed. I attempted to follow the signs to the shuttle area. Outside at the curb the sign said "Rental Cars, Level 1." I was on level 3, so I hopped in the elevator and pushed the button for level 1. As I was descending I turned to my left and noticed a directory for each level. Of course: Level 1 only had on-site rental agencies. Level 3 is where one could pick up a courtesy shuttle to off-site lots. Back up, to find a the shuttle-stop. I was a little bit anxious, though not having a rental car should have been the least of my worries, as it turned out.
I arrived at the rental counter and in short order I was master and commander of a Chevy Impala. Decent car, though the brakes feel like wood, and I had to learn that just thinking about braking would be enough for most stops. It was about 11pm when I left the rental agency, visibility was poor, rain was coming down (of course), and I had no idea where I was going, save for some terse directions from the rental agent. After a false start where I took the highway the wrong direction and had to exit to get back on, I was on my way to my hotel, where I was sure I'd find comfort and rest, or at least I so expected.
Check-in at the hotel went swimmingly. They offered a continental breakfast in the morning, which was great because I need breakfast, and other than having parked in the exact end of the parking lot from my room, things were looking good. The place even had a pool, spa, and fitness room. I efficiently unpacked a few things and got ready for bed, finally turning off the light at around 12:30, ready to awake a little after 7 the next morning. This is about when things started to go wrong.
After I had been in bed for about 20 minutes I heard an annoying buzzing outside my door. It lasted for maybe 15 seconds and then went off. "Who are these people, who don't understand that other guests are trying to sleep after midnight? Do they really not consider anyone else?" Well, at least it had been short-lived and I could get to sleep. Not so fast. A couple of minutes later I noticed that the room heater and refrigerator suddenly stopped making noises. I looked at my alarm clock; it too showed no sign of life. Ah well, I could just set my alarm on my trusty cell-phone and settle in, power or no power.
Suddenly I was startled by a loud beep! "Geez, now the smoke alarm is going to keep beeping until the power comes back on. I hope I can learn to ignore it." This wasn't going to be an easy night to get to rest, as fate would have it. I'd have to just do what I could and live with the results the next day.
I never got the chance. About this time, 12:30am or so, that buzzing started up again, as well as what sounded like people throwing plywood down the hall. I gave it another minute and decided that these people needed a talking to. Out of bed I went, out of my room I stalked, only to have my anger turn into surprise and alertness as soon as I got in the hall. That buzzing was loud! And the hallway was filling with smoke! The bumping I had heard was other guests grabbing some things from their room and running outside! This was no drill, for sure! I quickly ducked into my room, grabbed my room and car keys and made my way outside.
My pajamas and flip-flops didn't fare so well in the wet, 45 degree weather. I tried huddling in my car to stay warm, expecting to be let back in the building after an hour at the max. That wasn't to be. The firemen got their equipment out and I could see hoses and oxygen tanks going into the building. I tried to sleep for a bit, and when I came out of the car there were no fewer than 4 firetrucks (and maybe more).
Other guests were watching the firefighters, and they slowly began migrating into the nearby Denny's for coffee, food, and warmth. I simply couldn't continue to where such little clothing. I snuck around the other side of the building to the entrance near my room, and used my room card to get inside. I should have felt the door for heat, since I had no idea how far the fire had progressed, but I wasn't thinking. I grabbed some jeans, some socks and shoes, and my biggest bag. I came back outside, and headed to Denny's, where I changed in the bathroom. I still expected that within a "little while" I'd be able to get back into my room. The firemen even said that it should be about an hour.
Denny's was the place to be; good thing it was open 24 hours. It was warmer, and there was a bench where I could sit and try to sleep, which I did, though without much success. Eventually the news percolated through that it would be at least 2 hours, maybe more, before we could re-enter the hotel. It was about 3:00 at this point, and the manager of the hotel began offering vouchers for a free night at a nearby hotel.
Then one fortunate thing did happen: one of the other guests ordered some food and then left for the other hotel before it arrived. The waitress offered it to me for free so: hotel on fire = free moons over my hammy. Tasty. I ate and was satisfied, and decided to join the exodus to a free room at a hotel that wasn't burning. I got my voucher and went to my car. Hmmm, there was a fire-hose behind it. After flagging down and speaking with a passing firefighter, I learned that it's apparently quite a dangerous thing to drive a car over a "charged" fire hose. So what to do? I didn't have my cell-phone, wallet, or even my toiletries. The commanding fireman gave me an update on when the building would be re-enterable: not before 8am! Well, let's at least get to the other hotel.
Directions from the commanding fireman: "Take a left out of here, then a right at the light, go a block, then another right and it's on your left." My response: "Do you know if there's a shortcut for walking? My car is blocked by some of the equipment." Him: "Well, you could follow the train-tracks there and go to the next major road. That should take you right close to that area. There shouldn't be many trains this time of night, just keep an eye out."
And I did. It was the first time ever I walked for a half-mile down a railroad track with a duffel bag on my shoulder and no ID or money at 4 in the morning. Probably the last, too. Anyway, I got the other hotel (thanks to a lucky choice at a particular intersection), and checked in without a credit card using the voucher. I finally got to bed about 4:30 in the morning for a solid 3 hours of sleep.
The next morning consisted of a continental breakfast, getting a ride to the fire-hotel from another unlucky guest, and entering my room to get all my items including my wallet (of course), my laptop computer, and some medicine. I went to work a little weary, but with a good story.
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