The Omen (part 4)

WAYNE’S WORDS
Volume 3 Number 4
The Omen (part 4)

WARNING:

IF YOU HAVE NOT READ PARTS 1, 2 & 3 YET,

GO BACK AND DO SO!

After the fun at Farley’s, we made our way to Billy the Kid Racino at Ruidoso Downs. That is where the video Blackjack machine is that The GF and I like. We walked in and it was all full up so, we decided to wait at the bar. The security guards said they would come get us when some spaces opened up. They were only that nice because The GF’s friend was really nice to them (in her own flirty way). She had told them that she didn’t know what she was doing, etc. They were all gaga and told her which slots they thought were going to hit and that she should try them. I actually tried one of them and lost. So, anyway, we waited in the bar and talked with each other and a really nice waitress and each had a drink. Nice, attentive staff: good omen.

The security officers came in and told us that there were two seats at the table open and we sent the girls on their way. The GF had to teach the friend how to play. This table is perfect, because they are not live dealers (they are life sized video images) and the minimum bet is $1.00 (with a $500.00 maximum). Shortly, two more seats opened up and the friend’s date and I went to join the girls. We sat there the rest of the evening. All taking turns to go grab a drink or bathroom break. Yes, the waitress kept our drinks at the bar for us! The GF was teaching the friend. While the friend was doing ok, The GF was making a killing! She is so awesome. I was doing pretty nicely myself, but not as good as The GF pro. The friend took her turn to get a drink and started talking to security again. They told her to play “that machine right there.” She did so and she won 75 bucks! When the evening was over the friend broke even at the table (and still had her $75), The GF won $100 and I won $40. Winning at the casino: good omen.

We bid our friends goodnight and decided it was time to hit the sheets. We cruised back to the hotel and got ready for bed. I think I had already gotten in bed when The GF told me she was starving. I am a good boyfriend so I got dressed and drove two blocks to Allsup’s, hoping it was open. It was. I got us a sausage on a stick, a couple of microwavable mac and cheese packs and a couple of waters. When I got back to the hotel I fixed our “meal” and we ate crappy late night food in bed and watched crappy late night TV and then went to sleep. It was great! In bed with The GF, crappy late night food and TV: good omen!

The next day we exhaled. It was time to go home - which we did, picking up The Boy in Alamogordo (it was his Birthday) along the way.

I hope that this trip was not a bad omen. I really don’t think it was because, all in all, we had a REALLY good time - full of adventure. I would like to think that this trip turned out this way to teach The GF and me a lesson. The lesson being, that no matter what the world throws at us – we can take it and it won’t ruin us. As long as we stand side by side we can conquer all things. I love this woman and she makes the “bad omens” fun and the “good omens” great.

THE END

Until Next Time,

Wayne

The Omen (part 3)

WAYNE’S WORDS
Volume 3 Number 3
The Omen (part 3)

WARNING:

IF YOU HAVE NOT READ PARTS 1 & 2 YET,

GO BACK AND DO SO!

The threat of police action sent The GF reeling! She told me to take the crap to the car and she was going to stop by the desk. I did and she did. I watched as she spoke to the lady in a very polite manner. The lady was screaming and saying that the fuzz had ALREADY been called and she started dialing their number again. She was doing this in front of guests who were checking in with children. The GF told her she was being ridiculous and that all we needed was the number to Ramada Corporate. The lady screamed no! As she told the police on the phone that we were trespassing and that we were talking bad about the hotel to other guests and that their staff worked on the room for 4 hours! (I bet they spent 20 minutes on it!) The GF said that we would gladly wait for the police and the lady told her to wait outside in the cold. So, we went and sat down in the lobby. Stupid &@^*&^$! We aren’t going to wait in the cold. Waiting for the police on New Year’s Day: bad omen.

We sat waiting for the police, both disgusted. The officer showed up minutes later and stopped at the front desk to talk to the lady. She was still loud and ridiculous. The officer looked our way and I raised our hand and said “that would be us.” He came over and we gave him the truth of the matter and said we just wanted the corporate number. He sighed and told us to wait by our car for a moment and he would go get it. Moments later he brought the number to us and sighed again and told us happy New Year. He didn’t even ask our names or anything. I think he realized those people were idiots. Cop on your side: good omen.

Some friends showed up just as we were leaving, so we all drove to midtown to park and get some drinks. On the way, The GF called Ramada (corporate) and was routed through to the complaint department. She told them the story and they said they would launch a formal investigation into the matter and actually gave us and internal case number! Having a case number with Ramada: good omen.

We walked with our friends to a little lodge-like beer place and grabbed a quick pint. It was all good, but by this time we all needed something a little more substantial. So, we went across the street to a Mexican restaurant/bar. (PS - on the way I was able to book a room at the Comfort Inn via telephone, with no problem.) We sat at the bar and started ordering. “Rum and diet,” someone said. The older Hispanic lady bartender proceeded to bark at us that there was no Diet, no Coke and no Dr. Pepper! A few drinks with Seven Up or water in them were ordered. Out of almost all carbonated beverages: bad omen.

The GF asked for some chips and salsa or queso. The lady, quite exasperated for some reason, asked her to choose from several somethings. I didn’t really hear much of what she said because I was to busy drinking and reeling from the days events. I do know that The GF asked what the difference was and the lady (hatefully) screamed “Cheese!” The GF ended up with chips, salsa and queso. We decided we needed shots. The GF said that the lady wouldn’t know how to make any. So…we asked. She was right! The lady said the only shot she could make was tequila! We all cringed. I asked if she could make a straight Jagermeister shot. Woo hoo! She figured it out. We ordered the girls Jager bombs. She had no clue. We told her it was Red Bull with a shot glass of Jager dropped into it. So she poured two glasses of Red Bull and then poured in some Jager. Good enough we guessed. Hateful, unknowledgeable bartender lady: bad omen.

I needed some “fresh air” so I was going to go out on the street for a few minutes. When I got to the door, it was locked. I asked a girl who was cleaning tables if they were closed and she said yes. I asked if she would please let me back inside in a few minutes. She sighed VERY heavily and said “I guess.” I told her it would probably be best if I just stayed in. So I went back to the gang at the bar. As we sat there laughing at the day’s events, a waiter walked behind the bar and said “DAMN,” As he looked at the fountain drink dispenser. We told him that there was no Diet, no Coke and no Dr. Pepper! I think he made due with something else. We decided to leave. Generally crabby and exhausted wait staff: bad omen.

We decided to go check into the hotel, which was where we parked anyway. The GF and I still had not showered this year and we both desperately needed and wanted one. While checking into the hotel I relayed the Reader’s Digest version of our story to the clerk. She was shocked and dismayed. There was a sign on the counter that said discounts were available upon check-in, so I asked. In return, she asked me if I was AARP, AAA, Law Enforcement, Military, etc. I told her no, but I was in Search and Rescue. She told me that that worked for her and discounted the room! She also gave us a late check-out. When we got in the room and proceeded with our showers we discovered that it was a really good showerhead with great pressure. Nice lady, discount, good hotel shower: good omen.

From the hotel we went to Farley’s. PACKED! They said the wait was about an hour and a half! As fate would have it, some people cleared away from a bar table and the hostess said we could sit there and wait for our table. Great! Drinks and green chile won tons all around! The waitress was pretty darned nice to us, the drinks were not bad at all and we all had great fun talking. We stayed at the bar and gave our table to the next group on the list. More drinks, a couple of shots and two hours later we were ready to go gamble. Good food, good drinks, friendly staff and good company: good omen.

(to be continued…)

Until Next Time,

Wayne

The Omen (part 2)

WAYNE’S WORDS
Volume 3 Number 2
The Omen (part 2)

WARNING:

IF YOU HAVE NOT READ PART 1 YET,

GO BACK AND DO SO!

After the Denny’s fiasco, The GF wanted to go back to the room and hit the Jacuzzi. Since we had it in the room she was going to take it solo just to relax and then we could use it together later. When we got to the room I, as a wonderful boyfriend should, went and filled the tub for her and started the jets. Yikes! Black mildew flakes came pouring into the crystal clear water. I told her it just hadn’t been used in a while and I would cycle all that through, clean it out and draw a new bath. I did so, started the jets and Yikes again! Black gunk in the Jacuzzi: bad omen.

I called the manager and explained the problem to him and he said that he would have someone come to our room immediately to fix it. Prompt service: good omen.

We kicked back on the bed and started watching a movie that turned out to be really funny. The flick was Mr. Woodcock and we laughed out loud many times and thoroughly enjoyed it. Mr. Woodcock: good omen.

The problem was that we watched the entire movie and no one came to fix the tub. I went down to see the manager and explained to him that nothing had been done. He told me (in his booming Middle Eastern voice) that they came, but we had the do not disturb sign up. I told him we didn’t even have a do not disturb sign. He said he could get me one. I don’t want one - I want the tub fixed, especially since I am paying for it. He said he could get me another room and then backtracked on that offer almost immediately. So, I walked the kid who was going to fix the tub up to our room to put him to work. I gathered up The GF and we left to get some food that we may actually like and more importantly some drinks. Booming Middle Eastern hotel manager: bad omen.

We were going to go to Farley’s for some won tons, but we decided on someplace we had not been: we went to Quarters. We sat down and the waitress was at our table after a bit of wait, but by now we were used to it. We ordered Bloody Mary’s and the waitress laughed with me as I accidentally showed her my Visa card instead of my ID. We decided to split a buffalo burger. The waitress dropped off our drinks and said she would be right back to take our order. We never spoke to her again. She walked by our table, she saw us hail her, she made eye contact, but would never come back to see us. What the hell. Luckily we had booze. Finally we grabbed another waitress and said that we were ready to order. She wrote down the order dutifully and took to our former waitress. The former waitress pointed at us and the new one turned our in order. The new one was then gone forever, at least from our table. Finally, she returned with our burger and we (having learned) ordered two more Bloody Mary’s each while she was there. The burger was crap. It had been sitting on the grill for days and was barely edible. We grabbed the new one and she told me buffalo meat was supposed to be dry and hard like that. Um, no. As she set down four Bloody Mary’s, I asked her to get The GF something else as quickly as she could (which pissed her off), but I cold eat this crap-alo burger and there was no problem. The GF told her it was no hurry (which calmed the new one’s nerves) and a few weeks later she brought the GF something else. The only good thing was that when she brought the bill she had decided to only charge us for two drinks total. Stupid waitresses: bad omen. Free drinks: good omen.

We paid out and went back to the Ramada and I filled the Jacuzzi for The GF, anxious for her to get to relax. Turned on the jets and… Yikes again! Drained it (after all, they did JUST work on it) and refilled it. Turned on the jets again and… Yikes again! I called the manager and calmly explained to him that it was still not working and I needed some sort of remuneration since we paid for the Jacuzzi suite and couldn’t use the Jacuzzi. He said he already gave me a good price and that we could find another hotel and the hung up on me. Hung up on: bad omen.

Almost before I was finished setting down the phone receiver, I was out the door. Keep in mind that I have been very calm throughout this entire process. As I approached the hotel desk, the manager started yelling at me from 20 feet away. He told me that I should find another hotel and mentioned several times that I was “just going to report him to Ramada!” He re-visited the “good deal” he gave me and basically told me “tough” on the Jacuzzi deal. He did all of this in front of his staff while I just stood there and listened. He then said that we needed to leave the hotel, because his cleaning crew was waiting to clean our room and we were holding them up.

I said to the manager that now it was my turn to speak and as the guest he would hear me out. He said ok, but let’s goes outside. No. He yelled at me in front of his crew… he will suffer the same humiliation. I told him - sorry about his crew, but that was his own human resources problem. I told him that I really didn’t like spending my New Year’s Day working on a Jacuzzi and being yelled at for wanting it to work. I also mentioned to him that he did not give me any special deal – it was the price on the web and anybody could get it. I told him that even if I bought a shirt marked from $75 down to $50, I would still want the buttons to work. If this idiot had, even at this point, given me any sort of additional discount, things probably would have been ok. I asked him if he and his wife had gone to stay somewhere and the amenities in his room did not work wouldn’t he be pissed off? He said of course. I said then I don’t understand the problem. He said get out of his hotel. I told him that he should not have chosen tourism and hospitality as a profession, because he was very bad at it. I went on to say that he was neither hospitable nor accommodating and that he was a very hateful and unreasonable man. Also, I WOULD report this to Ramada since he had not settled it to my satisfaction. In the deepest, most booming voice he screamed “get out!” I had said my peace. Confrontation with angry hotel manager: bad omen.

Up to the room I went. Told The GF we were indeed leaving. I had been back to the room for almost thirty seconds and then the phone rang. When I answered it a female, Middle Eastern accent asked me if I was the cleaning staff or the guest. I told her and she said I needed to leave or she would call the police. Ma’am we are packing now and you are ridiculous. Threat of police being called on you: bad omen.

(To be continued…)

Until Next Time,

Wayne

The Omen (part 1)

WAYNE’S WORDS
Volume 3 Number 1
The Omen (part 1)

2008 was a very different year for me. Suffice it to say that I did not deal with my personal relationships, my inner demons or my self-doubts in the best manner. In fact, I dealt with them all extremely poorly. That being said: I will relay this story to you and please hope with me that it is not an omen, but just an end to a kind of crappy year.

I had a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s Eve was fast approaching. The Girlfriend and I desperately need some alone adult time and arrangements were made for The Boy to hang at his Grandmother’s house for a few days. I will not feel bad about those arrangements, because he needs time with his extended family and I need time with The GF.

The stage was set. Now, what could I do to make New Year’s Eve really special? The GF and I have been together coming up on 3 years (although I always add a year, because it feels like I have loved her for longer) and we have rung in two New Years together. Our first New Year was spent at a house party with friends which (I think) was a lot of fun for both of us and the second one was one of those all inclusive hotel parties with dinner, dancing, a room and such.

I decided to make this one special by whisking my love away for a weekend. MMMMM sounds nice. Keep in mind it was December 29^th when I was trying to put this together. I called the Sitzmark Chalet in Ruidoso. We always stay there, because the owners are nice, the rates are cheap and hotel is quaint and cute. BOOKED UP! Crap. No Sitzmark: bad omen.

I got on the web and, after calls to several hotels in the Ruidoso area I found a vacancy at the Ramada. All they had was a Jacuzzi suite and there was a minimum 2 night stay. The Jacuzzi would be nice and with it I could pamper my girl. I will take it! As the manager quoted the price I told him that I was looking at the Ramada site on the web and they had it for much less for the same dates. He said he would match that price, no problem. Jacuzzi suite: good omen.

I also attempted to make New Year’s Eve dinner reservations at Morsels in Ruidoso. It is our favorite restaurant, bar none! The phone rang and the machine said they were not open until Wednesday (Dec. 31^st) and to leave my name and number. Crap! I will never get reservations if they don’t open until the day I need them. A short while later, Morsels called me back! They had a table for two open for the single seating, five-course dinner and would love to have us join them again! Reservations at our favorite restaurant: good omen.

I went home on the 29^th walking on sunshine. I had just planned a super nice, romantic and fun New Year’s Eve for the two of us. As I walked in the door I started helping The Boy pack his stuff for Grandma’s – she would be here to pick him up in 15 minutes. We waited – no Grandma. He called her cell, knowing she was on her way… no answer. Finally we tried the house. She was there. The Boy had forgotten to call her back and tell her he was coming for sure. ARGH! She agreed to meet us halfway and he could still come. The Boy was taken care of, safe and sound: good omen.

New Year’s Eve arrived and I was more excited than I was on Christmas Day. As soon as I got off work I met The GF at home, packed and hit the road. Normally, when we leave on a road trip we buzz through Sonic. I get a couple of corn dogs (easy driving food) and The GF gets some chicken and a good sized mixable drink. This time we decided to go to Cattle Baron’s and have their green chile won tons (which are back on the menu, if you didn’t know). We stepped into the bar and waited for a server. We waited and waited. Several servers, who were apparently on break, looked right at us and did nothing to bring to someone’s attention that we were there. After another unattended table of people left in disgust, The GF went and asked the manager if there was a server for the bar area. No. Really that is what she said, but she would get one. After a bit longer the manager walked into the bar area, saw us and realized that she forgot to get someone, then scuttled away to retrieve a server. Finally, we were taken care of. The server was even very polite and called me MA’AM!!! I said to The GF at that point that I hoped this was not a bad omen for our awesome trip. Poor service, Ma’am: bad omen.

We left for and arrived in Ruidoso with no problems. Beautiful. We checked into our room. Huge and nice. We still had some time before our 8:00 pm dinner reservations so we cleaned up and readied ourselves. The shower was wonderful and that is something that means a lot to me when it comes to hotels. Good hotel shower: good omen.

We arrived for dinner at exactly 8:00 pm. Perfect. In fact, to try and describe the next two and a half hours to you would do Morsels no justice. The place is always fantastic and on New Year’s Eve they were phenomenal. The food, the guitarist/singer in the corner, the service: everything was perfect. At the end of the evening the chef came out and thanked us and each person even got a cute little gift wrapped in a party favor. Woo Hoo! Morsels: good omen.

We decided to go to play blackjack and on the way I almost flipped the car over because I instantly careened into a parking lot because I saw…THE BATMOBILE! The Batmobile from the 80s movies was parked on a trailer in front of a hot rod shop! We got out and took pictures. How cool! Batmobile: good omen.

We then went to the casino and ended up coming out ahead (especially The GF – she is a blackjack machine!). After ringing in the New Year at the table we left shortly thereafter to head back to our suite and catch some Z’s. Casino winning: good omen.

The next day we got out of bed and decided to go next door and get some breakfast at Denny’s. We ordered new stuff off of the menu rather than our normal Denny’s fare. Neither one of us could hardly stomach the food! It was just not right. The tastes clashed for an unappetizing assault on our taste buds. I am getting sick right now just thinking about it. Denny’s: bad omen.

(To be continued…)

Until Next Time,

Wayne