So there I am. It is early in the morning and I just left my hotel room. After a decent night’s sleep I am up early for a quick breakfast and then a day of meetings. As I am walking towards the elevator I notice a housekeeping cart and a person walks by and takes something off it–I think it was some shampoo or lotion. I paused for a minute and thought this might be a fun post.
Have people done certain things in their life?
- Have you ever taken a newspaper that was in front of someone else’s door at a hotel?
- Have you ever taken the "do not disturb sign" off my door and put it on another?
- Have you ever filled out the breakfast order card and hung it on someone else’s door?
- Do you take things off the housekeeping cart?
- Do you try and board a flight before they call your section?
- Do you not put back items in a grocery store that all of a sudden you don’t want?
Six things you could have done. The question is yes/no – have you done them?
For me, I say "yes" to numbers 1, 4, 5, 6 and "no" to 2 and 3.
Now let me explain. For me I will only take someone else’s newspaper if someone took mine. Doesn’t make it right, but just what I do. I will sometimes take a few extra towels off the housekeeping cart. The reason is I tend to workout out when I’m on the road and take a lot of showers and hotels have cut back on towels. Once in a while I might try and board at the end of the first class line and once in awhile if I am with my kids at the checkout counter and I have noticed they put something in the cart that I didn’t know about, I will give it to the cashier and not put it back. With regard to number 3, I was with a friend of mine a few weeks ago who told me he used to do that all the time when he was a kid. I will admit I chuckled a little bit. The real funny thing is I never ever would have thought about doing that.
Now your turn:
Yes or no to these 6 things?
I look forward to reading your comments.
Stephenie Gordon says:
I’m a rule follower. No to all. Actually the Do Not Disturb thing is one of my biggest fears. I am not a very good sleeper and i am always afraid someone is going to do that to me. AND, i worked at a grocery store for 7 years of my life. PLEASE put your items back where they belong or at least give them to the cashier!!!! Doing “Go Backs” is an annoying job.
Fee Sepahi says:
LOL, Love the portrait, Merrill!!!
Yah, I’m with Stephanie,haven’t done any of 1-5 and having worked in a grocery store…..I can count on one time in my 40+ years, that I’ve had to leave a product at the register.
Christine Cook says:
I”m a “Yes” to 4, 5, & 6, but only if it’s really good soap, shampoo, etc…and I ask the cart lady
.
Merrill Dubrow says:
Christine,
I was getting a little nervous that I was the only one who did a few of these things. Appreciate your honesty.
Merrill
Jennifer says:
I’m very much a rule follower also, so it would never occur to me to do most of those things. However, I am guilty of #6. This is a fairly recent development, as I seem to always be in a hurry and if I have my young kids with me getting out of the store asap is my top priority. But when I arrive at the store if I see a shopping cart strewn about the parking lot I will grab it and take it back to the store, so I am hoping my karma evens out in the end.
Merrill Dubrow says:
Jennifer,
Even though you are guilty on number 6 you make up for it by bringing in a cart – I actually do the same thing. I have a fear of them banging into someone’s car – it creates a big dent.
Merrill
Michael Halberstam says:
No, to number 1
Yes, to number 2. In fact I’ve taken the DND sign off your door for years now. Every MRA and CASRO meeting.
No, to number 3 but you’re getting a very big breakfast soon!
No, to number 4 unless I ask permission.
Yes, to number 5 but rarely. I figure they can’t leave without me and my seat is going to be there so why worry or jump the line.
Number 6, I always put items back where I found them. I remember a woman, many years ago in NY, taking out something close to 15 items at the register after they were all rung up. I thought the cashier would go Serena on her but she showed the proper restraint.
Magda Ayoub Cooling says:
Mike – you are too funny – now we are ALL going to watch you as you walk down the hallways to see if you have DND door-hangers in your hand! =) Magda
Merrill Dubrow says:
Michael,
I am STILL LAUGHING! That is so funny. I guess I need to stay at different conference hotels since you take off my DND signs!
Merrill
Rhonda Ellis says:
Ya know, I am such a rule follower that I don’t even think about doing these things. I constantly watch the news and after most stories think to myself “Who even has enough spare time on their hands to dream up doing some of this stuff?”.
Things that are against the “rules” just do not readily occur to me.
So, my answer is No to items 1-5 but (you got me) Yes to #6. Why yes to #6? Because I usually don’t decide until the last minute that I just don’t need that particular item and I am so far away from its original spot that I’m not gonna drag my buggy and kids back to that spot to put it back. Anyway, don’t they pay people to do just that — put stuff back where it goes in a store??
The one exception to this — if it is something that needs to be refrigerated, I DO take the time to put it back in its original refrigerated spot.
janet says:
I am guilty of 2, 3, 6
I have taken the Do Not Disturb sign off someone else’s door and put it on mine because I am a freak about not allowing housekeeping in my room.
I have taken towels and an extra plastic laundry bag off carts if the housekeeper is nowhere around to ask. I swim and I need an extra bag to transport the wet suit home.
And I have put grocery items back in the wrong place but it is a rare occurrance. I won’t do it again thoug, I promise Fee & Stephenie.
Never ever do I do #5. Airline employees are not happy people and travelers these days can have a mob mentality and I don’t want to get beat up
Fee Sepahi says:
Janet, #3, REALLY?????? I’m shocked! I NEVER would have though you the type! I suppose I need to open my eyes
janet says:
OMG, I meant 2,4, and 6, not 2, 3,6. I am not much of a prankster but I have taken things from the cart. Too funny!
Paul Kirch says:
So you’re the one who ordered my eggs sunny side up. Next time, over easy, please.
Merrill Dubrow says:
Janet,
I am scare to ask did you order breakfast for me?
Merrill
Magda Ayoub Cooling says:
OK, OK, YES #1 (same thing, mine was taken first & they should have been up by then). No #2 (altho I have THOUGHT of doing it to others when I was younger), #3 (never even THOUGHT about doing THAT!), #4 (no, if I want it – I’ll ask her), #5 (same thing as Mike, that plane isn’t going to leave w/o me!), #6 (if it appeared in my cart – via kids – I give it to the Cashier OR have made the kid go put it back where it belongs.) =)
Michael Schott says:
Funny subject. It is nice to know that I am not the only one that thinks of these things. I actually have the same exact answers: Yes to numbers 1, 4, 5, 6 and “no” to 2 and 3. Great minds think alike, or at least act alike. Never really thought of 2 and 3 but not my style anyway. I also work out and love the hand towels for that purpose.
BTW, the mini shampoo bottles and soap bars are great for guest bathrooms at home!
Ed Sugar says:
1. yes, but only after 10 AM
2 & 3. – No
4. Only if they forgot to put them in my room the day before or if I am short on towels.
5. Never. I am airline loyal, collect my points and keep my status which gets me on board early anyways
6. Geez. I have the Y chromosome and I grocery shop. You do the math.
Ruthann Chesnoff says:
I don’t know how you think up these topics, but they are certainly fun. I am guilty of #1.4.6. I will have to watch you pranksters at the next MRA event.
Merrill Dubrow says:
Ruthann,
My crazy brain works in a different way that’s for sure! Glad you enjoy some of the topics.
Have a nice weekend.
Merrill
Will Morris says:
Very clever topic.
1. Yes – When traveling to the West Coast I wake up at 3:30am. If there is not a paper outside of my door, I will pick up another and read it. I will have it back in front of the violated room before they wake up.
2. No – hadn’t entered my mind, but I would have in my 20′s had I thought of it.
3. No – I never do room service.
4. Oh yes – Like Merrill, I take several showers a day when traveling. I hate it when I check in late at night with my family and we all take showers, using up all four towels. The next morning, we have zero. I immediately flag down the housekeeping cart and get four new towels.
5. Yes – funny story. My son and I flew to LA 10 days after 9/11. There were only 13 people on a 757!! When they called the flight they did the usual, first class passengers, people with small children, etc. All 13 of us went to the gate and I was first. The person looked at my ticket and said, “you are not a first class passenger”. I turned around at the 12 people behind me, and said, “we could all fit in first class.” We had to sit in our assigned seats the entire flight, it was really strange.
6. Yes – however, about 90% of the time I will go back to put them in the correct place. If they have the same type of product of a different brand on sale at a detached location, I may not return to the designated area. I figure that their marketing has enticed me to the new location.
Tammie says:
Apparently I’m not a risk taker. The closest I come is trying to get on the airplane early (twice) before my row was called – this was back in the day when everyone brought overnight suitcases with them and the overhead bins would fill up – it stressed me out not to have my suitcase near me!
However, after reading all the entries above, I decided to be a bad girl for a change – Merrill – I totally cheated on your Friday quiz! Looked up 9 of the 12 questions on google! One of them I couldn’t find an answer for (# of lawsuits is a humdinger to google!) – hence I got 11. Please disqualify me!! But thanks for letting me be bad!!
Merrill Dubrow says:
Tammie,
That is so funny! I really appreciate your honesty. Thanks for disqualifying yourself.
Speak to you soon.
Merrill