Stories of Kindness from Around the World

A Hotel Manager Creates Some Magic


--by luna1969, posted Sep 16, 2010

About nine years ago I worked at a large downtown hotel. Since we were connected to a mall and a public parking garage, anyone could just pretty much walk into the hotel area.

We started having a big problem with homeless youth living in our stairwells at night. The stairwells went largely unused because of their hidden nature and the fact that once inside, you could only go down and exit to the street, all the doors locked behind you and you could not travel between levels and exit back into the hotel. As night manager, I ended up being the one to evict these youth, night after night after night.

One night there were seven homeless young people and a puppy, in a total of three locations. I hated to do it on rainy nights, but it was my job, and some guests felt threatened when encountering tattooed and pierced youth late at night. They never gave me any trouble though, they always just moved on when asked.  One guy in particular stood out. He was over 6 ft. tall and 200 lbs, and a tall mohawk. We'd find him everywhere, asleep sitting on a toilet stall in our banquet floor or sleeping on the stairs up to the roof, for instance.

One early morning on my rounds I opened an emergency exit and found him face down snoring in the little exit cavity by the fire hose. I started to yet again wake him and send him on his way, but for some reason, I couldn't do it that day. Maybe I was tired. I stepped back out, closed the door quietly and left. What I did next I don't know if I will ever understand. I went downstairs and bought a large coffee and a chocolate donut, went back upstairs, opened the emergency door and set the package by his feet. When I closed the door this time I let it slam so he would wake up. I wish I could have been there to see him wake up to hot coffee and a donut, dropped off by magic.

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Readers Comments

Matthew wrote: Few people are willing to face the reality that most of us wandering around the planet are one paycheck away from the same fate. Maybe if we were all homeless, we take better care of each other.

Well done, god walks with you.
Darlene wrote: I'm sure it made a big difference to him. Sometimes you have to bend the rules and just do what is right.
Karen wrote: I wish there were more we could all do for these brothers and sisters. The part of us that is homeless with no place to go. In our souls we are all one. And it is that oneness that prompts us to do kind things for one another. "do as you would have others do unto you. "
Fateyma Wyne wrote: Awe i am so touched!

Stay blesses!
Peter wrote: Good
enpai wrote: How great of you to follow the impulse to do something different from your norm. He certainly would have been pleased with what he found, and you too have been lifted up by your kindness. :)
bookworm58 wrote: That was sweet of you to offer him a small treat like coffee and a donut/ too bad this society doesnt help the homeless more and give them a chance to get off the street for good.
Melanie wrote: You are a blessing to this earth. That small act may have changed that boys outlook on life. I wonder what became of him?
prettypita wrote: What a wonderfully kind thing you did! I am sure that was probably one of the best coffee and donut he ever ate! Yum!
smileamile wrote: "no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted". :-) smileamile

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