(translation...) It's A Marvelous Thing!
I don't know what was more marvelous, the fact that I got to sleep in and not have to be "up" and "on" for the touring clientele or that I actually slept. Oh, until 10:30. If I went any longer it would seriously shift my sleeping cycle. That happens quite easily for me. I can go weeks and months waking at 5 with no problem, but let me sleep in once and I am completely re-set to want to go to sleep at 4AM and get up at noon. Too many years on the graveyard shift...
I wasn't expected to be doing anything until office hours at 3PM so I called over to the house and chatted with Mamma for a few minutes and then set out to get on the boat to go there for lunch. Marco was home too, having a day off, so I wanted to feel him out on the possibility of coming to Rome at Frank's invitation.
He was really receptive to it, simply because Mamma showed interest in going. One kink in the works would be the timing of it, since he was expected to be in Padova for a training module (new software for the hotel and he is going to be the guy to train everyone on it- oy yoy yoy) so he wasn't sure the dates would mesh. A phone call to a manager set it straight, and they would be able to go! The guy also asked for extra days off to boot - short notice, but he never takes time off, until it's a family emergency. Hasn't had a vacation in four years. He will be in training Tuesday through Friday, then off on his weekend/vacation from Saturday through Tuesday with us in Rome and Florence. The last step in the process was scoring accommodations. Much like when Serena and the girls came to Florence, he can get rooms at no cost or deeply discounted as an employee. Being a concierge it's even easier for him, he just never takes advantage because he doesn't go anywhere. He called down to Rome and boom! Room for himself, separate room for Mamma. Same thing for Florence. I got on the computer and booked their train tickets - he didn't know about the sale going on for online booking - saved them each 79Euro. Because I rock...
It is very exciting to Mamma look forward to something. She hasn't in a long time. She immediately began fussing over what she's going to wear to go see the Pope. "Mamma, non stiamo andando a vedere il Papa, saremo lì nel fine settimana, non per il pubblico mercoledì." (Mamma, we aren't going to see the Pope, we'll be there on the weekend, not for the public Wednesday audience.)
"Non importa - egli sa che sono lì." (No matter - He will know I'm there.) Well that settles it.
I went back to the hotel and found I had flowers in my room, courtesy of the client going to hospital last night. I rang her room and went to visit her. She is a little worse for wear, hobbling around on the crutches and taking the pain ,eds given to her. She did say she was feeling a bit cooped up in the room. I told her the hotel has a wheelchair she can use to go down and sit in the sun on the terrace. She agreed and I called for the porter to bring up the chair for the day. Davide (my favorite porter) came and pushed her to the elevator and once downstairs to the bar and terrace. I stayed with her and let the front desk know I was having my office hours on the terrace if anyone came looking for me. She was happy and relaxed, sitting there like a kitty in a ray of sunshine. At least her broken ankle came during the last few days of the trip. Other than the possibility of discomfort on the plane home, she'll be okay. The doctor didn't think they would need to extend their trip because of the break; the clients are already able to stretch out since they have business class tickets. Things could be a lot worse.
She and I chatted for two hours. She asked me how I came to be interviewing for the job. I gave the short version of the story, even though it goes back almost ten years. She told me that it seems like I have already been doing the job for a decade; I'm very comfortable with people and seem very capable of handling crises. I then told her about my years as an emergency dispatcher. "Unflappable..." was her response. Not quite, but pretty close.
Frank came and found us. He wanted to check on the patient. She assured him that she was having the best possible day all things considered and she was enjoying my company. Her husband returned from his time out and about the city and he came to show her his pictures. He thanked me for keeping his lovely wife occupied while he gallivanted. No problem. They went off to their room. Frank and I made plans for dinner and I told him that my unofficial family would be joining us for 2 nights in Rome and 2 in Florence. I verified there wouldn't be a problem with them being on the coach in Rome and on the way to Florence with the clients. I asked how that goes over for these people who have spent big bucks for the tour to find out there are stowaways. "Nonsense. From time we have people join onto the tours for only a few days. People have joined in who work in our offices or in different posts in other countries and come aboard for a day or two with their families. You would be able to also, eventually. The clients don't know what goes on in accounting. The bonus will be how many people recognize our friend the concierge when we arrive in Venice." That will be interesting to see.
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