Upsetting

In the motel business I sometimes come across more upset than I want. Last night was one of those times. I'm not sure who was beating up whom but there was plenty of moise and some sounds as if someone were hit. So my night person called the cops to deal with the couple. One of them mouthed off to the cops and went to jail and the other wanted to stay the rest of the night since they were too drunk to drive.

I hope I'm appropriately sympathetic in instances of domestic violence, but this is not behavior that we expect in our guests. Especially since we had several items broken in the room. If the guest had called to the front desk to report broken items I might have been more sympathetic. But when we hear complaints from rooms around the people. And when we go down and hear signs that someone is being beaten up. And when we have to call the cops. Then I'm not sympathetic to the plight.

And so our left-over guest was asked to leave. The credit card they used was charged for room damages and clean-up for smoking in a non-smoking room. And my housekeepers had more work then they should.

What's the appropriate action? I want to help the one being abused, but is it help to let them remain? I tend to think it is more help to make clear that this is a major problem and provide a phone number for the women's crisis center, than to just let the person stay. I had several options and none of them were good.

So I'm upset. And a little bit angry at the world.