I was naive. When I first accepted a job in the tourism industry 10 years ago, I thought that everyone was happy when they traveled. I imagined being behind the customer service counter having meaningful conversations with travelers about their experiences and connecting with people from all over the world. What I learned is that working for a hotel or tour company is really hard work, and that travel can make an average person bat-shit crazy, especially if they have a parking lot view and the Johnson’s have a view of the river.
I also learned that no one likes to plunge a toilet. If you ever clog up a toilet at your hotel, you might as well pee in the trees and not use the toilet anymore because this is what happens when you call to have it fixed.
Stalk me.
Planet Bell 
Hehe…lovely cartoons😃 I worked as a house keeper several summers and can definitely relate. One hotel I worked at had this problem sorted out well. If there was any nasty stuff that needed to get cleaned (nasty = anything with origin from the human body) there was an addition to the pay. Everyone wanted to clean up that stuff😄
Usually if someone has to do something extra nasty, we give them some sort of reward. It isn’t often there is something gross to clean up, but it happens, especially if the Noro virus is going around.
Where I worked the ‘virus’ was called annual Christmas party season😄
We checked into a place in Pamukkale and found the last visitor’s um business floating in the toilet. Pretty sure this is the most unpleasant “surprise” I’ve ever encountered while traveling. 😦 Fortunately for us though, the staff was tripping over themselves trying to “fix” the problem. No plunger avoidance there. 🙂
Shelley, yeah, that is bad. Most housekeepers I’ve worked with try their best, but sometimes things get overlooked. That is a bad one though.
Hilarious!! Assuming you were the guy at reception, using cookies as bait was a smart move. I spent two months working in F&B at a five-star hotel over Christmas and Chinese New Year – it put me off working in hospitality and tourism forever! Because of that experience I’ve tried to become the perfect guest. So if I was in the old man’s position, I’d ask for a plunger and do it myself. You gotta deal with your own crap sometimes…
Working in the travel industry has no doubt made me a better customer. I am very nice and tolerant. I’m glad you got to see the other side!
Some people do want to deal with their own crap, so to speak, and take the plunger and do it themselves. Some are terribly embarrassed and leave the room after calling reception so they aren’t there when someone comes. Then there are awkward people who stay…
I love posts which make me laugh out loud! I doubt I would ever make it as a hospitality worker, but I’ve had scenarios like this at home with my husband and boys. Usually it starts out with “Who clogged the crapper and left it that way?!?!?”
Laura, if you run out of gas money on your trip to Alaska, you may have to work in tourism for a bit 🙂 I can only imagine that living with a couple of boys is like running a hotel though.
When Steve and I got married, we each had 2 boys. The age range was 6 -17. Luckily we never had more than 3 at one time! If I run out of gas money on the way to Alaska, I’d rather…well, let’s just say I don’t think I’ll attempt a job in tourism, haha.
Too funny Jeff! And oh so true. Glad to have you back with your wonderful take on life. 🙂 ~Terri
Thank you Terri. Working in tourism you get to see a whole other side of the world.
You got me at “nieve” vs. niave!
Sorry. Bad typo, especially in the lede.
Very well use of pictures for description. Nice post.
Thank you.
I think hotels would have learned by now to provide a plunger in every room…right next to the hair dryer on the wall or something. But then I guess housekeeping wouldn’t want to clean the plunger when cleaning the room when the guest checks out. Here we go again…
Angeline, I worked at a place where we thought about putting plungers in the room, but then, as you said, they might get nasty and they look a bit tacky at a nice place. Plus, there’d be less inspiration for cartoonists.
Your famous art characters have me smiling again. Good to see them again.
Thank you Lyle. I am glad you liked.
Funny story and cartoons as always. I’m sure that NEVER happened at the Village.
And I loved the double dose of (unintended) humor – I spent a full minute trying to figure out why you were snow (“nieve”), then I realized you meant naive…. 🙂
Yeah, I corrected that 🙂
No, that cartoon was never inspired from stories at the Village.
Jeff you and those cartoons are brilliant. While on this trip I have said at least a dozen times how I couldn’t work in the travel service industry as I would strangle someone. 🙂
I am thinking this might turn into a series. People seem to be interested in it – maybe it is morbid curiosity.
Haha, that comic made me giggle 😀
Glad you enjoyed. 🙂