Another Tale From The Front Desk

I don't know about you all, but it has been a week of deep reflection and emotion for me with in the blog so I thought some humorous reflection was in order. So with that, I bring you another tale from the front desk.
I arrived to work one evening to find the swing shift desk clerk rather frazzled. She explained to me that there was an incoming guest on the phone who was screaming at her that she had given him wrong directions and was now lost. Being rather familiar with the freeway systems here in Southern California, I told her I would handle it. I pick up the phone and the guest immediately starts screaming at me that he is tired of being made a fool and that he wanted precise directions. So I asked him where he was. He told me he was off the 91 freeway in Riverside. I lived in Riverside at the time so it was quite easy to give him directions. "Take the 91 east. You will pass the 15, 55, 57 and 5 freeways respectively. Just after passing the 5 exit Beach Blvd and turn left. We are on the right hand side." I took that trip everyday, so I knew he would be at least 30 minutes. The other desk clerk thanked me and she began closing her shift. About 15 minutes later, the guest called back furious. He was screaming at me that he had not seen any of the freeways I mentioned and was at the end of the 91 on Artesia Blvd. He described where he was at and indeed he was on Artesia, but he must have driven twice the speed limit to get there. So again I tell him directions back. "Take the 91 heading west and just before you reach the 5 freeway you will come to Beach Blvd. Exit and go right, we are on the right." By now it is time for everyone on the swing shift to go and to leave me alone. Curiosity, however, had gotten the best of them and they all decided to hang out in the bar to see who this guest was. Sure enough, 15 minutes later he calls again. He is screaming at me at the top of his lungs that he is sure I am screwing with him on purpose and that he was now in Riverside again and he was tired of the games and when he got to the hotel he would make me pay. At that point I had two options, simply tell him to choose other accommodations or help him to get to the hotel. I have to admit, I was curious to see this man too, so I chose the later. so I tell him, "Sir, I am quite familiar with Riverside, as I live there, so could he please tell me the exact location he was at." He began yelling at me he did not know the name of the street and was calling from a gas station, so I asked him to ask the attendant the name of the street. After a moment he comes back and says he is at Norwalk Blvd. Now something California does, and I am sure other places do to, they name the freeways after their destinations, according to when that section was built. As it turns out, at Norwalk Blvd the 91 freeway goes from being the Artesia Freeway to the Riverside Freeway. As it turns out, he was actually IN Artesia. So I explain this to him and assure him he is not, in fact, in Riverside but heading towards it and told him to get back on the freeway going west and he would be here in about 5 minutes. When I hung up, a roar of laughter exploded from the bar. The crowd had grown from the other employees to a group of hotel regulars that had been informed what was going on. After a short while, the guest finally arrives. The bar area was as quite as a mime as he approached the counter. Humbled he quietly checked in and as he was turning to leave to go to his room, the crowed cheered his arrival. Hope you all liked, and enjoyed the break in seriousness from the week. Love to all.

Burly Bear Chris

What It Is Like To Be An Empath

For those who are unaware, an Empath, in the most simplest of definitions, is someone who is overly sensitive to emotions and feelings and can feel other's as if they were their own. For the longest time I was told, and believed myself, that I was just a very "sensitive" person. One who was easily made to laugh and to cry. I also noticed that people, even perfect strangers, would have no problem opening up to me and telling me what was bothering them. I never knew the two could be connected, until I learned about Empaths. No only can Empaths feel the emotional burdens of others, but others can naturally be drawn to them to help ease those burdens. A perfect example of this happened one time when I was about 19. I was walking through the neighborhood on my way to a carnival being held at a local park. A complete stranger was walking the other way on the opposite side of the street. He crossed the street and started talking to me as we walked. After they "heys" and "hows it goings" he suddenly started telling me how he and his girlfriend had just split and how much pain he was feeling. Now this guy was a rather tough looking guy with that "Don't screw with me" look about him. Suddenly he started to cry. Not a little tear and a sniff, but full on bawling. We stopped and I just listened to him. After he finished his story he suddenly came to his senses, looked around and said he could not understand why he told me all this or what made him feel he could and just took off. Had it not happened to me before, I would have sworn someone was playing a joke on me it was so surreal. As long as I can remember I have been the one people confided in. As I got older I began to notice that not only could I listen to them, I could feel them. And it is not just emotions but physical pain too. Sometimes its hard being able to tell my pain from the pain of loved ones. There has been times I have awoke with an unusual pain and called family to be sure it wasn't them. About half the time, it is. I don't want you to think its all about pain either. I can feel happiness, joy, confusion, and fear too. I can also sense nature coming on. Even as a child I knew when and where an earthquake would hit. My mother tells a story of when I was just a baby, months after being born. I was crying and fussing all day and night and no matter what she did, nothing worked. That night a rather large earthquake hit. as the shaking stopped, I fell asleep and quit fussing. Could I sense it? I don't know. Based on what I have experienced in my life that I do remember, chances are yes I could. One of the best things about being an Empath is the ability to tell when I am being lied to. I can sense the nervousness of being caught. That's not to say I can "always" tell when it is happening, it all depends on how the other person feels about the lie and how sensitive I am at the time. The sensitivity is not constant and can change with my own emotions or fatigue. Anyway, that is a short introduction into the life of an Empath. If you have any questions or have had similar experiences, feel free to contact me. Love to all.

Burly Bear Chris

I Remember When....

I remember when:

• The streetlights coming on meant it was time to go home.
• Gas was under $1 per Gal.
• Sundays were Grandma days, visiting her, and seeing what she was baking that time.
• It was safe as a 10 year old to walk several blocks by myself to 7-11.
• Telling stories at the bus stop with the other kids heading to school.
• Looking forward to September. Not for school to start but to get the new clothes.
• I had to have PeeChee folders.
• Swatches were cool.
• Thinking 30 was "old".
• Playing baseball in the street.
• Riding bikes without helmets.
• Fighting over "the hump" in the back seat.
• Gumballs were a penny.
• Payphones were a dime.
• Looking something up involved getting a book.
• Black and white TVs and Rabbit Ears were options.
• I had to be in bed by 8.
• You could record a song from the radio onto a cassette, and no one cared.
• I had my first crush.
• I had my first heartbreak.
• I had my first kiss.
• I thought 80's fashion was so hot.
• I had to memorize the "Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow" speech from Macbeth.(and can still recite it)
• Leaded gas.

These are just a few of many many things I remember. This is an open ended blog so please, feel free to add to the list. Love to all

Burly Bear Chris