True Story Tuesday - On Wednesday

So I'm a day late. It's been busy around here... What's new!?! This True Story Tuesday is pretty recent.
I accepted a new job at the end of March. The company does all of their training in Glenwood Springs, about 4 hours drive away from our town. The training lasts for a week and two days. Now, those of you who know me know that I have a new little one. I was reluctant to take the job specifically because I knew it meant being away from the family for over a week. I really felt like this job was being provided by the Lord and, ultimately, I decided to take it. I decided to look on the bright side:

• I'd be able to sleep through the night
• I'd have all my meals provided, and plenty of opportunity to explore all the local eateries
• I'd be right down the street from a Targ*t (hooray!!)
• I'd have acccess to a gym in the hotel

The gym was definitely my biggest "bright side". Before my pregnancy I was in the best shape I'd been in since High School. I went to 6am classes at the gym 5 days a week (almost) every week until I was 6 weeks from my due date. I'm convinced that my fitness level is why I had a relatively easy labor. I've been wanting to get back to the gym but I just can't seem to find a rhythm since Norah was born. So having direct access to a gym and no child care to worry about - even just for a week - was a huge plus.
I checked into the hotel and my room was just two doors down from the gym. SCORE! But wouldn't you know it, the gym was out of order! I asked at the front desk and they said that I could use the one at the affiliated hotel across the street. They said they should have it fixed by the next day. As it turns out, the battery that operated the key-card lock on the gym door died. So there was nothing wrong with the gym. There was just no way to get in! I looked longingly through the window as I bundled up to take to chilly walk across the street.
I'm a firm believer that when you ask nicely for something, you'll probably get it a little faster. Hence, when the gym door wasn't fixed the next day, I asked at the front desk when it would be. I proceeded to ask (nicely) every day for three more days. I got in the habit of asking whoever was there every time I passed the front desk. I just thought it was a good idea to let the people who worked there know that getting that door fixed was important to one of their customers.
A few days after I checked in I was heading out the door again to go to the gym. I saw a gentleman walking out of a small office right next to the front desk area. He made eye contact and smiled. He had a spiral cord coming out of he neck of his jacket into a headphone-looking thing on one of his ears. I though "Oh great! I can talk to maintenance directly!" I walked up, still smiling, and said, "Do you have any idea of when the gym door is going to be fixed?" He kind of squinted and said, "I got no idea lady, my friend's just checking us in. You need me to pick a lock for you?" AACK! I said something about the battery being dead and said that his lock picking skills probably wouldn't help. Then I walked as quickly as I could without running out the door. 
Turns out the office next to the front desk was the hotel provided public computer room and the headphone looking thing was, well, headphones. Oh MAN did I misinterpret the cues on that one! Of course I saw the guy again (murphy's law). He was with a couple of friends. He stopped me and said, "I'm still working on getting that door fixed ma'am." I apologized and told him how embarrassed I was. He said it was no problem and there was no apology necessary. Needless to say I appreciated his graciousness very much!
The very next day they finally fixed the door to the gym. I don't know if it was my good natured pestering that did it, but I know that the front desk staff saw (and giggled at) the incident. I choose to believe that it brought it to the top of someone's mind and caused them to call maintenance that one last time. :-)