Monday wars
Well today started unlike any other. I got up 8am to check guests into Amsterdam Suite arriving 8.00 at airport. But with no keys to check them in with I headed to the office and on the way decided to buy the daily crossies for the daily scrambled eggs.
Having no money on in, in me or around me I headed to the ATM. Usual Amsterdam style ATM closed so I went to the other one across the square, same shit.
Welcome to Monday in Amsterdam. The city that doesn't wake up until 1pm. Nothing happens including the banks not opening. Both machines ran out of cash over the weekend and nobody refills until 1pm.
So with no cash in, on or around me and no old folk above to mug I headed to the office to crack open the safe and see what goddies I could borrow.
I grabbed Euro 10 and headed out for the crossies but as I approached the bakery I noticed it was dark in side, the closer I got the darker it looked but I could see people inside.
As I entered I noticed there was no light what so ever and customers where being served in the dark. Each assistant was using a torch . I was 5th, 6th or 7th in the Q but cannot say for sure.
The assistants where shining the lights right into the customers eyes like they were trying to get secret information out of them. They then used the torches to point out the items the customer had shouted out under interrogation . Alarm bells rang in my head - power cut= No crossies.
I heard someone shout croissants out so I knew there were some.
When I got to the counter the assistant was waiting for me . Light straight into my eye, YES she bellowed at be. Six croissants please I screamed back, forgetting she could see me and I not her.
The beam of light left my face and headed towards the shelf which held the croissants every morning without fail but as the beam settled on the shelf it revealed my worst horrors and morning mares. There on the shelf was an empty tray . The assistant yelled at me " No crossaints left. Next, she tossed me aside like a piece of used toilet paper only worse and moved on to the next victim.
But just as she started moving the flash light away from my beloved shef I spotted (miracle time) 4 crossaints all waving at me to be rescued from the darkness. "Croissants" THERE , I SCREAMED . The assistant moved the light to shine on me again. As it hit me right between the eyes, I said a little more quietly . Sorry I see 4 little fellows at the edge of the tray, can I have them please. She moved the beam back over to the shelf and scanned it for a few seconds which seemed a lot longer to me. There they where 4 little fellows all lined up and ready for bagging.
Now the tricky bit. No power means no cash register. Euro 85 x 4 , euro 85 x 4 . I could hear the cogs in the assistants brain trying to make up Euro 85 x 4 but without a lot of success.
I handed a Euro 10 to her which she held up to the torch light to check it for forgery as their note checking machine was powerless to help.
She scribbled down on a piece of paper 85 x 4 and tried to calculate the sum in her head and after several seconds she moved to the open register which was now being used as a money box. I got back Euro 6.20 but only managed to count it after making it back out onto the street. Not too bad I thought to myself, under the circumstances I might not have gotten back anything and It would be a brave man to go back in there and complain about wrong change on the day there having.
I headed to office and dropped off the crossaints. Collected the keys for Suite and just then the guests rang. I headed over to check them in. 2 Guys from New York. Loved the place and were delighted to hear they had the whole of HQ to themselves.
Headed back to the breakfast club and started to make the eggs but suddenly and without warning all hell crashed down. (No the ceiling did not fall in) Giuseppe and Mothership started fighting over a clean and dirty tea towel, Emmett butted in and demanded to add his 2 cents worth and then Giuseppe flipped and flipped again and started throwing things, first a glass at Emmett which hit him in the chest and fell to the ground as things do when dropped or thrown and smashed into a million pieces, then 2 cartons of organic lemon juice one hitting Emmett in the head and bursting all over him and the other missing him by inches and hitting the kitchen wall which exploded on impact sending lemon juice everywhere.
Emmett then attacked Giuseppe and the 2 of them rolled around the saw dust covered floor. Emmett being a lover not a fighter came of worse. Giuseppe jumped to his feet and grabbed a chair (Motherships to be precise) and threw it at Emmett also missing him by inches.
At this stage Mothership landed right into the middle of the two of them and banged their heads together. "Look, Look at my laundry, Look you assholes pointing to 3 bags of fresh laundry all now covered in glass and lemon juice. "It wasn't me" Giuseppe and Emmett said squeaking and at the same time as rubbing their heads.
Motherships laundry is not to be messed with. She takes 100% pride in her sheets and pillow cases. "Go kill each other else where, not near my laundry. Three loads ruined and I need them for today". ASSHOLES, she shouted as she left the room.
Giuseppe still with the look of a axe murderer in his eyes, looked around for Emmett but Emmett being a man who knows when he is beaten darted for the door even before mother ship had left. Fearing for his life I guess. One never can tell what our little 26 year old Italian terror will do next.
Last week he forged Motherships signature on a leasing agreement for a large screen TV for himself. Mothership has not gotten the forms yet, but she will. Then we will see real sparks fly.
Hold on to your hats.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not a lot of other stuff happed today.
We had to bad check ins - COKE & HOLYWOOD - 2 agent bookings. A group of friends . Hotel types and not our kind of guest. Stuffy shirt types would be a why of decribing them or just plain assholes would be another. Cannot stand those types. One of the reasons M.S & Myself escaped the corporate crap back in 99.
We packed in the day jobs, sold our houses and ran to Amsterdam.
Amsterdam Escape is the result.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1am
Just as I was packing it in for the night , the office door opened and Giuseppe arrives in.
I am going to become a Buddhist he informed me.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More Later after sleep.
12.17am
Having no money on in, in me or around me I headed to the ATM. Usual Amsterdam style ATM closed so I went to the other one across the square, same shit.
Welcome to Monday in Amsterdam. The city that doesn't wake up until 1pm. Nothing happens including the banks not opening. Both machines ran out of cash over the weekend and nobody refills until 1pm.
So with no cash in, on or around me and no old folk above to mug I headed to the office to crack open the safe and see what goddies I could borrow.
I grabbed Euro 10 and headed out for the crossies but as I approached the bakery I noticed it was dark in side, the closer I got the darker it looked but I could see people inside.
As I entered I noticed there was no light what so ever and customers where being served in the dark. Each assistant was using a torch . I was 5th, 6th or 7th in the Q but cannot say for sure.
The assistants where shining the lights right into the customers eyes like they were trying to get secret information out of them. They then used the torches to point out the items the customer had shouted out under interrogation . Alarm bells rang in my head - power cut= No crossies.
I heard someone shout croissants out so I knew there were some.
When I got to the counter the assistant was waiting for me . Light straight into my eye, YES she bellowed at be. Six croissants please I screamed back, forgetting she could see me and I not her.
The beam of light left my face and headed towards the shelf which held the croissants every morning without fail but as the beam settled on the shelf it revealed my worst horrors and morning mares. There on the shelf was an empty tray . The assistant yelled at me " No crossaints left. Next, she tossed me aside like a piece of used toilet paper only worse and moved on to the next victim.
But just as she started moving the flash light away from my beloved shef I spotted (miracle time) 4 crossaints all waving at me to be rescued from the darkness. "Croissants" THERE , I SCREAMED . The assistant moved the light to shine on me again. As it hit me right between the eyes, I said a little more quietly . Sorry I see 4 little fellows at the edge of the tray, can I have them please. She moved the beam back over to the shelf and scanned it for a few seconds which seemed a lot longer to me. There they where 4 little fellows all lined up and ready for bagging.
Now the tricky bit. No power means no cash register. Euro 85 x 4 , euro 85 x 4 . I could hear the cogs in the assistants brain trying to make up Euro 85 x 4 but without a lot of success.
I handed a Euro 10 to her which she held up to the torch light to check it for forgery as their note checking machine was powerless to help.
She scribbled down on a piece of paper 85 x 4 and tried to calculate the sum in her head and after several seconds she moved to the open register which was now being used as a money box. I got back Euro 6.20 but only managed to count it after making it back out onto the street. Not too bad I thought to myself, under the circumstances I might not have gotten back anything and It would be a brave man to go back in there and complain about wrong change on the day there having.
I headed to office and dropped off the crossaints. Collected the keys for Suite and just then the guests rang. I headed over to check them in. 2 Guys from New York. Loved the place and were delighted to hear they had the whole of HQ to themselves.
Headed back to the breakfast club and started to make the eggs but suddenly and without warning all hell crashed down. (No the ceiling did not fall in) Giuseppe and Mothership started fighting over a clean and dirty tea towel, Emmett butted in and demanded to add his 2 cents worth and then Giuseppe flipped and flipped again and started throwing things, first a glass at Emmett which hit him in the chest and fell to the ground as things do when dropped or thrown and smashed into a million pieces, then 2 cartons of organic lemon juice one hitting Emmett in the head and bursting all over him and the other missing him by inches and hitting the kitchen wall which exploded on impact sending lemon juice everywhere.
Emmett then attacked Giuseppe and the 2 of them rolled around the saw dust covered floor. Emmett being a lover not a fighter came of worse. Giuseppe jumped to his feet and grabbed a chair (Motherships to be precise) and threw it at Emmett also missing him by inches.
At this stage Mothership landed right into the middle of the two of them and banged their heads together. "Look, Look at my laundry, Look you assholes pointing to 3 bags of fresh laundry all now covered in glass and lemon juice. "It wasn't me" Giuseppe and Emmett said squeaking and at the same time as rubbing their heads.
Motherships laundry is not to be messed with. She takes 100% pride in her sheets and pillow cases. "Go kill each other else where, not near my laundry. Three loads ruined and I need them for today". ASSHOLES, she shouted as she left the room.
Giuseppe still with the look of a axe murderer in his eyes, looked around for Emmett but Emmett being a man who knows when he is beaten darted for the door even before mother ship had left. Fearing for his life I guess. One never can tell what our little 26 year old Italian terror will do next.
Last week he forged Motherships signature on a leasing agreement for a large screen TV for himself. Mothership has not gotten the forms yet, but she will. Then we will see real sparks fly.
Hold on to your hats.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not a lot of other stuff happed today.
We had to bad check ins - COKE & HOLYWOOD - 2 agent bookings. A group of friends . Hotel types and not our kind of guest. Stuffy shirt types would be a why of decribing them or just plain assholes would be another. Cannot stand those types. One of the reasons M.S & Myself escaped the corporate crap back in 99.
We packed in the day jobs, sold our houses and ran to Amsterdam.
Amsterdam Escape is the result.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1am
Just as I was packing it in for the night , the office door opened and Giuseppe arrives in.
I am going to become a Buddhist he informed me.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More Later after sleep.
12.17am
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