I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH

I work the graveyard shift at a busy resort in Southern California and one week-day night we got a call from a guest room.

According to the guest (an old Asian lady) the room across the hall was engaging in an intense domestic; she could year yelling and arguing and she could hear things being thrown around - and it was keeping her from sleeping.

When I spoke to her she said, "This has been going on for about an hour, I didn't know if someone had called."

They hadn't.

I find this particularly disturbing as the building in question was sold out, not a vacant room - yet only 1 noise complaint? It was a festive weekend, maybe people didn't mind the noise?

When security approached the room they confirmed the sound of a domestic, only there was only 1 voice.

They knocked on the door to no answer. They yelled and announced themselves, yet the dude inside was raging about - knocking over the table, throwing a chair about the room and yelling and ranting incoherently.

Normally this wouldn't be such an issue for our security, however this guy was gigantic - 6'5'' and built like a brick outhouse.

We called the police.

When the police arrived the room was silent, and when they opened the door they found him face-down on the ground not breathing, so they began trying to resuscitating him. They worked on him non-stop until the paramedics arrived, and thankfully they were able to save the man's life.

According to lead paramedic the man had overdosed on a drug and would have been beyond help if we had waited only 5 minutes longer.

5 minutes.

If that guest had waited 5 minutes longer, he would be dead.

I guess the old saying of "If you hear something, say something" is absolutely true. Since then I have approached complaints about guests from guests differently- if someone is concerned, their instincts might be right.

The sight of the man being wheeled through the lobby and into an ambulance will stick with me for years I think.

Take care guys, and remember - call in your noise complaints, you might just save someone's life.

~ Simon.