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Back to the Forum Archives This is a continuation of my essay about standing up to crooks, cheats, bullies, and thugs. It's really about what other options are available to us when we find we cannot stand up to the bad guys. The events related here took place in Toledo, but they could have happened in any city. This is not a brief against Toledo. In fact we found it to be a nice medium sized city with much to recommend it. Yes, there really is a Toledo, Ohio. The "MASH" writers were not making it up. Mrs. Gaffer and I had occasion to visit there recently. It's not far from where we live, Flint, Michigan, but far enough that I did not want to drive home after spending a day there. As our ages increase we get more and more conservative about risk taking. That is how we came to have an adventure with a couple of motels. We were in Toledo to attend what I though would be a tragic event. It seemed my Grand Nephew had taken leave of his sense and decided to get married. I and Mrs. gaffer had been invited to the wake. As patriarch of the clan I was not just invited, I felt compelled to attend, When we checked Delorme's Street Atlas® we discover there were several motels near to the event to chose from. Hence, I decide we did not need a reservation. That was my mistake. We had not counted on the big race at Brooklyn, Michigan. That is the location of one of the Midwest's finest stock car tracks. They have many big events there and this was no exception. A big race was to be held on the same day as our event. Normally that would not have mattered since Toledo and Brooklyn are many miles apart. However, what is at Brooklyn is a race track and nothing else. Therefore, many of the folks who were attending the race were staying in Toledo. Many of these racing people and racing fans are good-old-boys from Kentucky, Virginia, and points south. For them, it made sense to sojourn at Toledo since it would be on the way home after the race. Much like me, most of them have enough sense to limit their travel after an exciting day. So we arrived in Toledo and went into the Comfort Inn Motel on Secor Road just south of Monroe Street. As you guessed, there was no place at the Inn. The desk clerk was very regretful, but the race, you know! Until then, we did not know, but she straightened us out. Upon hearing about the race, I did make some uncalled for remarks about red-necks, car racing, and bowling. For sure, Mrs. Gaffer rebuked me later, as I deserved. What I implied was not true anyway. I do like to watch auto crashes as well as anyone, but I have found it is not necessary to attend the race for that. In fact, it is quite possible to miss the crash completely by being present, but in the wrong place. This is not true of television. These are the kinds of things the media people love to show us. They will show us the crash over and over again from every conceivable angle, much like a football replay. So I don't attend the races. I count on the media to show me the exciting part. As to the motel, the lady at the desk informed us there were no accommodations available anywhere near. That turned out to be a falsehood as we later discovered. The lady acted very nice toward us and gave us detailed directions to another (you guessed it) Comfort Inn completely on the other side of town quite distant from where we wanted to be. She also made the mistake of giving us a local area map which showed the locations of many motels. It turned out the map showed a Red Roof within two blocks of where we were. Mrs. Gaffer expressed doubt, but I thought we should check it out. We were practically there anyway. So we did and they had plenty of rooms. Considering what happened next, it could be the Comfort Inn clerk may have thought she was doing us a service by misdirecting us. Actually, that would be the benefit of a big doubt. I will continue think she was just drumming for the other Comfort Inn. The Red Roof had rooms alright, but the guy at the desk knew
the situation. The prices for a no frills room was nearly double
what a room at a quality motel like Hampton Inn would normally
cost. I asked about a senior discount. The answer I got almost
made me lose my cool. It was not so much the words but the facial
expression that accompanied the words. The words were simple. A few years earlier, when I was younger, I would have left it. I would have attended the event and driven home the same night. That was a few years ago. What we actually did was end up paying about $100.00 for a room and nothing else. This did not put me in a foul mood as things like that used to. Now I treat things like this as grist for the mill. I learn from it, write about it, and lobby for ethical behavior whenever I can. So ,we attended the wedding and the reception and had a grand time. I did not scowl or growl. I also discover, to my own delight, my Grand Nephew had not lost his mind after all. He married into an outstanding family, much like our own. These people have the central European traditions. They love parties, dancing, and great food. When feeding their guests, they never thing about cost, calories, carbs, fat grams, or any of those stupid things. They think flavor, quality, and quantity. It was buffet style, but the serving lines were plentiful. The food was outstanding central European. The entree was roast loin of pork and there was also a steaming caldron of fat sausages much like brats boiled in their own juice. Of course, there were all the side things that go with a good meal. What really took my heart though, was a huge heaping bowl of fresh ground horseradish. With so much available, I was not the least embarrassed about scooping a heap of it onto my plate. I don't know what the desert was. I ignored it. Upon returning from the event, we did encounter one of the good-old-boy racing buffs outside the motel. He had a bit more than I to drink and was in a jovial mood. He was not drunk, but just enjoying himself. He spoke to us and asked if we were there for the race. Mrs. Gaffer chatted with him for a moment while I went on to bed. I wish I had taken the time to chat with him, but we had just come from a party ourselves and I was tired. I have found if I take the time to stop and talk to people who are talkative, there is a good chance I will learn something. At worst, I would enjoy a conversation. Now a word about Toledo. I found it to be a nice town and regretted not having time to visit some of the attractions. We did manage a fine breakfast before departing for home. If you ever visit Toledo and want a fine breakfast, you could do no better than Al Smith's Restaurant on Secor road a bit south of Monroe. There is a feeling of having breakfast in a sunroom with friends. The place was bright, the people were friendly, the service was outstanding, and the food was good and plentiful with a bottomless coffee cup. What more could you ask. As to the two motels, what recourse do I have? For one thing,
I can tell you about it. Another thing I will do is never ever
visit a Red Roof or Comfort Inn again. There is too much competition
in that business to tolerate what they did. I can stay at a Hampton
inn with a fine continental breakfast for less money. And, next
time, I will have a reservation with a guaranteed rate. Here
is one other thing I know. Petty chiselers, gougers, cheaters,
and crooks live a mean life. They pay for their behavior in a
different way. I still believe it. What goes around comes around.
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