A Cold Reception
A woman with short, blonde hair stands behind the marble front desk of a hotel. She points a finger sharply toward the glass entrance doors.
Her face is taut. The skin around her eyes is bunched and her mouth is pulled back, revealing her teeth. She stares at the young woman standing across from her.
The young woman in the tan coat stands still. She holds her phone up toward the clerk, displaying a screen that shows a room booking with three penthouses listed as available.
The blonde woman turns her head away. She lets out a sharp, high-pitched laugh and gestures toward the door again with a quick flick of her wrist.
She tells the woman in the coat that she could not afford a cup of coffee here, much less a penthouse. She suggests the woman go to a shelter down the road instead.
The Tables Turn
The young woman in the coat keeps her gaze steady. She watches the blonde clerk’s face as the laughter fades into a look of irritation.
The clerk continues to point at the door. Her index finger trembles slightly in the air. She tells the guest that she is not welcome in the hotel and that she is wasting their time.
The woman in the coat changes her posture. She shifts her weight and crosses her arms over her chest, closing the distance between them.
The blonde clerk begins to pace, her head snapping back and forth. She tells the guest to leave the area immediately or she will call security.
She stands with her hands on her hips, her shoulders squared off. She declares this is the last chance for the guest to be treated properly, or she will be dismissed.
The Final Reveal
The guest looks down at her own attire. She reaches into her coat and pulls out a plastic name tag on a lanyard that says C E O.
She holds the card up. The blonde clerk’s eyes widen. Her jaw drops, and the sharp lines in her face go slack.
The clerk’s head sinks lower. She blinks several times, her breathing becoming shallow and visible through her open mouth.
The woman in the tan coat looks at her for a long moment. She tells the clerk that she owns everything in the building.
The clerk shrinks back against the counter. Her hands, previously so animated, now drop to her sides. She mutters an apology, her eyes darting to the floor.
The Consequence
The woman in the tan coat shakes her head slowly. She does not raise her voice.
She looks the clerk in the eye and says it is too late to offer an apology. She turns her back and walks away from the marble desk.
The blonde clerk stands alone in the lobby. Her shoulders are hunched forward and her hands are clasped tightly together in front of her waist.
She remains behind the counter as the sound of the lobby fades. Her eyes remain fixed on the spot where the guest just stood.
The blonde clerk stares into the distance as the scene concludes, her head tilting slightly to the side in the quiet hotel lobby.
Know someone who has been underestimated? Send them this to show that the truth always comes out.