Pay it Forward

Last Thursday evening I headed to Portland, OR (2.5hr drive) to stay overnight for an early Friday business meeting. I pulled into the hotel at 11pm. It was then I realized I’d left my garment bag in the living room at home (I had been in a hurry to dash). What to do, now?

I went to the front desk and asked if there was any chance I could cancel my reservation (4pm canx policy and such) and was politely told, “Hard to do, can't do, hotel policy, blah blah blah” There was an older couple being helped by another ‘guest services’ employee. Their situation? "Hotel sold out, no more rooms available, blah blah blah." It didn’t take long to figure out the obvious, tho' kind of hilarious that it wasn’t as obvious to the hotel employees, as we ‘guests’ had to manage the solution for them. Anyway…the ironic part of the story follows:

Once the hotel was on board with the room trade, the other gentleman asked if there was a military discount on the price of the room. When the clerk told him no, I chuckled and said, “Semper Fi, Mac” (Marines will recognize the sarcastic (Marine, to Marine anyway, when your luck turns south) nature of that remark :-) !) He looked up at me and said, “How did you know?” I could only say, "took a chance"…ha! 

As his wife finished making their reservations with the hotel, we two traded a couple of “war” stories. He had served with 2/9 in Vietnam at Khe Sanh, etc. etc. It was a good feeling to help out another Marine even if it was a small coincidental help. It was fun to share a couple of experiences that had made the Marine Corps unique and valuable to each of us.

I drove back to Seattle (2 am arrival) to get my business uniform, turned around (after a 2 hour nap) headed back to Portland for my busy day. The point is: the good feeling that came with helping a ‘brother’ kept me feeling motivated all that long night, all of Friday and today, too!

Pay it forward and you'll feel good about helping another too.

J