Thursday, May 1, 2008

I Didn't Do It -I know You-Part 2

I didn't do it! Honestly! I have been accused of many things in my life, but what the man standing in front of me was accusing me of I did not do, I swear I didn't. It was all because of that ring. The ring, yes it was what gave me away. I will tell you a little about that ring before I get too far ahead of my myself.







Several months earlier I had a female guest staying for about a weak at the Emerald Inn in Seattle. She was going through some rough times and was in the process of moving to California.



She needed someone to talk to, and hotel people are a little like bartenders and priests. We hear it all. We listen, cluck words of sympathy, and absolve them of any guilt that they may be feeling. Yep, we do it all.







This lady needed a few extra days to pay her bill, and being one of the softest touches in the world, I agreed to work with her. Now, I have been ripped off before, so I always wonder if I will have to end up paying some deadbeat's bill. I didn't have to worry this time because she paid her bill in full. The came the big surprise. Sherry invited me to lunch the day before she left for California. At lunch, she pulled out a beautiful men's ring. I could tell that it was an antique. Sherry told me that the ring had belonged to her grandfather in Boston, and she had inherited it when he passed. As there were no males in the family to pass it on she wanted to give it to me for being so nice to her. I was stunned. I at first declined such a gift, but she insisted, so I took it and told her that I would proudly wear it in memory of her grandfather.





Sherry moved on to California, and I wore the ring everyday. One afternoon, a strange looking man walked in off the street. I could tell at once that something was not quite right about this guy. Then the words I feared most came out of his mouth. "I know you." No, not again, I thought. I looked at him carefully, remembering that I had had this experience before with Rob. Just in case I did know him from some past life, I carefully studied his face. No, I concluded, I did not know him.





He advanced closer to me and repeated"I know you." "No", I told him, "you don't know me."


His eyes were now just tiny specks in his face. Breathing hard, staring a whole through me, he repeated the third time that he knew me. I was getting a little nervous by now. He looked like he wanted to kill me. You never knew on Aurora who was carrying a gun, so I was getting ready to fight or flee, whichever would work best.





Then the strangest thing I had ever heard came out of his mouth."You are the one who killed Christ." OK, now I was dealing with a real loony tune here. He then looked right at me and said "I know you are the one who killed Christ because of that ring on your finger.' Yes, it was "that" ring Sherry had given me months before. The man standing before me was becoming more and more agitated, and I was now sure I was gong to die.





Now, like I said before, I have done some bad things in my life, but I swear, I was not the one wh0 killed Christ. I quietly tried to assure him that he had the wrong guy. I mean, I don't think that I look 2000 years old. Maybe this was retribution for thinking that Rob looked old? He yelled some obscenities at me, and went running out into the street. I watched him as he then ran back through my parking lot yelling damnation and judgement on the hotel and everyone in general.



I was curious now, because in my theology studies I did not remember seeing a ring mentioned in the Bible concerning the crucifixion of Christ I reread the account in the Bible. Nope, I was right. No ring! Now you know to beware when someone walks up to you and says,"I know you"

Run for your life!!

4 comments:

Go Figure said...

Yes, Cedar, I agree. Although I usually ask the person before fleeing, "When did you know me?" because, believe it or not, I have changed...perhaps more than once...

Cedar Street Kid said...

Yep,G.F., me, too. Plus I must admit that my memory is a little slower than it used to be.I need a new chip in the old computer brain!

Carol Woolum Roberts said...

I love these stories you are sharing about your work in the hotel business. They are great!! Keep them coming!!

Cedar Street Kid said...

Thank you.SVG-I really apprecaite that. Lots more stories to come.

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