The Grand America

     I was recently at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City. Not staying there, because I'm poor, but just walking through it for a bit. My friend wanted to make a bathroom stop, so I found an chair to sit in while I waited. I sat down behind this empty desk and deeply contemplated life when a group of people walked by. Most of them proceeded into their respective bathrooms, except for one man who was admiring a painting. He then turned and saw me sitting there.

Man: It's all pretty amazing, isn't it?

Me: Yeah. It's neat stuff.

Man: I guess you probably get used to it though, when you get to come in and see it every day.

     It was then that I realized the man thought I was an employee there. I wasn't dressed like one. I was in a hoodie and jeans. But just sitting behind an empty desk turned out to be enough to look like I worked there. So I quickly had to decide: Do I tell him I'm just waiting for a friend in the bathroom? Or do I go along with what he already thinks? I chose the more fun path.



Me: Nah, you would think so. But it's still great to see it all when I show up in the mornings.

Man: It's just crazy. Yeah my family, we could never even dream of staying here, we just look through it. We don't have near enough money for anything else. How much is this place per night?

Me: Well that depends on the room, but it's quite a bit. They don't pay me enough money that I'd be able to stay here either.

Man: That's incredible. So do you guys get like, a lot of like, foreign dignitaries and people that stay here?

Me: Oh yeah. It's definitely the nicest hotel in the state, so this is their go-to place.

Man: Wow. So what about like mayors and governors and stuff?

Me: For sure, we get those all the time.

     Then the man's group started to emerge from the restrooms. He got all excited and ran over to them, telling them about how I said "This place is like a governor's mansion". Then I saw my friend come out of the bathroom, so I signaled that it was time to go, and we ducked around the corner to get out of there before any more questions came my way.