I've been thinking about this all night. I wasn't going to post it, but it's really really pissing me off now.....

I work night shift at a motel. Tonight when I got here the previous shift informed me that there had been an incident in our parking lot. Two ladies staying with us told her that "some black man" had tried to break into their car.... while they were still in it. They also stated that their window screen in their room looked tampered with and that it appeared that someone had been sleeping outside the back of the hotel (interior entry only to the rooms).

The police were called, nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary.

I told the manager/owners who checked the windows and backside of the motel, and found nothing wrong. Sill, after working at a police department for 5 years, my first instinct is to believe these complaints. So I sit here in the damn office all night watching the cameras, not wanting to walk the hall to the bathrooms etc, because there is some guy possible wandering around, doing who knows what.

And then at 4am they call me from the room. Not only did someone "knock on their door at 3am" they also kept "ringing the doorbell."


DOORBELL??! What noise could they have possibly heard? There's no one in the rooms next to them.... wtf. At that point I began to question their claims.... I was personally in the halls at 3, and there was no one out and about... no other complaints of people knocking on doors, so either these ladies are paranoid, or someone is out to get just them.

I wouldn't even be so mad if it wasn't for a similar incident a few months ago, where a woman called me constantly about the "black couple" who were drinking and fighting in the hallways..... that turned out to be the admittedly loud little league kids (maybe 9-12 year olds) who came in late from a game. She was convinced that they were out to kill her, and only her. She told me that she was to terrified to switch rooms (all I can do when it comes to noise complaints, other than call the cops).


I hate these kinds of complaints, because 1, I don't feel safe at work when I hear this type of crap, and then it turns out to be BS damn near all the time. 2, It's usually those "black people" doing something, usually walking to their rooms or cars.... and finally, these people always refuse to accept any help from me at the time these things are happening, yet they don't think they should have to pay for the night. Stay the fuck at home!!!

damn them fucking black people! ruining everything for all us white folk.

I completely know what you mean. I have an example.

I was at the bus stop waiting to go to work. There was some professional white lady standing beside me. Now, a few feet behind us is a jail. I hear a ruckus and I see that the guards have brought a prisoner out to transfer the laundry from one section to another. This prisoner was an older black man and a clown. He was doing everything he could to get attention and make people laugh. He was doing cartwheels and hot dogging like a ham. I was laughing at him and the guard wasn't paying any attention to the fellow at all. So the fellow ran over to me and crouched down so he was hidden from the guard by a newspaper bin. He was smiling and laughing the whole time. I too was laughing. Then I spotted the lady beside me. She was freaking out. She asked me, all full of stutters "what's going on?" when I answered "jail break" she freaked out.

So during this time the guard noticed the fellow was missing and did a little spin to look for him. It was at this time that the prisoner jumped up from the bins, ran back over to the guard, they all had a laugh and then got back to work. He was obviously just having fun, but that woman seemed 100% sure she was going to be raped by this fun loving goofball on a super busy street at 8 in the morning with a prison guard 10 feet away and cops everywhere. Silly.

I would really hate to live my life like that, but I understand why they do. It is so drilled in their heads that if they leave the house everyone out there wants to rape and kill you. Even people who think they are being helpful are just fear mongering. I was waiting to cross the street once to get to my apartment and a security guard for the nearby hospital asked me what I was doing out at night alone in this bad neighbourhood. He told me it wasn't safe and to run along. It was 9 at night. I suppose he meant well, but the only real danger was me getting hit by a car while jaywalking.

edit: I am assuming you don't work at a motel like this one http://www.uer.ca/...urrpage=1&pp#post0 even so, us white ladies just took prescription drugs and passed out. We didn't complain.

I will never fully understand people and what makes them tick. If I were afraid of my own shadow and played it safe all the time I would have never met some of the most wonderful people I have.

Rest assured, old lady, I would touch you inappropriately on the street.

Posted by MutantMandias Rest assured, old lady, I would touch you inappropriately on the street.

I don't even know which part of the body the 'street' is.

Posted by IrishLady 2, It's usually those "black people" doing something, usually walking to their rooms or cars....

Somehow half of that sentence disappeared, the sarcastic "How criminal!" at the end. Anyway, we can't say that someone didn't go up to them at their car, but we have determined from the cameras that none of the other crap happened. All I told them was that I had walked the hall after their phone call and they were happy.



No our motel is not at all like that... we don't rent by the hour, or offer condom dispensers.... we also don't typically rent to locals (at least I don't) because about 8 years ago when the owners bought the place there were a group of regular locals who would come in, do drugs and trash the place. We also try to charge enough to discourage the whole "pay for the night, stay for the hour" crap.

I used to work security and my post was at a hotel. Sometimes i would be called to the front desk to walk women to their cars at night when the bars closed. Believe it or not, sometimes i would show up and the woman would ask for a female security guard.

Posted by big dave Believe it or not, sometimes i would show up and the woman would ask for a female security guard.

We may have met ;)

I'm not by any means a paranoid old racist bitch, but because of personal experiences, I became very paranoid of being alone with men. I used to work at a Walgreens and remember that I wouldn't step foot in that 15x10 foot office, when one of the male bosses was in there. Wouldn't go near the fucking room when there was two. It was pretty irrational of me, but I couldn't help it: There are certain triggers for fear when you've been exposed to traumatic things.

... That said, I then joined a roller derby team, took self-defense courses, joined a specific type of martial arts class, and learned that I could probably beat the snot out of any male who tried to hurt me, today.


I say this not to stand up for those cranky old bitches, but to stand up for the fearful businesswoman: It may have been irrational of her, but for all you know, a man who looked just like that guy had fucking mugged her, the day before.



Edit: I wanted to add that, when I was caught/arrested/taken to jail for UE, I requested and successfully obtained a female officer to drive me to jail. <3

I know what you mean, Emma. To this day I get nervous when I see a group of teenage boys. I also can't handle it if someone suggests a trip to the beach at night.

I knew a very gentle man for a long time. One night we were walking around, close to a beach and he suggested we go there and smoke a joint. I immediately "knew" he wanted to kill me and imagined the others who would be waiting there. So, here is this lovely man, making a seemingly lovely suggestion and the reaction he got was me running for my life. He chased after me and tried to grab me and I thought I was fighting for my life. It actually took quite awhile, maybe a few weeks, before I could be around him without being overwhelmed by fear. I never trusted him again. It is so irrational, but as you said once something happens to you, there are triggers that will set them off.

About 10 years ago I took Wendo, which I highly recommend to all ladies and something inside me just changed. It teaches you not to be a victim and not to be scared. Before then I was constantly getting caught up in terrible situations.

A few weeks after I started Wendo a man jumped out of the bushes and tried to drag me in. Instead of freezing up like I use to I got this rush of adrenaline. I decided I was going to kill this man. I was excited to kill this man. I didn't even have to do anything. He saw the change in my attitude, looked shocked and ran away. I started walking away and only made it about 10 feet before my legs completely gave out and I collapsed on the street, but no matter, he was long gone.

I know this is extremely personal, but after reading Emma's post I thought I would mention this to any ladies who made be reading. I have yet to meet a woman who wasn't the victim of violence at one point in her life and seriously, Wendo, or any similar course can really help you get over some of that.

Posted by argonian I was excited to kill this man.

YES.
I used to carry myself "like a victim," as an ex-victimizer of mine once said.
Then, I gained confidence thru various resources, but still carried myself like a victim for a while, until confronted ... then suddenly assertive.
Now, I'm just assertive all the time.


And I'm a little disappointed, because of it: I honestly can't wait to beat someone's ass, but I don't think I will ever encounter another who would dare approach me like that, again


Sorry to semi-derail this thread.

Posted by Emma Peel but I don't think I will ever encounter another who would dare approach me like that, again

I feel so unappreciated right now.

Posted by MutantMandias I feel so unappreciated right now.

Sorry. Mandias, if you ever attempt to assault me in an unwelcomed way, I will beat your face in until you can't even cry, it hurts so bad.

Better?

Yeah, that's good.....

I just.... I just didn't know what to think.... I mean... you.... I....


It's just....

It's just.... What have I done to make you think that I wouldn't approach you in a creepy and threatening way?

It just doesn't make sense.

Know what I hate? When people look at ME like I'm about to mug them. I'll be out for a walk at night sometime and just be on a less-traveled street. In front of me will be whoever walking alone as well. They'll look over their shoulder and spot me, and 9/10 times immediately cross the street or pick up their pace. I'm a big guy, but I don't dress or look suspicious damnit!

I suppose though, it's just human nature. Being alone in the dark with a stranger, even in a public setting, just sets off the DANGER sensors in a person.

So.. anybody wanna come hang out in my basement with me?

Posted by ActionSatisfaction Esq. Know what I hate? When people look at ME like I'm about to mug them. I'll be out for a walk at night sometime and just be on a less-traveled street. In front of me will be whoever walking alone as well. They'll look over their shoulder and spot me, and 9/10 times immediately cross the street or pick up their pace. I'm a big guy, but I don't dress or look suspicious damnit! I suppose though, it's just human nature. Being alone in the dark with a stranger, even in a public setting, just sets off the DANGER sensors in a person. So.. anybody wanna come hang out in my basement with me?

I had this happen just yesterday, and I'm a short, lean guy. I crossed the road mid-evening, and ended up a little way behind a woman walking in the same direction across a bridge. I walked slowly so as to fall further behind, since I didn't want to worry her, but she did a few "just looking back at traffic" glances, and eventually stopped altogether to stare at the traffic really intensely, brow furrowed, waited until I'd gone past, and then started walking again (I was watching her shadow out of curiosity).

Granted I had just exited a drain a few minutes before and was soaked in sweat, with a bag of waders slung over my shoulder, but in my defense, you wouldn't know that from a distance.

I'm taking it as a compliment, that I must look really tough and dangerous

C'mon. Tell the rest of the story.... the part where she mugged you and took your waders.

Posted by ActionSatisfaction Esq. I'm a big guy, but I don't dress or look suspicious damnit!

It may be the 'not dressing' when you go out at night that is scaring people.

Ha! Yeah I suppose I should start wearing clothes when I go out for my nightly walks. I'll think about it...

Posted by ActionSatisfaction Esq. Ha! Yeah I suppose I should start wearing clothes when I go out for my nightly walks. I'll think about it...

No please don't.