The lobby of an expensive hotel, the upper halls of which were reflected in gilding. The receptionist talked to someone on the phone, hung up and froze in surprise when she noticed that an elderly man, very poorly dressed, wearing old worn boots and a ridiculous cape, limping towards her from the door.
– Dear girl, I want to rent a room, – he said.
– No, – she exhaled, finally pulling herself together.
– Excuse me?
– There are no vacant rooms, – the girl explained.
The man looked at the badge pinned to her blouse and said:
– Angelina, but I see that there are many free rooms. There are at least 10 keys hanging in their places, – he said disappointedly.
– You do not understand, we do not have a room for you. This is not a hostel, but a five-star hotel, and we can’t risk our reputation by letting just anyone in here.
– But, Angelina, please, I’ve come a very long way and I’m very tired. I have a headache and I need some rest.
Angelina waved her hand and the manager immediately approached her.
– Hello, how can I help you?
– Chris, here is a man who wants to check in with us, I explain that we have no rooms available, but he argues and proves the opposite. Now he demands the hotel manager, and in general, I do not understand where the doorman is looking!
At this time, a young maid came out from somewhere and raised her eyebrows in surprise, looking at Angelina. What kind of beggar is this, it’s nothing, you let all the scum in, and I have to clean up after them. The old man rubbed his temples, drops of sweat appeared on his forehead.
– What is your name?” Chris asked him.
– Viktor, – the old man said.
– I hope, Victor, you no longer need to explain why you can not become our client.
– You do not understand, – Victor began to beg, – I came here from far away, I am very tired and feel bad, please give me any room, the smallest, the cheapest, I will pay. I just don’t have the strength to find another place to sleep. It is so late, almost night, I don’t know the city at all, and I am very hungry.
The old man wanted to say a few words, but he had no time. A big doorman, about twenty years younger than him, grabbed the poor man by the collar and literally dragged him out of the hotel to the suspicious remarks of Chris and laughter of Angelina.
– Wait a minute, – Chris shouted after him, – Where are you going through the front door, go to the back door.
The doorman obediently turned and after a few steps found himself in a narrow corridor where he faced a young woman.
– What are you doing? Let him go, now!” she protested. – You’re going to hurt him!
– Stay out of this, or do you need it more than anyone else?! Chris ordered me.
– So let him go, be a man!
– Then you let him go, and I’ll go to my room. God forbid he should return to the hall!
Wendy picked up the almost fallen Victor and, supporting him under the elbow, led him outside.
– Thank you, Wendy, – Victor exhaled.
– I didn’t do anything, but why did you come here, because it’s so expensive?
– I know, I just don’t have the strength to look for something else, at least for one more night.
The door opened and those whose shift was over for the day started to come out. They giggled as they looked at Wendy and her companion. A middle-aged woman scoffed at the young girl.
– Why are they doing this?” Victor asked. – What evil people you have.
– They are not evil, they are ordinary.
– What do you do for a living?
– I wash dishes. Now my husband will come and we will all go to our house together. It’s not far, just 15 minutes. Yes, it’s true. We live in a one-room apartment that he got when he left the orphanage.
– And your husband won’t mind?
– No, he won’t. He is disabled, he has no leg. Fred worked in a car service, he is a master from God, he could disassemble cars with his eyes closed, and one day his partner came to work drunk and did not fix the elevator properly.
At the same moment the headlights flashed. Fred, a strong, tall guy, really understood Victor’s misfortune, got to know him and immediately offered him a place to stay.
Even at dinner, looking at their faces, he thought that they were happy despite everything. And he was so lucky that he had at least a drop of pure human kindness in him. Having learned that Victor had no urgent business in the city, Wendy and Fred did not let him go and offered to stay at least for a couple of days.
Soon the man asked Fred to take him to the hotel where Wendy worked. Fred was surprised, but did not argue, and Victor entered the hotel again, only this time not through the front door, but through the back door. Victor remembered exactly where he was. There were a lot of people in the hall, but Victor immediately recognized Angelina, she stood next to a tall handsome man of about 30 years old and said something flirtatiously to him.
It was the manager of the Martin Hotel, and for six months the girl had been doing everything to attract his attention. Seeing Victor, Angelina recognized him and cried out in surprise when she realized that he was heading towards them.
– My God, you came here again!” she exclaimed. – I’ll call the doorman right away, he’ll throw you out again!
Martin turned around and looked at the old man in surprise.
– I’ll explain everything, – the girl began, but Victor interrupted her.
– Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything myself.
After Victor’s heavy monologue with Martin, everyone was in shock.
– Victor, please don’t go, we will do everything to solve your problem, – Martin shouted after him, but his requests were not heard.
– You disappointed me very much, Martin, I’m going to give you a hard time, you will not believe it!!! – the last words Victor shouted back to Martin and left the hotel.
They did not know yet how much they would cry and regret what they had done
