Did I do the right thing? You be the judge

[belladonna]

I'm off today, but I get a call from a co-worker who wants my advice on how to handle a problem with a guest staying in our hotel. Apparently, this guy left a bag of marijuana on his nightstand and left the room for the maid to clean while he was out.

The maid then tells the housekeeping supervisor, who then tells my co-worker at the front desk, and since he couldn't get in touch with the head honcho (and it's a good thing for the guest that he couldn't), he calls me and asks for my advice.

My advice was to leave well enough alone. It's obviously a personal stash and the only thing he's guilty of in my eyes is extremely poor judgement in leaving it out for the maid to see. Now, my boss has called the police in the past when a guest was found to have drugs in their room, so he has no idea how lucky he was today.

I've talked to a few people since and they seem to think that I did the wrong thing? WTF??? My boss may get mad at me if he gets wind of it, but I can handle him. Other than that, I can't understand how calling the cops on a guest, who is also a regular, is going to accomplish anything? Would anyone here have handled it differently?

[flamingyouth]

1. I think you did the right thing

It's not like he had eight kilos of it all in small bags marked, "For sale to third graders" or something. If it's only for his own use, I'd say leave well enough alone. So here's one vote to back you up.:hi:

[Bunny]

2. I'd have done the exact same thing.

Marijuana, only enough for a personal stash. Don't need to involve the cops.

Now if it was 500 lbs. of pot, or heroin or crack or something, then that might be a different story. But a little bag of pot? Leave it alone. Just hope you don't get into trouble with your boss.

Oh, and give that guest a heads up. He should NOT do that again.

[belladonna]

10. Yeah, I think I may give this guy a call later

I know him fairly well, having checked him in and out countless times.

[Massacure]

3. I would have called the police.

That the drug money goes right out to finance more violent forms of crime.

[belladonna]

7. But this is just a guy with a personal stash

It's not like he's dealing out of the room or anything. He's a musician who comes into town now and then and stays with us when he does. I doubt very seriously he's making a big contribution to all the violent crime out there.

[happyending]

8. not to mention

the crimes financed by the oil rich nations of the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, for example. If you'll recall, 14 of the 19 who attacked us were from Saudi Arabia, as was Osama Bin Laden himself.

That gasoline money goes right out to finance more violent forms of crime.

Don't buy gasoline. </sarcasm>

[Dookus]

11. How do you know?

How do you know he didn't grow it himself in his back yard? How do you know he didn't buy it from a friend who grew it himself?

You've been watching too many Public Service Announcements.

[Vladimir]

13. And tobacco

helps fund the armies of the free world in their quest for justice, as they hunt down the evil Arabs across the globe, in pursuit of gasoline for our cars...

[happyending]

16. and diamonds

Don't buy them either.

Have you seen the stories about what goes on in the
diamond trade? It's bad. Don't buy diamonds either.

(edited for bad typing)

[Renew Deal]

4. Does he tip the maids?

j/k I think you did right thing. I don't know if it's worth all the trouble at the hotel for a single bag of weed.

[Rowdyboy]

5. You were entirely right

I would have done exactly the same thing. A person should be entitled to reasonable privacy in a room he's paying for. He had a minimal amount and hurt no one. To involve the police would have been ridiculous. Glad you used good judgement.

[Vladimir]

6. Good call n/t

[Dookus]

9. Of course you did the right thing...

the maid is not the police and you are not the government. It's none of your business what he has in his room, as long as nobody is endangered.

[belladonna]

14. Well, my boss has done it in the past, but it involved harder drugs

And there was also some suspicion that there was some dealing going on with all the traffic going in and out of the room. I just don't feel comfortable with getting someone busted for a baggie of marijuana.

[Angelus]

12. You did the right thing.

I would've, on the other hand, taken the stash and sold it. :evilgrin:

In all seriousness, you did the right thing.

[Union Thug]

15. Right on, Belladonna...

You are in the right. Leave the poor guy alone.

Marijuana laws are among the most absolutely STUPID ones on the book. My attititude is, forgive the horror of potential anarchy. If a law is stupid, break it regularly!
=)

[belladonna]

17. I felt pretty comfortable with my decision

I just didn't understand the reaction I got at all. You'd think this guy was an ax murderer and I let him off the hook or something. :eyes:

[Wickerman]

19. You did great

he isn't harming anyone - and, I am no lawyer, but it seems like you could set yourself (the hotel) up for some trouble had you called in the police. Probably not, but screw it, no reason to get the guy hassled for personal usage.

[Harrumph]

18. You certainly did the right thing....

Years ago my best bud fell off a balcony and ended up in the hospital with a head injury. As I was the first one to visit him after being admitted the nurse pulled me aside, pointed to the bedside table and said there was something in the drawer that I should probably take with me. After the nurse left I opened the drawer to find a small bag of pot and a pipe. I was really pleased that the nurse had pointed this out to me instead of calling a supervisor or the police.

You did the right thing no matter what others say.

:smoke:

[Endangered Specie]

20. Under the conditions Id say you didnt do anything wrong...

or right, I think you took a nice neutral position. Had the guy had kids, more, or harder drugs, ita been another story. Was it a non-smoking room? Because I think people who smoke anything in a smoke-free area need to be warned/punished.

[belladonna]

22. No, he always gets a smoking room

Now I know why :smoke:

[Endangered Specie]

28. Well, in that case... you should tell him to do a better job of...

hiding his personal stash.

[sundog]

21. smoke it, belladonna, smoke it....

plus if you go to the cops, it is likely it will go to press (if you are in a small town) --- on top of it, he's a regular PAYING guest--let it go... return it to the guest or smoke it-- never be a rat (fuck what the rest say)...

[sundog]

23. take that! I just gave you a view all...

--

[belladonna]

26. Awww, thanks :)

And I wasn't even trying. Maybe there's something to be said for not trying too hard? :D

[belladonna]

24. From what I understand, the maid left it in the room

I don't smoke the wacky weed, but I don't particularly care if other people do. All it ever did to me was make me really really sleepy :boring:

I just think that to call the cops is much ado about nothing. I told my co-worker the same thing and he agreed, but he's new, wanted to make sure he didn't screw up and get fired.

[sundog]

27. I have a small restaurant, and calling the cops is

always the last resort...

I had a junkie get aggressive & throw a dinner candle last week, but no cops... in this town, things go to press before the cops get there...

Maybe your boss will smoke it...

[belladonna]

29. Nope, he'll come back to his wacky weed right where he left it

I'll give him a call later and give him a nice warning, let him know how lucky he was today that my boss wasn't in town. Suggest he put it in the nightstand DRAWER from now on instead. Maybe he was too high to notice, huh? :D

[Nikia]

25. I know a hotel maid that has had guests leave joints or baggies

She smokes so she considers it a tip.

[Kali]

30. mostly I agree

with just leaving it - repeat good guest and all, I know in my nearby small town they regularly call the cops (warning to smokers traveling! Benson, Arizona) at the chains.

Just a warning in this age of "freedom" - not reporting a crime (that others know about) may be some kind of crime itself and you might get in trouble from that. F***ed, I know, but may be reality. I still wouldn't report it myself, though. Gotta take a stand somewhere.

[sundog]

31. where is Benson, Arizona?

--

[Kali]

37. uh, in Arizona....

Seriously? An hour east of Tucson.

[belladonna]

32. I MIGHT get in trouble with my boss if it gets back to him

Hopefully he'll agree that it was the right way to handle things, but if not, I'll deal. I'll just remind him that he's SUPPOSED to be available to our newbies to handle any questions that arise and hopefully, that'll shut him up :D

[sundog]

36. plus again...

it's a regular paying customer who has spent a significant amount of money there...

[HEyHEY]

33. What? be a fink for a fucking dimebag? - no way - good call

[Champ]

34. You were wrong

You should of made atleast some attempt to take the baggie. But seriously I think you did the right thing, I don't even understand why you have to ask.

[belladonna]

38. Well, because I was getting flak over it

And wondered why. For me, it was an easy, simple decision. The reaction just sorta threw me, I guess :crazy:

[salin]

35. Perhaps warn the guy not to be so stupid in the future?

Next call might not go to you, and get the guy a quick trip to jail.

[belladonna]

39. Yes, I'm calling him later when I'm fairly sure he's back in his room

Very dumb thing to do, and I plan on letting him know about it