Lonely Night At The Desk

I love my job. I always have so much fun talking to all the different people.
Except weekends.
I hate working weekends.
I mean it isn't that I have anything to give up on the weekends. Especially in wintertime, there isn't much going on socially for me. I just have a hard time adjusting to "strangers."
That's a weird thing to say for someone who meets at least 10 new people a work day. During the week though, we have mostly business travelers. Most have traveled here before. Many come weekly, biweekly and monthly. We even know our quarterly guests very well.
We are always looking at new pictures of the kids and what they were for Halloween or how the renovation is coming. Asking about that college kid of theirs that just isn't getting it. Our weekly guests are like our family, and we really bond when they come down for dinner and just chat- talk about the weekends and how the project is going. They miss their families and just need someone to talk to. It is hard being away every week. For them, I think they really value the conversation.
Our extended stay guests are like a different family. They are all here, waiting for future accomodations. Whether waiting on their house to be repaired or looking to buy a new one. Some are new to town because of a job and others are headed out. It is nice to keep up and help them make this home as much as possible. These guest love the homelike accomodations, but also like the familial conversations they have with staff they see everyday.
On the weekends, though, I only have our extended stay and transient guests. The extended stays spend most weekends out, shopping for the apartment or looking for a new house. They come home too exhausted for conversation. Transient guests are here for a purpose. Usually touring Memphis or a tournament or a family gathering. They don't necessarily need or value conversation with staff, not that they are bad people, they just have goals and limited time.
I get it.
That's how most, if not all, of my trips are. But still, it gets lonely here. At this property there is typically only one person on duty between 5 pm and 8 am. I spend most of my shifts working alone, on weekends all of the shift. If I don't have homework, then it gets really depressing up here!
There are plenty of times that guests annoy me and I just want them to leave me alone, but, all in all, they really make my day most of the time.
When I got to work Thursday, everyone that came up to the desk started the conversation with "where have you been? I can't believe you didn't tell me you were going to New York and I had to find out from the other staff while you were out!"
I'm spoiled.
To say the least.
To be missed feels really great. I feel worthwhile. Lately I have really beat myself up about how unimpressive my resume is and how awful my business skills are. But to walk in here and see that at least I mean a little something to a few folks makes up for it all.
I thank God for things like that.