The Key West citizen., 1952-04-12
HAL
BOYLE
SAYS
Bv Hal BOYLE

bangs a bell Importantly and calls
out:
"Boyl Show this gentleman to
his room.
The next few seconds are always
full Of tremendous suspense. Get
ting hotel room is one of the
| great dramas of everyday Ameri-
can Life. Each person must play
his role exactly right or the whole
thing is ruined.
The desk clerk has acted his
| part perfectly. He looked at you
with icy suspicion when you first
stepped meekly up to him, like q
prisoner at the bar of justice.
Then a slow smile spread over
his stern connfenance like frozen
river breaking up in spring. Yes,
sir! Prefer 4 tub or shower? As
you sign your name a small sensa-
tion of self-respect creeps back
into you.
boy! Show this gentleman to
his room"
Who will step forward? Whoever
he Is. he will make or break the
whole performance.
There are some bellhops who
pick up your bags, stare at them
disdainfully and make you feel
like dime store thief as you trail
them through the lobby to the ele-
vator.
Others can do 1t with pomp and
ceremony, as if they were Cleo
patra's servants unroiling the well
come rug for the great Caesar.
Other guests look up impressed,
and you secretly hope they think
you are a mighty elephant hunter
just in from Africa.
Some day perfect hotel viii
be built. One of the first things
they viii do Is hire midgets to
strew rose petals in your path.
have always thought that would
make an impressive entrance.
There are all sorts of bellhops.
Veteran travellers viii recall at
least some of these types:
/. The elderly retainer bellhop--
He is white-haired and time-bent
and has been with the hotel ever
since it put In its first Gideon
Bible. He usually picks up your
briefcase in dignified silence, and
you carry the heavy bags your
self, grateful to be of any assist
ance you can.
2. The palsy-walsy bellhop-He
starts whispering in your ear in
the elevator, gives you the low
down on the town, and waits until
you open your bag in the room
to see if it contains an open bottle
he can share.
3. The chamber OF commerce
bellhop We've a great little city
here, sir" he says, and begins un-
reeling statistics on bank clear
ings, employment figures and the
prospect of new industries. This
boy lets you know he expects to
own the hotel himself soon.
4. The busy bee bellhop--He flut-
ters about the room opening win
d0ws that ought to be closed and
closing windows that ought to be
left open. When he finally says,
win that be all, sir?" you feel
as II the very least you can do
is offer to send him through col
lege.
5. The hamlet bellhop-He never
utters word. just puts down your
bag and looks at you like a mel
aischoly hound dog. On his face
Is an expression that asks silently,
How could life do this to me?n
You have a wild sense of fear
that tears win begin to roll down
his cheeks.
6. The dodo bellhop-This is the
old-fashioned bellhop who takes
You briSkly and cheerfully to your
room, puts down your bag. hands
you your key and says Thank
you" IL you give him an old
fashioned two-bit tip.
| Most bellhop collectors know
insist this type is now extinct in
America. and has been for years.
They say that il you offer a bell
hop only a quarter today he VIII
look al II and ask in honest sur
prise, What is it2"
| CINCINNATI R-"Women are
more honest than men, and they
can sell things better than men, .
says Phil Meyers.
The discovery Of this simple mer-
chandising principle has made him
. millionaire and king Of the lady
drummers."
he bosses an army Of more than
g. 600 women salesmen- mostly
hOuseviyes--who sell txo million
dresses q year for his Fashion
Frocks, Inc. . concern that gross.
es about Is million dollars annual.
Ily.
| Meyehs. now s2, Is q tan, lean
friendly former star football player
Tor the University Of Cincinnati.
After working In bis fathers small
dress manufacturing firm, be de.
cide0 70 start one Of his own Ia
q gamble ca . pet theory ct mer-