Ace Hotel Evenings

I organized my things and went up and down the warm green staircase doing this and that, talking to one person or another, not sure if they could see through to my awkward interior. That i am not really this worldly traveler, but a passer-by who has just happened to stumble into another country again. I pleaded with the desk-worker to allow me to use the internet for a few moments to tell C., my boyfriend, that i was ok (and in turn he would hopefully let my family know that I was ok.) I climbed up to the room I shared with Z., an american pessimist, and E. another american in the top bunk to my right. He tapped away on his mac. the soft blue glow shone brilliantly in the dark room. Stealthily (or at least I'd like to think I was) I grabbed my p.j.'s and bath items and went to shower. another guy was also waiting. "I'll check the other levels." he stated and proceeded to search on another floor. I nearly followed but decided to stick it out and wait on the fourth floor. Finally one opened and with the awkward caution found in any public wash-room, I showered, gathered everything up and went back to the room after a considerable amount of trial and error I managed to let myself in with the electronic key-card. I remember Z. telling me that she would probably be waking me when she woke at 5 am. But that morning I barely heard a thing, more concerned with my sleep-talking and the sharp protests of the box-spring mattress. When my alarms announced morning and sunlight greeted my eyes, E. and I realized that he and I were the only occupants of the room!

All others had already left. a short while later after packing up and visiting the restroom to get dressed I joined him and the others downstairs for the free breakfast. A hotel-style spread lay ona series of tables on the right-hand side of a room over-crowded with wooden tables and happily chatting guests. Eventually the aussies and a couple americans joined us at the table.

I had to laugh inside. ME! sitting at a table full of well-traveled and frankly quite handsome guys. hm...I pretended not to notice and ate double breakfast (since it was free) and squirreled away two boxes of cereal...tiny little things. We laughed and puzzled over the kids' games included on the small boxes, exclaiming at our discoveries. One by one we said haphazard goodbyes and left. I boarded the tube once more and made like a mule on a mountain trail- laden with bags to my flat. Mornington Crescent, got it. The sun was uncomfortably hot.