I am no longer welcome in the city of Worcester, Massachusetts.
In 1996, I was a bright and shiny admissions counselor for a small liberal arts college. My territory was New England, and after weeks of traveling on windy roads framed in saturated fall foliage, I was slightly depressed to arrive in the gray city of Worcester on a rainy October afternoon. I was tired of consulting maps, navigating around strange areas, and eating in restaurants alone. This evening I opted for mediocre room service, which I ate in my pajamas. The next day was filled with high school visits and a college fair, and I returned to the hotel after nine in the evening to find the room service tray still sitting in the hallway outside my door.
A crucial mistake
Why had housekeeping made up my room but left the remains of my dinner sitting in the hall? Today, I would call the front desk immediately and ask for the tray to be removed. Then, as a green traveler, I grumpily brought the large plastic tray back into my room and set it on the small stove top. I checked out the next morning, and the distant siren wails echoed my mood as I pulled out of the hotel parking lot and headed to Boston.
Orange is not my best color
Bewildered, I called the fire marshal and learned that the fire had originated from my hotel room, and it was discovered soon after I checked out. I tried to keep my voice even as I vehemently denied starting or seeing any fire. When I learned that a room service tray had ignited on the stove, I had visions of a future clad in an orange jumpsuit. I insisted that I had never turned on the stove; when I left the room there was no fire.
Would this be my new home?
Clearly a burner had been turned on, which then set fire to the plastic tray. But who turned on the stove? I argued that the housekeeper who discovered the fire must have inadvertently bumped the burner. Surely a staff that failed to pick up room service trays could have made that error.
Theoretically, I could have bumped the burner as I left the room for the last time. I’m sure this occurred to Mr. Fire Marshal, but he would have had to set me on fire before I would admit to that possibility.
Matt called our insurance company while I called my boss, and then I waited to be fired, arrested, or both. After months of snail mail correspondence between all involved parties, the drama fizzled out when the incident was determined to be accidental and no-fault. I received a formal letter from the city, informing me that no charges were being pressed and that the matter was closed.
I hung onto that letter for a decade, just in case they changed their minds. I kept my job and stayed out of jail. The months passed until it was once again time to travel to New England. I had to attend the college fair in Worcester, but I avoided visiting any local high schools. I skirted the city and stayed in a hotel in nearby Auburn. This one didn’t offer room service.
that is so scary! that’s why we have smoke alarms!
Yep! I was long gone before they went off though – further proof that I was not at fault 🙂
This was such a crazy story, and made for an enjoyable read. Thanks!
My pleasure, Angela. Fortunately I don’t have that many crazy stories to tell.
I think I will not stay in a hotel room with a stove ever again. Funny story, but scary and stressful, I’m sure!
I’m still not sure why a stove was in the room. It wasn’t a suite – just a small room with a stove. Never again!
Hilarious! I would have gone into avoidance mode too. Great story telling!
Thank you, Gina! Avoidance is a wonderful thing.
No more room service for you! It’s amazing how days of terror can turn into such entertaining tales–years later, of course.
Yes, the years do have a way of dulling the fear. That, and my memory isn’t what it used to be.
This is a true nightmare for me. I get jittery if I think I left something on or MAY HAVE bumped a knob. In the end, I’m glad no one was hurt…much.
I had absolutely no clue that I could even possibly bump the oven knob – I never touched it! That’s why I was so shocked when I got the call.
Gosh my stomach twisted just thinking of having such a thing happen..I would be thinking, great, gotta sell my car and all my possessions to pay for it and get labeled an arsonist!
Those thoughts did cross my mind!
Speaking as a Boston city dweller, I’m going to state the obvious here and say you’re not missing much by not being welcome in Worcester. 🙂 This was a great read, but how scary that really must have been.
It was scary – and I was so glad to get to Boston! And I never stayed in a hotel with a stove again.
No. Way. (Yet somehow I am still stuck on why they left the tray in the hall.) That is some story! (and told so well) 😉
Way. Glad you liked it, Andrea!
Um, Dana? I honestly hope this was fiction! This is so scary! I can’t imagine how you must have been feeling all of those months! I would have been frazzled and afraid out of my mind, too. I’m so glad it ended the way it did.
Not fiction, Brittnei – totally true. It was a long couple of months!
What a crazy story! You told it wonderfully. And orange isn’t my color, either.
That shade of orange isn’t really good for anyone, but I guess that’s the point.
This sounds like something that would’ve happened to me, lol.
No fire setting stories, Natalie? I’ve had quite a few in the comments!
YIKES!! I would have been freaking out about that! Glad it all worked out in the end and nobody got hurt. 🙂
Me too, Ken. I’m assuming the fire was put out quickly and no major damage was done. But I certainly wasn’t asking for details.
I thought this was going to be one of those two truths one lie postw. So I had already ruled out the first paragraph as a truth. Then I kept reading and I was like OH MY!
Today and yesteryear I would have left the tray right where it was 😉
Yep, unfortunately all of this was true. Today I’d be calling housekeeping to come get my smelly tray!
I would never have pegged you for an arsonist! That is one crazy story. Did u ever find out why they didn’t get your tray????
I am NOT an arsonist, Alexa – I stand by my innocence! And I never found out about the tray.
Funny in hindsight but I’m sure it was pretty scary back then! Good thing you didn’t bring the tray in before you went to bed! Who knows how long that burner was on – you may have woken up to a fire in your room! I’m glad your reputation and law enforcement record remain untarnished.
How do you know I don’t have a record from something else, Mo? Nah, you’re right. I’m clean 🙂
Hahaha! I guess that was a pretty rash assumption on my part!
That is a hilarious story. “He would have had to set me on fire…” and holding onto the letter for 10 years. Thanks for the laugh!! Glad it all worked out for you!
Me too, Stephanie! Glad I could make you smile 🙂
Love these kind of crazy stories. As a previous insurance adjuster, I’m so glad you weren’t held responsible. Your story made me smile. Thanks!
I’m glad too, Linda! Fortunately our insurance rep handled all the calls with their insurance, so I didn’t have to do anything but sit and wait and worry.
What a crazy story! So glad it worked out! But I can imagine how stressful it was! Just this past March we were in New Zealand and I was at a big dinner show with about 200 other people. It was a buffet and I was racing to help my littler ones at the buffet table. I knew we would need a lot of napkins – so to be prepared I grabbed a whole bunch and casually threw them on our table and then raced to help my kids in line. Well, little did I know there were REAL candles on the table – I returned to our table – which was now on fire. My husband was trying desperately put it out while someone ran to get a fire extinguisher…. I pretended to be shocked at what happened, I mean, who could do something so stupid as throw napkins onto flames???
I would have pleaded ignorance too, Leah. It’s funny how many people have stories of setting fires accidentally. Not me, though. I didn’t do it. 🙂
Oh, you had me on the edge of my seat. Great story, drama and perfect ending.
Visiting from SITS.
Thanks for stopping by, Sharon! And yes, the ending was perfect. Jail would have sucked.
Wow – close one Dana. That’s a wild story.
Yup – and not much wild happens to me.
Oh no! I totally would have kept blaming it on housekeeping too.
That was my strategy – if they couldn’t prove it, they couldn’t prosecute me.
I love that you were insistent that you didn’t (even accidentally) turn on the burners. I would have caved at some point like the idiot that I am. It would not have ended well. Good for you!!
Thanks, Stephanie – although it was out of fear and self-preservation more than bravery. And my husband helped too – he advised me to keep my mouth shut!
omygod that’s crazy. and must have so stressful. and great opening line.
Thanks! I actually started to get a little stressed writing this – such clear memories from so long ago.
OMG that is insane!!! I cannot believe that happened!! When I started reading I was thinking that of all places to never be allowed again, Worcester isn’t bad. I mean, really, who wants to go to Worcester?
Great story!
You are not the first person to say that about Worcester, Allie. Good thing it didn’t happen in Boston or New York; I’d be sad to have to avoid those cities.
That is nuts! I am amused by all the snail mail correspondence since that was standard for 1996. My kids are still shocked that I didn’t have internet when I was a kid.
It’s amazing how much we didn’t have that our kids do – and we’re aren’t that old! I’m sure to our kids we are ancient, though.
What a crazy story!! I’m sure it wasn’t funny at the time though! Wish I’d known you then! I don’t live that far away from there!
Did you hear the sirens that day? If I had that job now, I’d have you and a few other bloggers to visit with during my weeks on the road – that would be awesome.
Gosh, Dana! I would have held on to the letter too! LOL I’m sure you’re glad you can look back at the event with humor. I know it was no joke at the time!
No it wasn’t! I wish I held on to the letter for this post, but a few years ago I figured it was safe to throw away. As long as no Worcester officials read my blog 🙂
OMG that’s SO SCARY! Seriously scary. I wonder what happened? And hey – totally the hotel’s fault for not taking the tray from the hallway in the first place. When I read that, I was sure there was going to be a rat or something. Shudder.
Oh, a rat would have been ever worse. I would have been out of that hotel faster than you can say room service.
Of course you’re innocent. One who doesn’t cook at home would never cook on the road.
Of course. Where were you back then, Ellen? I could have used your voice of reason.
Bwahaahahahahah Only you, dear 😀 Love this. And glad you weren’t fined or jailed, and that you got a smashing blog post out of it.
Me too! I don’t have that many crazy stories – this is one of my best.
I think it’s worth SEVERAL. Amazing 😀
Wow! Crazy story!
Yep. I can laugh about it now, but at the time I really did think I’d be arrested.
Haha I was immediately riveted by this post because I do not live too far from Worcester. But I am glad I read this. Absolutely hilarious! I am not sure what I would have done if I was in your shoes I wouldve been mortified! Hilarious story thanks for sharing!
Always happy to use my embarrassing experiences as blog fodder, Shae 🙂
Rapt in suspense. Knew that was going to happen as soon as you mentioned something about a stove. That’s so crazy. I can’t imagine how nervy that would have made you until it got cleared up.
Oh, it did drive me crazy. It took forever to get resolved, and constant communication with insurance companies was not fun.
Hee hee! This reminds me of the time I was leading a youth group mission trip and we set our work site on fire! We were staining woodwork for a Habitat house in a local high school woodshop because not all the kids were old enough to work on the construction site, and apparently we didn’t dispose of old chemical-soaked rags properly when we left for the night, they started smoldering in a trash can, and it caused a huge explosion in the room because there was a tank of some pressurized gas in there. YIKES! Luckily no one was hurt, but talk about leaving town with your tail between your legs… (In our defense, we really were not properly supervised if spontaneous combustion was a risk!)
Wow – that could have ended very badly. I’m finding that setting something on fire is not as unusual as I thought it was…
I am VERY familiar with Worcester, and trust me, being banned from that hell hole is a blessing!
I kinda felt like that but I don’t know it well enough to badmouth it too much. Apparently you do – so my feeling was on the mark, huh?
Of course you set the room on fire. I mean you didn’t set it, but only you would be banned from a town that no one really wants to visit anyway. But in true kid fashion it wasn’t your fault because if the housekeeper had just taken the darn tray they wouldn’t have had smoke damage.
That’s what I think too, Kerri. You always back me up – I love you for that.
A stove in your room? Hello. That’s their mistake right there. If they want you to appreciate their room service then perhaps they should remove the stove. Lovely of you to do that for them. You’re a thoughtful guest, no?
I’m a giver, Kelly.
OH MY GOD! I was totally on the edge of my seat the entire time reading this just praying that everything was going to be okay! And who doesn’t clear a room service tray??!!-Ashley
The same people who accidentally set my room on fire 🙂
My husband just spent most of his weekend in Worcester and I’m pretty sure he’s no longer welcome there too. And what’s with the gloomy October day you had back then? In October, we’re supposed to kill it with the foliage and sunshine. Just for that and the fact that housekeeping didn’t take away the tray when they cleaned the room, leads me to believe that this is 110% of the fault of Worcester.
Tamara – I felt like I was in Gotham City – it was all gray and dreary. Ick. I don’t know if that’s typical of that city, or I just hit a bad patch of weather. The rest of my eight weeks in New England in the fall were glorious!
That is crazy! My husband travels a lot for work. I don’t think he has ever set anything on fire, but I did almost have a heart attack once when he was out of town and the airline called. I knew he was supposed to be on a plane right around the time I saw DELTA show up on the caller ID. Since I never watch the news, I immediately assumed there had been some sort of crash or hijacking or something terrible. Turns out he had just forgotten his iPad in the seat pocket. 🙂
That would have completely sent me into a panic too – how scary! Whew.
It was an honest accident I’m sure. I doubt the food was so terrible that you thought “yeah, you know what.. this food was so poor I just need to BURN this place down and do everyone a favor.”
Exactly! Regardless of who was at fault, it was an accident. And that room needed a makeover anyway.
That’s so crazy! I never would have thought about something like that happening. I’m glad everything worked out ok!
Stopping by from SITS
Thanks for stopping by, Sarah! Yes it is a crazy story – fortunately I don’t have too many of them to tell.
This totally made me think of when we were on our honeymoon. We were sleeping at around 4 am in bed, when we smelled burgers and fries. Kevin opened the door and sure enough there was a room service tray with burger and fries. We never did take it in, because we didn’t order it and wanted to go back to sleep. I was more afraid that we would get in trouble for taking someone else’s food inadvertently, but never imagined setting a fire. Just glad it turned out ok and all is well that ended well!
It ended well – but it took months to resolve and the whole time I was waiting for the cops to show up at my door step and haul me away. I was a bit melodramatic in my twenties.
I hate when I leave the room service tray in the hallway and it is still there the next evening!!!
I’m glad that everything worked out – and especially that you weren’t arrested – that would pretty much have sucked!!!
Pretty much!
Oh my gosh! This is a crazy story. I’m glad they didn’t haul you away in an orange jump suit! I doubt this will deter me from ordering room service on future business trips, but I’ll be sure to put the tray outside my room and leave it there!
How often does your room have a stove in it anyway? It was one of those hotels where all the rooms are efficiencies. I’ve never stayed in one like that again.