Guns, Tears, and Brazilian Butt Lifts: One Front Desk Agent’s Wildest Day on the Job
Working a hotel front desk might sound like a boring gig—folding towels, printing receipts, and maybe the occasional faint whiff of chlorine. But as one Redditor, u/ManagerNotOnDuty, recently revealed on r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk, it can sometimes feel like you’re the main character in a fever dream that combines an action movie, a soap opera, and a cautionary tale about gun safety.
Their post, “Guns, Tears, and a botched BBL,” is a wild ride through the realities of American gun culture, guest drama, and the sheer unpredictability of hospitality work. We’re talking open carry in the lobby, guests leaving loaded weapons behind, and—because why not—a medical emergency involving a Brazilian Butt Lift. If you thought your job was stressful, just wait.
Open Carry at the Coffee Bar: Guns and the Hospitality Biz
Imagine this: You’re chatting with a hotel guest, helping him with his groceries, when you notice something unexpected peeking out between his pants and boxers. Yep, it’s a gun. For u/ManagerNotOnDuty, who grew up in an anti-gun household and had never even seen a real firearm, this was a heart-racing moment. But the guest? Totally chill, as if he’d just tucked in his phone.
As the OP shared, their manager’s reaction was a resigned shrug: “Well, we can’t really do anything about that.” That’s the reality for many hotel workers in states with open carry laws. But the Reddit comments were quick to point out that not everyone who owns a gun is equally prepared—or responsible. One top commenter, u/dreaminginteal, joked that “everyone who owns a gun is going leave it somewhere in public sometime,” referencing the parade of forgotten firearms turning up in cars, shops, and yes, hotel rooms.
Others, like u/craash420, clarified that it’s “not everyone, just the dumbasses.” But the consensus was clear: seeing a gun at the front desk is a lot less rare (and more nerve-wracking) than most non-gun-owners would expect.
Guns Left Behind: Lost and (Hopefully) Not Found
If seeing a gun on a guest is wild, imagine answering the hotel phone and having a guest sheepishly ask why their firearm ended up at the police station. “WHO TF LEAVES A GUN AT A HOTEL?” the OP exclaimed. Turns out, quite a few people do—and not just civilians.
As several commenters pointed out, even law enforcement and federal agents sometimes forget their guns while traveling. u/leicanthrope, who worked in hospitality, admitted, “Federal Agents are the worst for forgetting their guns. Number two would be state and local cops. Civilians were a very distant third.” At least the pros tend to lock them in the in-room safe (most of the time).
But when a gun does turn up, hotel policy is clear: staff can’t just hand it back to whoever claims it. As u/Sharikacat explained, “If the hotel finds a gun in a room, I don’t care if the guest checked out ten minutes ago and asks to go back in to get it. I’m not about to give a gun to someone when I have no way of properly determining its correct owner.” The police have to check serial numbers and make sure it’s not evidence in a crime—because, let’s face it, you never know.
Tears, Terminations, and a Botched BBL: When Everything Happens at Once
Just when you think things can’t get more chaotic, the universe says, “Hold my beer.” The OP recounted their “most unhinged front desk moment”: a woman, recently fired from her job for having a gun on a work trip, standing at the desk sobbing uncontrollably. Before the desk agent could even process the drama, a family rushed up—dad, child, and a wife who was actively bleeding from a botched Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) surgery.
“OMFG. I could not make this shit up,” the OP wrote. While calling 911, the first woman’s perspective abruptly shifted: “Oh my problems are so stupid compared to these people. This woman is basically dying.” Cue more tears and some awkward, misplaced empathy.
For those not in the know (like one confused Aussie commenter), BBL stands for Brazilian Butt Lift—a cosmetic surgery that’s become infamous for complications, especially when performed far from home or at discount clinics. If you ever wondered what happens when you combine the stress of gun drama, job loss, and medical emergencies, now you know: you get a front desk agent questioning their entire career path.
Community Insights: Dumbasses, Darwin Awards, and the Great American Gun Debate
The comments on this post were a goldmine of insight, exasperation, and gallows humor. Several people referenced the sheer irresponsibility of leaving guns in cars—a favorite pastime, apparently, in places like Florida, where “Florida Man is well-armed,” as u/Tall_Mickey observed. Another pointed out that cars with “MOLON LABE” or “COME AND TAKE IT” stickers seem especially likely to serve as temporary gun lockers (and eventual targets for thieves).
Safety was a recurring theme: u/EnvironmentalHair290 bluntly noted that folks who “carry their gun in their waistband is just asking for a neutering the hard way.” Meanwhile, u/GKM72 shared that some hotels in the South actually have dedicated gun safes at security—no sidearms allowed in the room, thank you very much.
And the debate over gun rights versus gun sense was alive and well. u/KnottaBiggins mused, “If you need your gun, you’re not free—you’re a slave to the gun.” Others argued that companies are within their rights to fire employees who bring guns on work trips, even if owning one isn’t itself a firing offense.
Conclusion: Welcome to the Wild World of Hotel Front Desks
If you ever thought hotel work was just about checking in guests and folding towels, think again. The front desk is where American culture—guns, drama, and all—comes to check in for the night. From open carry to forgotten firearms, teary terminations to botched cosmetic surgeries, it’s clear that there’s never a dull moment.
Have you ever witnessed wild front desk drama or found something totally unexpected in a hotel room? Do you think hotels should have stricter gun policies, or is this just part of the American experience? Share your thoughts—and your craziest stories—in the comments below!
Original Reddit Post: Guns, Tears, and a botched BBL