The Time I Became “Mom” at the Shmotel: Tales of Midnight Guests and Cat Ears
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to work at a budget motel, let me paint you a picture: it’s 2 a.m., you’re wearing cat ears, your hair is pink, and a stranger insists you’re his mother. No, this isn’t the set-up for a quirky indie film—it’s just another shift behind the front desk.
Some people say hospitality is about making guests feel at home. I’d argue it’s about surviving the “Shmotel” jungle with your sanity (and sense of humor) intact. Welcome to my world, where “unexpected” is the only constant and the line between guest and family gets weirdly blurry.
The Art of Kicking Out “Guests” (a.k.a. My Unwanted Offspring)
Let’s be real: working the night audit at a slightly-better-than-a-numbered-motel means you see it all. But the absolute worst part? Having to ask unhoused folks to leave when they seek shelter in your laundry room. It’s heartbreaking, stressful, and—let’s face it—a little scary when you’re 110 pounds, rocking pastel hair and feline accessories, and the closest thing you have to backup is a breakfast attendant with a tray of muffins.
On this particularly “normal” night, my coworker arrived to prep the continental breakfast. That’s when she noticed a man snoozing outside the laundry room. Since I’m not allowed to leave the desk during night audit (and because our property-wide cameras are, naturally, off-limits to mere mortals), I had no clue about our extra guest.
We approached with caution, as all good sitcom duos do. He woke up confused, which, fair—alarm clocks are bad enough without being roused by two pajama-clad women wielding clipboards. But then things took a turn for the sitcom-absurd: he started arguing, muttering about waiting to “hear back from them,” and, most memorably, insisted “mom said it was okay to stay here”—pointing straight at me. Now, my maternal instinct is limited to keeping the coffee fresh and the lobby semi-presentable, but apparently, I’d become someone’s mom in the space of five minutes.
When Protocol Meets Absurdity
If you’ve ever worked in customer service, you know there are rules, and then there’s reality. Policy says call non-emergency, so I did, expecting the usual routine: wait, wait, wait, maybe get backup from Mike the maintenance hero (shoutout to all the Mikes out there), and hope for a swift resolution.
Except, of course, cops are busy and Mike never showed. The man—my newfound “son”—just kept waiting for “them” to call. Two hours later, a non-emergency dispatcher finally checked in, still promising help “as soon as they can.” Spoiler: help never came.
Turns out, this wasn’t even his first impromptu sleepover. Apparently, he’d camped out the night before, only leaving when maintenance flexed their muscle (or, more likely, their ability to look stern). As my shift ended, I texted my boss to give them the update and quietly prayed I wouldn’t have to repeat the whole strange, awkward dance on my next audit.
What We Can Learn From “Shmotel” Night Audits
There’s a certain resilience you build working the graveyard shift at a budget motel. You learn to juggle empathy and safety, follow protocol while improvising like a jazz musician, and, most importantly, laugh at the absurdity of it all. Maybe you’re not saving the world—but you are keeping it spinning for the people passing through your little corner of it.
And if you end up being called “Mom” by a stranger while wearing cat ears, just count it as another story for your memoir.
Have You Had a “Mom” Moment at Work?
Hospitality workers, retail warriors, or anyone with a weird workplace tale: share your stories in the comments! Have you ever had a moment where your role suddenly shifted, and you found yourself in a parental (or otherwise unexpected) position? Let’s commiserate—and celebrate—the strange, hilarious, and sometimes heartwarming side of customer service.
Because at the end of the day, if you can’t laugh about being mistaken for someone’s mother in the middle of the night at a Shmotel, what can you laugh about?
If you liked this tale, check out more from r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk or share your own story below. And remember: always pack your cat ears—you never know when you’ll need them!
Original Reddit Post: I’m apparently a mother now