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Feb. 19th, 2007 01:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyfirestarterFlights to New York City aren't cheap, but she can afford it. This one's going to have to be out-of-pocket; she can't claim this has anything to do with her work for the Tet Corporation.
Before booking the flight, she calls the Dolphin and asks to speak to the manager. The receptionist seems unduly flustered by the request, and finally puts her through to the assistant manager, one Mr. Goodwin. Charlie supposes that will have to do.
"Mr. Goodwin? My name's Roberta McGee, and --" Her practiced spiel: a graduate student at University of New Mexico, doing her Master's thesis on the fantasy-horror works of Stephen King, currently researching the real places and people King used in his stories.
"...And I understand that King used your hotel as the setting for his short story '1408,' even going so far as to base his fictional hotel manager Olin on your own Mr. Overmeyer."
"I believe so, yes." Goodwin's tone is cheerful and friendly in a smooth professional way; I am a People Person, it says, someone you can feel comfortable giving your money to.
"I'm going to be in New York for about four weeks," she forges on brightly, "and I was hoping to be able to visit your hotel. And, if he has the time, I'd like to arrange a brief interview with Mr. Overmeyer himself."
A brief pause. "I'm afraid that won't be possible," Goodwin says delicately. "Mr. Overmeyer passed away just over a week ago."
Charlie's fingers tighten on the phone. "I'm so sorry to hear that," she says, trying very hard to keep her tone one of sympathy and not one of dread.
"It's left us in some disarray, I'm afraid. I don't know if a guided tour of the hotel would be feasible at this time. I hope you understand, Ms. McGee."
"Of course. Of course, my apologies." Her free hand brushes through the papers on her desk. Notes. Olin wasn't that old.
"Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Not at the moment, thank you." She debates for a moment leaving him her name and phone number, and decides against it. "I should tell you, though, your official website is out of date. It still lists Mr. Overmeyer as the manager."
"Does it? Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I'll have our website administrator correct it." His voice is warm with practiced gratitude, as though genuinely pleased to have the error pointed out to him. It gives no hint at all of what he's really thinking. "Have a good day, Ms. McGee. And good luck with your research paper."
"Thank you." Charlie presses the on-off button on the phone with her thumb, and pauses for several seconds in thought.
Then thumbs the button again, and moves her thumb across the keypad to press REDIAL.
"Yes? Hello. I'd like to book a room for a period of two weeks, starting..." Doublechecking the dates on the computer screen, and focusing on the best flight: "...March first. Yes. Thank you, yes. Oh, and -- I'd like a room on the eleventh floor, if there's one available...."
Before booking the flight, she calls the Dolphin and asks to speak to the manager. The receptionist seems unduly flustered by the request, and finally puts her through to the assistant manager, one Mr. Goodwin. Charlie supposes that will have to do.
"Mr. Goodwin? My name's Roberta McGee, and --" Her practiced spiel: a graduate student at University of New Mexico, doing her Master's thesis on the fantasy-horror works of Stephen King, currently researching the real places and people King used in his stories.
"...And I understand that King used your hotel as the setting for his short story '1408,' even going so far as to base his fictional hotel manager Olin on your own Mr. Overmeyer."
"I believe so, yes." Goodwin's tone is cheerful and friendly in a smooth professional way; I am a People Person, it says, someone you can feel comfortable giving your money to.
"I'm going to be in New York for about four weeks," she forges on brightly, "and I was hoping to be able to visit your hotel. And, if he has the time, I'd like to arrange a brief interview with Mr. Overmeyer himself."
A brief pause. "I'm afraid that won't be possible," Goodwin says delicately. "Mr. Overmeyer passed away just over a week ago."
Charlie's fingers tighten on the phone. "I'm so sorry to hear that," she says, trying very hard to keep her tone one of sympathy and not one of dread.
"It's left us in some disarray, I'm afraid. I don't know if a guided tour of the hotel would be feasible at this time. I hope you understand, Ms. McGee."
"Of course. Of course, my apologies." Her free hand brushes through the papers on her desk. Notes. Olin wasn't that old.
"Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Not at the moment, thank you." She debates for a moment leaving him her name and phone number, and decides against it. "I should tell you, though, your official website is out of date. It still lists Mr. Overmeyer as the manager."
"Does it? Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I'll have our website administrator correct it." His voice is warm with practiced gratitude, as though genuinely pleased to have the error pointed out to him. It gives no hint at all of what he's really thinking. "Have a good day, Ms. McGee. And good luck with your research paper."
"Thank you." Charlie presses the on-off button on the phone with her thumb, and pauses for several seconds in thought.
Then thumbs the button again, and moves her thumb across the keypad to press REDIAL.
"Yes? Hello. I'd like to book a room for a period of two weeks, starting..." Doublechecking the dates on the computer screen, and focusing on the best flight: "...March first. Yes. Thank you, yes. Oh, and -- I'd like a room on the eleventh floor, if there's one available...."
