Job Security ... for now.

"Do you have any housekeeping positions?" she asks ... carrying a tote bag ... wearing shorts and flops ... elderly and refined.

A dyed blond hair, chubby woman with a sad smile sitting behind the front desk ... replies, "Let me check."

She stands there looking like a tourist wearing a funeral home smile.

The woman in white returns and says, "Part time."

"May I have an application please?" she quickly asks.

"Of course you may," the woman in white replies ... with the same sad smile and they exchange papers.

"Would it be all right if I return it in a while," she asks, "I know you're serving breakfast now and do not wish to be a distraction for your guests."

"This afternoon is fine," is the distracted response.

"For ten years I had a successful house cleaning business on the side," she quickly says full of emotion and justification for being there.

"My name is Deb," the front desk manager replies.

"I'm Grace," she replies with a wet voice.

"We've been full for a week and are booked solid for the next two," Deb says.

"That's job security," Grace smiles.

"For now anyway," Deb shrugs.

They do not touch but nod in a way that send the slightest of acknowledgement and affirmation to each other.

Pouring cream in the coffee I'm the only other person in the room and find it every bit as captivating as I imagine the Second Coming will be.

Grace leaves.

Deb slowly makes her way to the coffee urn.

"Nice lady," she says ... not to me though I'm the only one left to talk to ... maybe to herself ... maybe to no one at all.

"Three weeks of full is good," I say.

Without looking at me she mumbles, "It's job security ... for now."

Returning to the front desk she sits, sighs heavily and sips her coffee.

I am humbled to witness holiness happen in the shittiest of circumstances ... in a tiny hotel ... in a beautiful place.

Strolling across the parking lot carrying coffee to our room, I say to no one ... may be to God ... "It's still a world of 'the Haves' and the 'Have-nots' ... the Goddamn Second Coming can't come soon enough."