A Day in the Spa - Part 2

I don't like to work for free, but some days I have to.  I take a bus to work or sometimes a taxi if it's raining and I give myself an hour to get there before the service starts, just to set up the room, prepare the foot ritual, etc.  Then I do a 2 hour deep tissue massage with a lady who tells me, "I don't want any elbows or forearms touching me, only hands and I want it the strongest you can give me" - In my mind I'm thinking, "Crazy lady, there is no way I'm going to be able to reach the pressure you are requesting without using elbows or forearms".  She was not happy during the massage, it was either too light or I was hurting her.  She complained and I lost my commission.  I could have been doing any number of things that I enjoy - lounging on the beach with a picnic, going to yoga, spending time with friends at my favorite cafe playing cards, but no, I have to massage an ungrateful client for 2 hours for free!  These are the kinds of clients I have to try to satisfy on a daily basis - my job is not easy.

But then there are days when I get the kids...

The other day I had a 10 yr. old girl who came in with her mom, and I asked her if she'd ever had a massage before and she said this was her first one.  Her mom said, "Just tell the therapist any areas of tension that you want her to work on, any areas that are bothering you" - the girl didn't say anything, I doubt she even knew what the word "tension" meant!  I mean, what tension does a 10 yr. old have?

I once attended a 16 yr. old who I asked, "Is this your first massage?"  She replied to my surprise, "Oh no, I get them all the time!"  When I was sixteen, I was going to the mall or jumping on a trampoline with my friends, not getting massages in luxury hotels at $150 an hour!

I really love my job when they send me to the Presidential Suite to do an in-suite massage for a 13 yr. old soccer player, now this is the life I signed up for!  If only every day at the spa was like this!

I recently attended a lady who requested me over the whole week she was on vacation, on the last day this is what she wrote on her comment card:  "The massage was excellent, but I would prefer that the therapist NOT call me Dear - I'm not so old!"  This was just an expression of endearment on my part because she was in a lot of pain from her hips and arm injuries and she was older, and as she was from England, I assumed this would be appropriate as everyone there calls you "Dear", it was just a caring way for me to say, "I hope you feel better, dear".  Well, apparently she was insulted!  For this, I will probably lose my commission :-(

Other reasons we would lose our commission: they didn't feel like they were pampered enough, the therapist didn't lift their feet and place them in the foot ritual bowl, they didn't like the smell of the chocolate oil, it gave them a headache, the therapist didn't apply the body mask on their breasts or buttocks (she wrote on her comment card: "my butt likes chocolate, too!"), the pressure was not enough for them to feel satisfied (after me getting up on the table and giving them my all for two hours) - if the client was that unhappy, why didn't they end the massage and not "suffer through" for two hours!?