What Has That Therapist Been Smoking? Her Peace Pipe?

You train, you train, and you train.  You have staff and employees for years, and yet, just when you think everything is going well, your very best therapist decides to share her recent medical maladies.  You wish you could take it back, but the damage is done.

I was so looking forward to my 85 minute Indian Body Wrap and Massage, and was on the table in seconds.  The therapist held up the Indian peace pipe and explained that the ritual would include ancient Indian peace rituals—I can not get enough of this.  She then gave two little coughs. I expressed concern and she replied, “oh it’s nothing but my gall bladder”.

Alarmed, I said-”your gall bladder”—she replied, “it’s been acting up lately and it makes me cough”.   She then started the massage, but the Indian magic was over.  As she continued the massage, she kept up the little cough and kept leaving the table to get sips of water.

Finally, after 30 minutes, I gave in to “this massage is over,  Thank you.”  Putting on my robe, and leaving the treatment room, I was met at the door by the spa director.  “What is the problem?  What happened?”  I explained what happened.  She said that this therapist had been with her for over 10 years and she was very good and never had a complaint.  Great,  I thought, for ten years, this woman has been telling everyone her ailments and inflicting her bad mojo energy on guests. 

What part of zip your lip did this therapist not get?  Even after I ended the massage, I still don’t think she fully understood why I was ending the massage.  It’s no fun to listen to other people complain, especially when you are paying for it.

Three little rules for all therapists: 

1. If they ask a question, answer with one word. 
2. Keep the chatter to a minimum.
3. Unless you are having heart failure (or something similar), don’t ever let the guest see you sweat.