Screaming baby at ski resort -- who's right and who's wrong?

They weren't doing anything at the expense of others. They were in their hotel room, and the baby for whatever reason had an uncontrollable crying fit. They certainly didn't see it coming, and I'm sure they were far more exasperated than the guy who was losing his precious sleep. Sorry, pal, but it's a hotel. Shit happens. And they have just as much reason to go on vacation as anyone else. Would I be annoyed if I was kept up all night? Absolutely. But I would have handled it much butter than this a-hole. And if I had an infant and had the opportunity to leave the kid with a grandparent or nanny and enjoy a ski vacation, I certainly would take that option and enjoy a quiet time away from the kid. But to each their own.

 

I could switch a room in 45 seconds if I'm unhappy. Maybe less if I have my socks on.

I cannot imagine a woman agreeing to switch a hotel room at any point after she has plopped her makeup bag in the bathroom.

 

Yeah, but these damn old fucks in their scooters and the moms with their stupid strollers are slowing ME down! I don't know how you can expect that if you go on vacation that there won't be screaming babies, drunken frat boys or obnoxious APSE judges that might annoy you. It's a public hotel, and everyone has a right to be there. If you don't like it, take it up with the offending party or management. But don't expect Joe Bro to decide not to go on that vacation because he might get hammered and piss on your door and have loud, inane discussions in the hallway at 3 a.m.

 

There are hotels all over the world that do not allow children. Go there if it's a deal-breaker.

This was a hotel that allows children.

 

See how simple that was?

 

Well, whatever.

But if you and honey pie have been sitting there bitching at each other for a half-hour or an hour or however goddamn long about the goddamn screaming baby, and for the last half of whatever time period taking turns arguing with each other, "do you think we should call the front desk," "no don't bother, they won't do a damn thing," if you finally call and they DO offer to let you move to another room, my bet is Honey Pie will throw on her sweatsuit and be ready to haul out within three minutes flat.

 

Now you are just being willfully ignorant. They were absolutely doing something at the expense of others. They brought the child they couldn't control into that situation. Of course, at that age, it is likely that no parent is going to be able to control the child. They should know that. They chose to put their own interests ahead of anybody who might be disturbed by their child. Children that age are unpredictable. Any parent with a clue knows that kind of outburst is a possibility. They just did not care.

Yes, there were better ways to handle it. Complain to the front desk, and if nothing is done about it, keep complaining. Hell, you're up anyway. Do something about it. Failing that, say something to the parents. Don't wait and leave a note later.

 

I was a prick two summers ago, about 200 miles from home and the context was surprisingly similar to the ski resort situation.

One note -- this is a hotel that largely populated by youth baseball players, their parents. It's loud at night, until the pool shuts down around 11 pm. I get that. No problem.

It's 6 am on a Saturday. Outside our hotel room. I hear these engines revving. It's waking all of us up.

The revving doesn't stop. I move the curtain and see people revving two classic cars outside of our window with people looking under the raised hoods.

Because I am "out of market", I can be a little mouthy. Even better, the offending cars are from two states away. Must be some damn classic car show.

I put on my shoes and a hoodie and head to the parking lot. I walk up to the revving cars.

"Gentlemen!" I said. "How we doing?"

They grunt back at me.

"It's 6 in the morning on a Saturday. Think we could shut this off until a little later today?"

One guy rolls his eyes as the revving keeps up.

"No," I continue. "You won't?"

"It's Classic Car Weekend at the Fairgrounds," some older guy yells from one of the other cars. "You picked the wrong weekend to sleep in."

Now I'm livid and getting in that "ad libbing zone".

"Is this the Fairgrounds?"

"Well...uh...no."

The line came to me a few seconds before and I delivered it. "Then go take your fuzzy dice and your Bobby Darin and go RELIVE AMERICAN GRAFFITI DOWN AT THE FAIRGROUNDS! PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SLEEP!"

"I'm sorry your life sucks," the old guy fired back. "Don't take it out on me."

"That's all ya got? Just shut it off or go somewhere else. It's 6... in the morning."

Eventually they took their Platters 8-tracks and left. I walked to the breakfast area to grab the muffins and bring them back. Much to my surprise, Mrs. Ex was actually impressed.

 

That line is hilarious.

And you were wrong about one thing: You weren't the prick.

 

On this we can agree. But just because your kid MIGHT act up, you should just lock yourself in the house until the kid is 4. Got it. Seriously, what are you not supposed to do to avoid disturbing others? Not fly? Not go to a restaurant? Not go to the damn fair? Who the hell are you to say they shouldn't have brought a kid on vacation? Would I have brought the kid? No. But I don't fault them for doing it. It's their right, after all. I do understand that being a parent can change your lifestyle, but it's up to the parent to decide how much. And as has been noted, you don't have a reasonable expectation of total silence in a hotel or resort. And you calling me ignorant is pretty rich.

 

"You're gonna find out all about life sucking in a big way if I hear one more word of shit out of you, Bowser."

 

The only thing missing on the old guy was a pack of Luckys in the sleeve of his T-shirt and a tattoo from the ship he was on in the Navy. I think his wife was named Roberta. I just remember you cue blue up a pool stick with her eye shadow.