Usually, when I get a phone call at 1 am it's not an ideal start to a guest's stay. I say this from hard-won experience. Most of the time I tell them I am full – even if it's not strictly true...
It is all down to how someone talks to me on the phone, and I have a gut instinct for these things by now. It usually goes something like this:
"Have you got a room?"
Said in various accents and states of sobriety, is not the best way to make me want to help someone out at this time of the morning!
The Friday and Saturday night phone calls are the worst, as the Travelodge is closed by this time. One night I had four calls within the space of two hours. Each time I nearly broke my neck trying to reach the phone before it woke up the whole house.
Once or twice I have had a phone call from the police, one particular night a female officer was on the line asking me if I had a room for the night as their cells were full!
She tried to make light if the situation, saying it was only a 'section 2'. To this day, I still don't know what that means. However, I was sure that this wasn't a good idea as I had two young children and being a single mother, wasn't prepared to take the risk.
However, there was one occasion where I was a bit more helpful.
The voice on the line apologised firstly for ringing at such a late hour but went on to explain.
"I am ringing from Streatham Police Station and I am locked out of my flat. Do you have a room for the night?"
Being the night owl that I am and hearing the desperation in his voice I said I do have a room and I will wait up for you. He arrived looking very anxious, so I offered him the option of a cup of tea in the kitchen. I had been cooking that night and the joint of roast pork was cooling down on a wooden board in the kitchen. I could see him eyeing it up so I offered him some. He was reluctant at first and then said if I really meant it, he hadn't eaten all day and was hungry. I gave him two thick slices of pork with bread, pickles, and some crackling.
Chris and Paul came in about 30 minutes later (Around 12.45am) to see me sitting chatting to this guy as if we were old friends. It was a magic moment! It's these sorts of moments that make hosting so rewarding for me – it's the unexpected people I would never normally come across – if at all!