heidipfeiffer

[heidipfeiffer]

Heidi had been entirely in her head, her thoughts racing at a mile a minute and all-consuming until Kiran spoke from over her shoulder. She turned on her heel to face the guest, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of the camera. Yes, she had heard the other girl's question, but Heidi hadn't fully processed it until she was looking right down the barrel.

She could feel her cheeks heating up slightly and silently prayed they weren't turning pink with embarrassment as she grimaced slightly, careful not to express herself too openly in front of a guest. "Maybe another time?" she suggested self-consciously. She would rather be launched into the sun via catapult than have a photograph of her in a housekeeping uniform published anywhere for anyone to see. "Not my best look, you know - I think I have Windex in my hair," she added, an awkward chuckle following her words. She didn't like to say no to guest requests - in fact, she wasn't sure she was even allowed to but this one was sort of outside her scope of work so she was pretty sure she could get away with it as long as this girl wasn't a complete asshole.

[heidipfeiffer]

"By being an idiot," she mused with a chuckle to chase her words, more genuine this time as she recalled the event that had resulted in her wearing Windex that afternoon. "I was cleaning the mirror in a guest suite and left the bottle on the basin. There was some trash kind of tucked away behind the toilet, so I went to grab it, bumped the bottle on my way back up and it turns out I left the bottle half unscrewed from when I refilled it this morning," she had also stained her hairline blue until one of her colleagues mentioned it and encouraged her to clean herself up. Fortunately, she had done so before Kiran was witness to it. "Lesson learned," she added, pleased that the girl was seemingly fairly relaxed, cool even. She didn't speak to Heidi as if she was a rat scurrying around the halls of the hotel and that was a good start.

she was never one to force someone to let her take their picture, that was a job for paparazzi and unless she wanted to be a complete sell out, kiran would never go down that avenue of photography. "no worries," she says instead when heidi declines her offer, lowering her camera instead. "though, how does one get windex in their hair?" she questions cheekily, head tilt and all. "bottle malfunction or mirrors so big it rains back down on you? either way, i would be asking for a raise if i had to have cleaning products in my hair." she was mostly thinking out loud, sure that heidi was too busy to actually humor her rhetorical question.

[heidipfeiffer]

Heidi had been entirely in her head, her thoughts racing at a mile a minute and all-consuming until Kiran spoke from over her shoulder. She turned on her heel to face the guest, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of the camera. Yes, she had heard the other girl's question, but Heidi hadn't fully processed it until she was looking right down the barrel.

She could feel her cheeks heating up slightly and silently prayed they weren't turning pink with embarrassment as she grimaced slightly, careful not to express herself too openly in front of a guest. "Maybe another time?" she suggested self-consciously. She would rather be launched into the sun via catapult than have a photograph of her in a housekeeping uniform published anywhere for anyone to see. "Not my best look, you know - I think I have Windex in my hair," she added, an awkward chuckle following her words. She didn't like to say no to guest requests - in fact, she wasn't sure she was even allowed to but this one was sort of outside her scope of work so she was pretty sure she could get away with it as long as this girl wasn't a complete asshole.

open starter where: first floor of the hotel when: late afternoon

kiran has this habit when she doesn't feel very inspired where she'll people watch for hours with her camera in her hand hoping to catch something interesting naturally instead of forcing it. and since she hasn't felt inspired in week since her last batch of pictures she submitted to various publications were met with a dozen 'sorry, this is not what we are looking for at the moment,' emails. she needs something to catch her eye, that's why she was walking around the first floor of the hotel, hoping for something to spark her inspiration. kiran looks through the viewfinder of her film camera and slowly scans her surroundings until she sees a familiar face of someone she's seen around the hotel. "hey," she says, lowing her camera a bit. "would you mind if i take your picture?"

[heidipfeiffer]

"If I had any idea where I was wanting to go, you might have a chance but-" she shrugged her shoulders, "It's my first week, and I'm off duty," she explained, "I'm still kind of figuring out what to do with myself," she was no stranger to having free time on her hands, it was the freedom she was struggling with. Despite having the entire City of New York to explore, she was so conditioned to being confined that she had barely left the hotel's campus. It was all just a little overwhelming for the time being.

She looked at the male's attire, considering him for a moment now that she was no longer under fire. "I was thinking about getting a drink, actually," she suggested, under the impression that he could probably help her with that if nothing else.

As they made their way back to the bar, Heidi acknowledged the bartender's apology with a smile, "You don't have to apologise," she assured him, "I get it," she added with emphasis, "A guest left a half empty beer can open on the window sil overnight so when I pulled the curtains it got knocked over and spilled everywhere- it was a pain in the ass to clean up and then to top it off, they called my manager to complain about me throwing away the beer. It had been sitting there for hours like- did they seriously think they were going to finish the last few sips like that?" every day was one of those days in housekeeping, it seemed. She wondered what had put Carter in a sour mood that day, "You're welcome to vent if there's any chance I can score a free drink out of it," she was mostly joking but she also didn't have a lot of money of her own; a drink on the house would help her keep her pockets lined.

carter looked at the other's reaction. he didn't meant to come off the way he did, but he was just having a day. the boy couldn't help but smile as the other had her had raised in defence. "that's okay. i should have looked who it was before saying anything." he said looking at the other and walking over to her and looking at the pass. "oh yeah, i was going to say i haven't seen you around before. can i help you to find where you are wanting to go?" the boy asked. "also sorry for snapping. just one of those days and needed to take a break and sometimes guests make their way down here for whatever reason."

[heidipfeiffer]

Instinctively, Heidi held her hands up, palms facing Carter in surrender as he addressed her accusingly. After a beat, she actually processed his words properly and realised she wasn't quite at fault. Lowering her hands and drawing breath, she placed a hand to her chest, "Oh sorry - I didn't realise - actually, I do work here though, I just started," she explained herself clumsily, so cautious of landing herself in hot water, she could barely get her words out. "I can move- but I-" she pulled her staff pass out of her pocket and held it up for the male's awareness, "I am staff," she confirmed, "Very new and semi-lost staff," she clarified.

it had just been on of those days for carter. the bar had been busy, there was a combination of rude and arrogant guests and then the nice and polite ones. he still had a few more hours to go but he needed some fresh air so he decided to take the trash out. it was at the back of the hotel, secluded and just quiet enough for him to take a moment to himself before heading back inside to the chaos. he finished putting the trash in the garage bin when he heard someone behind him. “hey what are you doing back here. its for employee’s only” he said looking at the other. 

[heidipfeiffer]

"Right. Clarence-" There was something uncomfortable about the name; it didn't quite roll off the tongue as nicely as she'd hoped, and it didn't suit the man in front of her, "Mr Hinckley," she tried as an alternative, but that felt weird too. Maybe it was just the whole situation that felt odd.

She offered him a smile to ease the awkwardness and nodded in agreement when he spoke, "Let's do it," she chimed, trying to sound eager though the pit of her stomach twisted with dread.

"Uh-huh," she uttered, humming affirmatively occasionally to demonstrate that she was listening to what he said despite the painfully dull nature of their tour. "Thanks," she once again forced a smile. It suited her? She suited a maid's uniform? Did she look born to scrub toilets and fold sheets? What a tragic thought- though no less tragic, she supposed, than the last few years of her life. She'd also been told she suited a hairnet once while she'd been assigned line service duty in the kitchen.

She couldn't help but chuckle at Clarence's question, but when she looked up to meet his gaze, she realised that he had been quite sincere. She quickly straightened up and cleared her throat softly, trying to think of an answer that wasn't 'I don't have a choice and neither do you'.

"Character building," what a gold star answer. Would he buy it? "I want to do something to service people. To help. I want to do better," maybe her answer had started turning into something truthful. No, she didn't want to fold sheets or wipe sinks, but she did want to be a better person. She hoped this could be the start of that somehow.

"Sir?" Clarence let out a soft chuckle. "Please, call me Clarence. Or Mr. Hinckley will work just fine if you're big on titles." He was nothing if not accommodating after all. Through and through. "No, you don't need to bring anything. Just yourself, of course, " he assured her. "I want to make sure you get the best start possible here. So I'll be personally handling your orientation today. We want to make sure you feel right at home."

He paused, observing Heidi for a moment. Perhaps he was a bit... out of tune with the times but he had a difficult time believing this was a person in need of an opportunity. This young woman? An ex-con? It felt like a bit of a joke. But nevertheless, he was committed to ensuring she had a warm welcome. "Shall we begin?" He opened the door out of HR for Heidi to walk through.

With that, Clarence began to guide her down the back of house halls. "So this is back of house. I'm sure you've seen a bit of it. You've at least seen Uniform Services. Gladys is wonderful. Always gets uniforms cleaned and ready to go for a day of work. Suits newcomers up nicely." He took a moment to survey how she wore the housekeeper's outfit. "It suits you well by the way. Looking sharp the day ahead."

He led her onwards out of back of house and to the front of house, ready to showcase the grandeur of the Arconia and just how wonderful he found it. As they walked through the now elegantly decorated hallways, Clarence began sharing anecdotes about the hotel's rich history, all while emphasizing the importance of each staff member's role in maintaining the esteemed reputation of the 5-star establishment. "So... what made you want to pursue Housekeeping?"

[heidipfeiffer]

Heidi adjusted her uniform nervously. It was a surprisingly good fit,- which she supposed she should have expected from a hotel of this calibre, but it still felt strange. When she looked in the mirror, she didn't recognise herself. It wasn't as if she wasn't used to uniforms, she had spent the last two years in one. It was just that this uniform meant something different. This wasn't a punishment, it was an opportunity but it still felt every bit like prison.

"Yes," she chimed, straightening her posture to match the refined demeanour of who she assumed would be her new boss. "It's so great to meet you, sir" she sounded so fake it was sickening but what else was she to say? Hey, thanks for the job, I know you don't have a choice and neither do I?

"Cool," Heidi uttered."Cool," Heidi uttered."Cool," Heidi utte, admittedly a little lost. She didn't know who Mother Theresa was or if she was even supposed to know who Mother Theresa was. She assumed it was Clarence's own mother which made her skin feel sort of itchy and uncomfortable, but she decided, for her own sanity, not to dwell on it for more than half a second. "I mean, yes," she realised she'd been asked a question, "Yes, Everyn has been amazing," amazing at not saying a single word to Heidi since she had arrived.

"Was I supposed to um- bring anything? I didn't bring anything," she didn't have anything which made bringing anything somewhat difficult, regardless of whatever she may have been expected to supply herself.

WHO: @heidipfeiffer

WHERE: The Arconia

WHEN: Heidi's first day (mini flashback vibes)

The hallway echoed with a polished cadence as Clarence made his way through the back of house hallways. Dressed in a sharp suit that complemented the upscale ambiance of the Arconia, he couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility and enthusiasm for the task ahead. Today marked the first day for Heidi, a new housekeeper selected through the JobLink program. She had a very... interesting history, so he wanted to make a point of personally conducting her orientation, to ensure she felt a seamless integration into the Arconia family. Sure, most General Managers wouldn't do such a thing, especially for a Housekeeper, but... Clarence liked to believe he wasn't most General Managers.

Pushing the door to the HR office open with a subtle smile, Clarence found who he assumed was Heidi — actually, he knew was Heidi. He'd read her profile of course and recognized her from the photo. — and offered a polite smile. "Heidi?" He fully made his way inside and then held his hand out to her, standing with impeccable posture. "Good morning. I'm Clarence, General Manager of this wonderful place we call the Arconia," he greeted, his voice carrying a reassuring warmth. "I hope your journey here was smooth. And that Evelyn's been kind to you—" He winked playfully at the HR lady. "I kid. Evelyn's a gem. Always treats people with a kindness Mother Theresa would be jealous of."

[heidipfeiffer]

was that [JOSEPHINE LANGFORD ] spotted in the lobby of the infamous arconia hotel? must just be, [HEIDI PFEIFFER] the [ TWENTY THREE ] year old [ HOUSEKEEPER]. whenever i hear [ ITS BEEN A LONG DAY BY SPACEY JANE it reminds me of them. [SHE/HER] is known for being [ NAIVE] and [ DISTANT] but they make up for that by being [ RESILIENT] and [ HARDWORKING ]. they have been working at the arconia for [ ONE WEEK ].

NAME: Heidi Pfeiffer AGE: 23 OCCUPATION: Housekeeper HOMETOWN: Bonney Lake, Washington CURRENTLY: New York, New York

POSITIVE TRAITS: Resilient, determined, humble NEUTRAL TRAITS: Distant, aloof, NEGATIVE TRAITS: Naive, cold, distrusting

BACKGROUND

Heidi dropped out of school during her senior year to follow her much older boyfriend across the country, supporting his latest business endeavour.

The pair were married and living in Utah before Heidi was old enough to legally drink.

A few years down the track, Heidi was living on an isolated ranch in the middle of nowhere in Kentucky with just a few of her husband's friends, followers and associates to keep her company. The 'dude-ranch' business he'd alleged had turned out to be a hotbed of criminal activity and Heidi was caught in the middle of it.

Having cut almost all ties back home and failing to keep in regular contact with her family, she didn't have much of an option but to stay, despite her growing concerns.

The decision to leave the ranch was made for her when she was escorted off the premises in handcuffs following a raid that exposed the farm's illegal gun assembling and trafficking operation that stretched all the way to Bridgewater, NJ.

Despite her minimal involvement, she was dragged down with the rest of the ranch without entirely realizing she was an accomplice to some pretty hefty crimes. Heidi ended up serving a minimum term of one year in prison for the class 4 felony of unlawful selling/delivery of firearms.

Heidi served nearly two years in State Prison and is currently serving part of her eighteen months of supervised release. Thanks to a very generous parole officer (and agreeing to increased reporting to the parole board) she was authorised to leave Kentucky and secure employment at Arconia through JobLink.

FACTS

During high school she was a horrible person and regrets every moment she spent torturing other kids for her own gain.

Her sentence humbled her a lot and now as a convicted felon without formal education and a dubious marriage status, she is experiencing life at the bottom of the food chain. She hopes to make up for her past transgressions by being less of an asshole.

[heidipfeiffer]

[heidipfeiffer]

why does it cost money

[heidipfeiffer]