Over many years churning out these riveting Daily Reports TRM often refer to that mysterious rarely seen manager called SWMBO – She Who Must Be Obeyed…
(Photo on right – Tongariro River Motel’s manager – SWMBO interviewing new laundry staff)
In the past She has usually managed to remain under cover – quietly directing the management from under Her security blanket of anonymity.
But it had to happen. Finally She has been caught in Her own web of espionage and exposed as an incurable conspiracy theorist. Now She has accused DOC (Department of Conservation) for spreading misinformation about Tongariro River Motel, by ‘planting’ photos of their tramping lodge, the 28 bunk Waihohonu Hut, instead of TRM on Online Tourist Agents websites and booking agencies – see images on left.
She made such extraordinary spurious accusations, claiming they were desperate to improve their occupancy rate!. Now I am going to get the blame for Her wilful abuse so in anticipation I unreservedly apologise for Her..
By accusing DOC She has stooped to a new depth even for TRM, so low, even lower than being a porno predator or a polluter or a poacher. Yikes!
She was threatening to sue the Minister of Conservation (Maggie) but as they are both keen gardeners we know it would just turn into a gardening club meeting. You will appreciate Her reaction is the direct result of stress from misguided OTA’s (Online Tourist Agencies) promoting DOC huts and threatening TRM’s world wide reputation. It has driven Her to despair.
It is easier for the laundry team of course. When any dark clouds of likely stress appear we just disappear and go fishing. Even before we have made our first cast the clouds of gloom and doom have lifted for us. But not for SWMBO. That strain is from Her head office management training – not suffered by lowly Laundry Assistants.
It is true that SWMBO is at a disadvantage. Compared to the rarified circle of purist anglers that are usually lodging at TRM, She is the very nemesis, or perhaps the antithesis, as She has never even been fly fishing.
This of course has been a deliberate sneaky staff strategy. There was always the risk that She might enjoy it so the risk was not worth taking.
As far as the management of a world-famous-in-NZ motel is concerned, She is quite extraordinary as she isn’t merely disinterested in trout fishing; She still knows nothing about it.
That is an almost impossible feat in this aquatic Tongariro environment but She has managed it easily. It doesn’t even matter as for management duties She is so much more competent. She prefers reading dull seed catalogues to TRM Daily Reports so She will never see this. SWMBO has this prodigious memory for everything at TRM – except trout fishing.
So that is why She is the manager. She does management so much better than me. I am happy to be a hopeless failure. I have been banished from the guest reception and management for ever. The laundry is now my late career move. Life can be so cruel. Oh dear.
Instead of encouraging guests to stand in a river getting cold (?) SWMBO’s different management style (warning for the future) provides guests’ entertainment on TRM’s 50 sky channels more like that below…