Most of the time we stand around or lie in the sun, both servant and scenery. We keep watch on drinks and attend the needs of the guests, who are like some strange boys club. We take food orders and enter them through the touch screen. The same screen that shows us drink recipes. The orders are then processed by the kitchen and delivered. The kitchen has it’s own delivery staff, but sometimes we must go fetch an order which has not arrived. Usually this happens for an impatient guest and not a problem with kitchen staff. A few guests have us deliver special orders directly to the kitchen.
Much of the organization is the same as any full service hotel. The only difference being the staff are all slaves. No money, no tips. Kidnapped from their lives and brought here to work and amuse the guests. We are incentivized by fear, not money or anything else. Doing a good job means less abuse.
At the pools, we hear more of the guests conversations than in other work around the resort. They talk as if they have known each other for decades, but it can’t be more than 5-10 years, I’d imagine. Maybe they grew up together, went the the same schools. I don’t know. The way they talk also sounds, worldly. I have heard discussion of many locations around the world which the guests have traveled to. They like to compare notes and one up each other, if they can.
In many ways they are just men, like any other. In other ways, they are not quite like any men I have met elsewhere. They are very sure of themselves, very confident. They certainly seem entitled, like most men, but there is something beyond that, like they own the world and everyone else are just pawns in their game. They talk like each move leads to another move. They believe that everyone in the world is constantly trying to take advantage of each other. They talk of comprehensive strategies which they have learned and refined over the years.
They address women with a forwardness that most other men don’t exhibit. Instead of subtle manipulation, they state exactly what they want and expect it to be carried out. Like no one would ever say no.
Of course we cannot say no.
After I have been exposed to more of their leisure conversation, I started getting a growing feeling that something is not normal. I can’t place what it is, but something about this place does not add up. If I close my eyes and listen to them banter, I can imagine them to be older, very rich men. Like out of old movies or some of the older executives I have met at dinner parties.
Sometimes they talk about something they call the game. I’m not sure if it’s some type of sport, a stock market thing, or a game made of people’s lives. Sometimes it seems to be all three. Sometimes, it sounds like they refer to everything as the game.
I have noticed they seem to have a special codified language they use when referring to certain things. Like any subculture which has agreed on special meanings for common words. I'm not sure if it is to hide things from us or if they just talk that way. They don't seem to hide things from us. They are very candid and direct in what they talk about. They have no fear that we will tell anyone else.
It is like they are from a different generation. They are like old men reliving their youth.