New cleaner, red-faced—  
the guest with the broom just grins;  
leaves sweep up the joke.

I arrived at the caravan park on my first day with a brand-new mop, a borrowed confidence, and the distinct feeling that I was about to become a Very Important Person in the world of floors.

My supervisor pointed me toward the rows of caravans and said, “Easy start. Just keep an eye out for anything messy.”

So naturally, I immediately spotted a man outside one of the caravans sweeping leaves into a neat little pile.

“Morning!” I said brightly. “New starter too?”

He looked up, then at my uniform, then back at the leaves. “Not exactly.”

I nodded like that made perfect sense. “Same. Bit nervous, aren’t you?”

He paused. “I’m actually the guest.”

I laughed, because obviously he was joking. What kind of guest voluntarily sweeps leaves at 8:15 in the morning? But then he held up a small bag of teabags and said, “Just trying to tidy up before breakfast.”

That was the moment I understood I had not, in fact, found a fellow cleaner. I had found a highly responsible holidaymaker with excellent morals and a rake.

We stood there in silence while I pretended I had meant the whole thing as a test. “Well,” I said, gesturing grandly at his immaculate pile, “you’re doing a smashing job.”

He smiled in the way people do when they’re deciding whether to correct you or just let nature take its course.

I left him to his leaf empire and carried on, slightly humbled, with a bucket of supplies and a new respect for anyone who chooses to clean on holiday. By lunch, I had learned two important things: first, not everyone holding a broom is staff; and second, I should probably stop asking strangers if they’re “new too.”

It was a good first day, though. I made one caravan sparkle, offended no one permanently, and accidentally thanked a guest for “working hard.” Which, honestly, feels like the kind of mistake that gives a place character.

When I’m Cleaning Windows (in c) – George Formby – Ukulele play along – The Ukulaliens

Made with duck.ai 💛