Manning the desk in a hotel lobby can be a very stressful job, and on this particular holiday weekend, Mr. Ehrlinger was more frazzled than usual, owing to a broken vending machine, a wheezing air conditioner, and an absent repairman.
When the occupant of 111a phoned with a simple request, Ehrlinger growled out a greeting, to the discomfit of the caller.
“Bear with me,” Resident 111 began nervously. “I will need a rollaway.”
Ehrlinger, realizing his lapse in manners, decided to deliver the rollaway, along with a personal apology. He was, however, beyond startled when a California grizzly appeared in the doorway next to a man.
Certain he had the wrong room, indeed the wrong hotel, Ehrlinger stammered, “Did you call for a rollaway?”
“Of course, I did,” the resident replied, nodding toward the grizzly. “Like I said, ‘bear with me.’”
Stephanie's Ninth Suitcase 