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Dear Days Inn: Consider me bolted
A motel epiphany: Common household objects work better nailed down. Another corporate missive from Kenneth H. Cleaver.

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By Kenneth H. Cleaver

July 17, 2000

Days Inn
P.O. Box 29004
Phoenix, AZ 85038-9004




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Dear Days Inn:

I had the good fortune of being your guest this past March in Dearborn, Mich. What I learned during the course of my stay will remain for me a lifelong practice.

When I first noticed the remote control bolted to my night table, I was not a happy guest. Days Inn trusted me no further than I could throw a cheesecake underwater. Or so it seemed. As my anger passed, I began to contemplate my home and what I might want to bolt down.

For as long as I can remember, I have thrown my pillow in my sleep. I wake up to a stiff neck and my slumber cushion lost to the netherworld of a dark room. What was once a nightly hassle is now a fading memory. My pillow remains affixed to my sheets, thanks to one reluctant Granny and her sewing prowess. Success No. 1!

My dog loves bones. She drags her marrow trophies around as if they were hard won on the Serengeti, rather than the pet aisles of Shoprite. The bones are smelly, gross and constantly underfoot. Zipper now battles bolted-down bones in the corner of the living room. She's adjusting. I'm ecstatic. Success No. 2!

My favorite slippers now rest permanently underneath my favorite chair. My hairbrush is mounted on the bathroom wall and it's great for loosening up my neck. I could go on for pages, but I only wanted to let you know how grateful I am. If one can look beyond the cynicism and distrust of a major corporate motel chain, they just might learn something. I sure did!

Sincerely,
Kenneth H. Cleaver

Days Inn Worldwide responds:

8/18/2000

Mr. Kenneth H. Cleaver
P.O. Box 810
Bedford, N.Y. 10506

Dear Mr. Kenneth Cleaver:

Thank you for your recent correspondence in which you brought to our attention the experience you had at a Days Inn hotel located in Dearborn, Mich. Please accept my apologies for the inconvenience this may have caused you. Please allow me to explain a little about our franchised system.

This hotel is part of a system of franchised hotels. Each hotel is individually owned and operated. This allows the day-to-day operations such as location of hotel, employees hired, furnishings and rates to be left up to the discretion of the management and franchisee. Again, I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused you. Our office is unable to assist you any further with this concern.

If you have any further questions, please direct them to the manager of this location. At Days Inn, we strive to achieve the best in customer satisfaction. We hope that you will continue to choose our chain of hotels for your choice of lodging.

Sincerely,
Lori Hoffman
Customer Service Assistant Manager


salon.com | Nov. 3, 2000

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About the writer
Kenneth Cleaver is campaigning to rename the eggplant. His work appears in several alternative weeklies including the Hartford Advocate. He is a native of Bedford, N.Y.

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