Do Not Disturb (we're disturbed enough already, thanks)

I don't know what kind of statute of limitations there are on petty larceny, so I'm thankful for the anonymity of the Internet when I say that my wife and I, we liked to steal. Don't get crazy, we weren't running short grifts on little old ladies or anything. But every time we stayed in a hotel, we stole the "Do Not Disturb" signs. We had quite a collection. Keep in mind, we didn't even steal the shampoos. We so disdained hotel quality toiletries, we brought our own soaps.

Hotels were always fun for us. We liked going new places and trying new pools and mini-fridges. Yesterday I was going through some boxes from when I moved after her death, desperate for some kind of comfort. These boxes I've been avoiding like leprosy for months, mind you. But last night, I had to do it. I found the D.N.D. sign from our wedding night, among many others. We liked going into a space someone else was responsible for and being as irresponsible as we felt like. Lots of good times, times when we did not wish to be disturbed.

More often than not, we would stay in hotels locally, the old 'staycation.' Our last little jaunt was when we were living in Van Nuys in LA, and made a 40-mile voyage to Long Beach an overnight expedition. It was our birthdays (which are 3 days apart), and of course, we pilfered the D.N.D. hanger. I don't know if finding our wedding night D.N.D. placard brought me the comfort I wanted from the boxes of memories. Likely, the comfort I want to experience is simply impossible. But at least I could grin mischievously for a few minutes at our romantic, if vaguely criminal, collection.