By David Magee

Arriving in Nashville today at 2 a.m. after my delayed flight from California, I checked into a motel because I was too tired even to drive the two hours to Chattanooga.

Already exhausted from going to the West Coast and back in 24 hours, I wanted the cheapest and closest room for five hours of sleep. I was so tired I figured any place would do. An inn near the airport seemed unusually busy outside for that time of night, but I checked in anyway.

“Nobody is going to bother me, are they?” I asked the clerk.

“Not unless you want them to,” he said.

Five minutes later, I was already asleep when the phone rang. A female was on the line.

“Do you need anything?” she asked.

“Yes,” I said, “a wake-up call.”

“I don’t work for the hotel,” she said.

“What do you do?” I asked.

“Anything you like,” she said.

Startled, I hung up the phone, closed my eyes, and went to sleep.

E-mail David Magee at dmagee@timesfreepress.com.