JPG Magazine: Stories: Photo Essay: Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn

Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn

By David Howell

14 May 2008

The clean crackle of asphalt from the car's tyre is prominent as you arrive at your destination.

Vacant rooms, booked for a nights stay are checked into with doors keys handed. The dull Room key click's into the lock opening to a recently cleaned room. These rooms are used then given back within a matter of time. Random people have used the facilities as ware marks on the bath and the burn marks from the electric storage heaters are visible throughout. Suitcases are placed to one side.

Tea, sugar and coffee packets are there to use for the next morning with the empty unplugged kettle by the side. The motel is very quiet with the occasional cry of a baby and closing door made out in the background.

You reside for a shower and enter the washroom looking at the shower that appears complex as you have to decipher the bath tap/shower configuration which Always ends up either too hot or too cold.

Once showered and dried you enter the bed area with your sleep on a cleanly made sprung bed with a fresh copy of the Gideon's bible aside

Wafer thin pillows are uncomfortable but somehow you sleep sound during the night. When you awake you hear the call of the blackbird, the kettle fills then Clicks once boiled. The tea is made, drank then cup washed. Entering the washroom you refresh yourself from the water in the sink wiping the mirror from steam to reveal a early morning stubble ridden face.

You change into clean clothes and fill the suitcase with the yesterdays used items. Zzzzzip, Clunk from the suitcase and a swift exit as the door clicks shut behind you.

As you pass reception you post the motel key into the return shoot and and picture this key being used once more to enter the same recently cleaned room again.

The room is left behind the closed door of the motel to be used by another person. Your car door clunks shut, the asphalt crackles once more under heavy weight of the car and you leave again to continue with your journey.