Cottonwood & The Pillow Incident

My mother-in-law is in town.  We drove up near Sedona to pick her up from Quilter's Quarters where she was teaching a doll class.  Such a calm & pretty drive.  We went for dinner at a great little restaurant that was built where the town's old movie theatre had been for many, many decades.  Tavern Grille in Cottonwood, AZ.  They serve humongous portions.   

Cottonwood is just south of Route 66.  I'm not too familiar with the place, though we did stay there once before.  It's the town where The Pillow Incident took place -- now family lore. 

Let's just say that the front deskman at the hotel wanted to keep our pillow for himself (we had brought a pillow from home in case one of us wanted to sleep in the car on the drive and we accidentally left it in our room).  The pillow was clearly marked as ours and we weren't leaving without it.  Getting him to return this pillow was straight out of a Seinfeld episode, including a brief, comical tug of war.  When the front deskman eventually handed the pillow over the counter to Isaac, after twenty minutes of denying its existence, he just couldn't quite let go of it.  It was hilarious.  Poor Isaac was completely bewildered -- and I had the giggles.

It was a super-nice pillow.

The Pillow Incident -- one of my funniest and strangest memories.  I should get Isaac to record the whole affair.  I could have sworn we were on Candid Camera.   

Comments

[Trasi]

How creepy is that? That someone at a hotel would want to keep a stranger's PILLOW... that is such a personal item! Nice or not. Hilarious, but also reminds me that just when you think "kumbaya... we're all basically alike on this big ball of goo we call earth" you are reminded that there are really some strange folk out there after all!

[Stephanie]

That's so funny!

[Dena Berg (Sugar Shop)]

That's too funny! :)

[prettypennydesigns]

Oh, I love that drive from Phoenix to Sedona. So beautiful, the pines and the mountains.

[Linn]

How bizarre! I'd love to take that drive, though, pillow or not.

[Jona]

It totally sounds like a Seinfeld episode. So the deskman was the Soup Nazi ("No pillow for you!") and Isaac was Jerry (or George)? Of course that makes you Elaine but that's not bad (unless you tried to dance).

[Lydia]

How weird! Good thing my grandpa lives in Cottonwood so I don't have to stay in a hotel!

[Nicole]

It is sooo pretty up there. One thing I miss about living in AZ! Although... a Pillow Stealer!!!! Crazy! Totally Seinfeld worthy.

[Stella]

how funny! I'm headed to Sedona today with my friend Cathy. I'm relocating from Philly to Phoenix on 10/1 and this weekend is my househunting trip! Looking forward to relaxing today! We'll keep an eye out for quilt shops!!

[amylouwho]

There are some strange people out there, no? Love that you referenced Seinfeld. I love when I have my own personal Seinfeld moments.

[Kira =]]

we have a cottonwood in Alabama, too!

it's weird that a stranger was that possessive over someone else's pillow. At least you got it back! =]

[Ellen Crimi-Trent]

that is great! very funny. We always bring our pillows when we travel in the car. I get that from my Nana who did the same, you get much better sleep that way.

How strange that he wanted to keep it, and a little creepy too.

[Chantal]

I could totally see that on Seinfeld or candid camera, it makes me laugh!

[Katherine McKamey]

I had a similar situation but they just 'didn't find' the pillow. Housekeeping cleaned our room and didn't leave my pillow on the bed. We looked all over for it, even checked the car a couple of times (in case I forgot to bring it in to the room) and called the babysitter to see if it was still on our bed! (Talk about a weird conversation there!)

That pillow was super old, super comfy and all feather and I never saw it again. Ah well, the world kept turning.

Too funny to read about you experience. That does make for a memorable trip!!!

[Lissa]

O M Gosh, Heather, that is just too funny! Go figure.....I can just see you there laughing....lol

[CJ]

how funny! all the more so because now I picture you like Elaine and then the rest of the cast of characters.

[DK]

How funny, my family lives in Cottonwood. I grew up there. I love Sedona and the entire area.

[Zizi]

LOL! I love that you are comparing life situations to Seinfeld, I'm always doing that! :D

[Paige Whitley]

I thought of the episode where Jerry had reserved a rental car, but there wasn't a car available when he got there.
What kind of pillow is worth stealing then denying it's existence?
Paige

[Shannon]

I love Sedona!!!! What a beautiful city. I love the contrast of the pines and the red rock.

Cute story!

[Monica]

I would really like to see a pic of this pillow.

[Lisa lynch]

That must have been one heck of a pillow!

[Kelli]

Cottonwood is such a weird and pretty little town, isn't it? I love the downtown area. That said? When I was at NAU, nary a week passed without some meth-related news coming from Cottonwood. Scary.

[Down Comforter]

I work for a company that makes most of the hotel pillows you see in high end resorts and hotels. I can't tell you how many folks track down the little crinkled labels on pillows to find the original manufacturer so that they can buy them at home. I practically get fan letters from some of the guests and we love it. If anyone needs a new pillow come to ShopDownLite.com and use coupon code order66 to save an extra 10% off. I myself swear by my lyocell microgel pillwo under our Renew series.
Stef

[Maria]

I was just reading this post and quess what...this happened to my husband. He was on a business trip at Carbela's in Nevada and he stayed in boomtown. Well he took his own pillow which we bought when we bought our memory foam bed, the pillow was really expensive also. Well my husband left and forgot the pillow, and remembered on the way back. They said they never saw that type of pillow and he had not left it there....Can never imagine someone taking your pillow...But now I know better also....LOL

[Sheli]

I had a Seinfeld incident once. I was working at a Kohl's temporarily for Christmas as a cashier. A woman was buying some crystal looking candleholders. She stated she wondered if there was a chip in one and started licking it! I don't mean like tasting it, I mean she was giving it to this crystal lotus like a cat cleaning himself. After she left I was afraid to touch things in stores remembering that some people lick things. To add to that, a woman said she wished she had tried on a pair of underwear she was buying. Ummmm, we don't do that do we? Now I can only buy packaged underwear.

[lookwhatifound@etsy.com]

heather-i wanted to comment on how much i love your blog. i had the pleasure of listening to you in march at the country living w.e. seminar in chicago. you had a lot of good advice and it has been very helpful. thanks! lookwhatifound@etsy.com

[Lois]

Just found your site from a "Learn Quilting" yahoo group referral. I always stop by Quilter's Quarters when in Cottonwood. Our son works at Out of Africa and we get over there about every four months. Love their "new" location - a couple of years now!