NO VACANCIES

I love this time of year when
every hotel and B&B
has a NO VACANCIES sign
in the window even though
each room stands empty. In

November guests are not welcome.
Nor through most of December.
Doors will open in time for Christmas
and New Year celebrations but then
close again till Easter. It’s a

period when flicking a duster
round the furniture once a fortnight
is more than enough. The paintwork
might need perking up before the season
but that’s no reason

to stir yourself at this stage. The coachloads
of a certain age who visit for a fortnight
in those same two weeks every year
have made their reservations and paid
their deposits. The current account’s healthy.

You’re at no one’s beck and call. You love
this time of year when every hotel and B&B
has a NO VACANCIES sign in the window
even though each room stands empty.
Guests are not welcome. It’s November.