I Am Not Yet a Wuss, But I Will Be Soon
August 26th, 2010 | by Matt | Published in What Almost Made Me Cry Today | 3 Comments
Yesterday, the Internet was all a-flutter over the news that 25 percent of grown-ass men travel with stuffed animals. Maybe “all a-flutter” is overstating it, but one or two “news” “outlets” covered the Travelodge survey:
Travelodge said that 25 percent of men reported they take their teddy bear away with them when going away on business. The stuffed animal supposedly reminds them of home and — some say — helps fill a cuddle-void left by distant partners.
At first, I had the same reaction Gawker did: “How sad must the traveling merchant class be?” But then I realized that, once Sasha is old enough to understand that Daddy has to take long trips away from home for work, she’ll probably ask me to bring along Gou-Gou, her dog, or one of the owls, or some little creature so a part of her will be with me. And I’ll do it, and probably become attached to the thing myself, and take pictures of it in the skanky hotels I’m forced to stay in, and will silently cry myself to sleep at night, clutching at the filthy fake-haired animal.
But—please, God, please!—don’t let the creature be Elmo.
August 26th, 2010at 10:04 am(#)
My dad tolerated us giving him a tiny little bear he named “BB” that traveled with him on various trips. I never got photos of him (course, this was the 80s), but we managed to sneak the bear in to his suitcase every time.
I now travel sans-husband and will routinely bring a bear with me. At first, it was a stuffed frog that made an excellent pillow on the plane. Now, it’s one I made from a gift card he gave me for Build-a-Bear. When I get quirky looks from my coworkers I calmly inform them it’s my husband substitute.
August 26th, 2010at 10:08 am(#)
I too believe that most of these ‘teddy bear men’ are traveling with a companion courtesy of their offspring and just being sweet dads by playing along and taking pics.
August 26th, 2010at 10:16 am(#)
The data sample which yielded the 1-in-4 result consisted of “6,000 Britons” ….
I wonder if the same results would hold for American travelers. I suspect that if you remove the previously sited “companion courtesy of their offspring” category, the number would be much lower than 1-in-4.