We recently had a real nice trip to California.

We stayed a few days at a place we like facing the ocean. We pay extra for a room with a patio with two chaise lounges and two chairs close to our sliding door to chill, have happy hour, watch the sunset. There is a small brick wall and the rest of the hotel’s rooms are farther back on the property.

We were getting ready to hit the chaise lounges for sunset and we were in our room when Mary said “What the hell!”

A couple had climbed the wall and were propped up with drinks on our chaise lounges.

Showing restraint that would surprise people who know me, I walked out and said “We were just getting ready to watch the sunset on our lounges.”

Without missing a beat she said “No problem, plenty of room, just use the chairs.”

I said the patio was part of our room, we had paid for. She said she thought it was for anyone staying at the hotel. I pointed to chairs and tables outside the wall and said that they were for people who don’t have this room.

She wasn’t happy but they hopped over the wall and enjoyed the sunset from the outside chairs. We had no conversation.

We just shook our heads and figured it was just an odd thing, since on previous visits it had never happened.

The next day we were in our room and Mary said “You aren’t going to believe this.”

This time an old man was sitting in the chair one foot from our actual room. I said “That’s our chair” and he said “oh”, and shuffled over the wall.

At checkout we suggested the hotel post a sign on the wall saying the patio is for guests staying in the room, which of course they should have already done.

I’m afraid it might not make any difference when it comes to dumbshits.