# Urban Legend Comes True: The Body Under the Mattress! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 14, 2003, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440 "2003-07-14T18:11:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Capcha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Capcha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capcha)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440/21 "2003-07-15T04:28:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by roadrunner70 \* > \*\*Wallet!!! > > [sub]what? he doesn’t need it anymore…[/sub] \*\* _laughing uncontrolebly_ ---
**Author:** ![TVGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@TVGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440/22 "2003-07-15T04:57:19Z")
OK, but the REAL question begged here is this: Do the hotel cleaning staff people not have a sense of SMELL?? How can one clean a room and make the bed for days and not note the smell that the hotel guest can in the first few minutes? For the record, I’m now going to check under _EVERY SINGLE STINKIN’_ (pun absolutely intended) _MOTEL BED FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!!_ This is just plain creepy. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440/23 "2003-07-15T05:39:28Z")
I spent Thursday through Saturday night in a motel, so I think I’m glad I didn’t read this beforehand. I guess the staff didn’t think to look under the mattress for a while. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440/24 "2003-07-15T12:33:18Z")
I wonder if the guy was face-up or face-down? It would be a lot creepier if the corpse was face-up and the motel guest slept on his tummy . . . ---
**Author:** ![look\_ninjas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@look\_ninjas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/look_ninjas)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440/25 "2003-07-15T12:34:18Z")
I don’t know. Back in my housekeeping days, if I were to smell an awful smell, I think I’d first check the toilet and the garbage, look under the dresser, ask maintenance to check the vents for small dead animals, etc. I don’t know that I’d necessarily have thought to look for a dead body under a mattress. I would probably have checked with management about closing the room off until the smell could be got rid of, though. ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440/26 "2003-07-15T13:12:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > \*\*I wonder if the guy was face-up or face-down? It would be a lot creepier if the corpse was face-up and the motel guest slept on his tummy . . . \*\* :: shudder:: I will never be able to stay in a motel again. :: massive attach of the willies :: ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440/27 "2003-07-15T13:28:48Z")
Daddy, there’s a monster under the bed. “Hello, Front Desk? Lost & Found department please.” ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440/28 "2003-07-16T07:17:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by White Lightning \* > \*\*Funny, my first thought was going to be along the lines of ‘how can I make money and/or fame from having this happen to me,’ but going for the actual dead guy’s wallet did not occur to me. \*\* Oh please; it would already have occurred to the person or people who **put** him there. ---
**Author:** ![Satisfying\_Andy\_Licious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Satisfying\_Andy\_Licious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satisfying_Andy_Licious)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440/29 "2003-07-16T07:31:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Undead \* > \*\*My first thought would be something along the lines of: > > “I’ve been sleeping with a dead guy for 3 days?!” > \*\* Never been married, have you? ---
**Author:** ![chewbasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bbe5ce/32.png) [@chewbasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chewbasta)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440/30 "2003-07-16T07:47:23Z")
The guy is an idiot to stay in a stinky room. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440/31 "2003-07-16T08:08:38Z")
“Did you enjoy your stay sir?” ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440/32 "2003-07-16T10:19:02Z")
As Jay Leno noted, the worst part was when the hotel found out, they charged the guy for double occupancy! ---
**Author:** ![Capcha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Capcha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capcha)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440/33 "2003-07-16T21:58:17Z")
better yet, after a night spent watching movies :The Living Dead, then decide as a joke to look under the matress… \*\* BobLibDem \*\* thanks for another funny answer 😃 ---
**Author:** ![misstee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@misstee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misstee)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440/34 "2003-07-16T22:02:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Undead \* > I don’t think I would ever get the scent of ‘corpse’ out of my head after something like that. Ewwwww! The mere thought of the “scent of corpse” is enough to make me want to hurl. \*_Maybe the corpse was a doper who hadn’t posted in a while, can everyone account for their doper buddy?_ ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440/35 "2003-07-17T00:04:30Z")
“Well, all I can say sir, is that you must have brought it with you” ---
**Author:** ![Capcha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Capcha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capcha)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440/36 "2003-07-17T03:53:10Z")
“Hellow, we’re on our honeymoon. Since we are young and adventerous, which room would you recommend?” ---
**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440/37 "2003-07-17T04:02:54Z")
Another reason to sponge off of relatives when traveling:D I will pass this on to the hubby who is a desk clerk at a local motel! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legend-comes-true-the-body-under-the-mattress/188440.md?page=1)