How sad must the traveling merchant class be? What do they long for at night, in their hotels, after closing hot business deals? Well, 25 percent of these men, supposedly, cuddle with stuffed animals, weeping themselves to sleep.

ABC News highlights a recent Travelodge survey, apparently designed to embarrass grown men at-large. Do any of the traveling gentleman readers of this blog also take fluffy childrens' dolls to, say, the big sales conference in Tahoe?

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.

Example?

Seven years ago [34-year-old Scott] Hardy's then girlfriend, now wife, gave him the doggie as a reminder of her.

"I travel enough that it's a nice reminder of home," said Hardy who runs an online legal notice company, Top Class Actions.

Housekeepers like to put it on top of his pillow or prop it up prominently on the night stand.

Even when Hardy travels on an annual guys trip — a beach trip to Mexico this year — Barkley comes along.

"I've had some friends who are like, 'What's with the stuffed animal?'" the Phoenix-area man said. "It's just a reminder of my beautiful bride."

So maybe these stuffed animals are just stress toys for some people — cling to those fuzzy monsters as hard as you can while away at, say, spring break — eyes closed, head down, repeating the words "I will not cheat, I will not cheat, I will not cheat..." Scott Hardy's wife knew very well what she was doing, giving him that doggie.

Still, it's really weird for grown men to have stuffed animals.

[Image via Shutterstock]