Friday, July 11, 2008

Being a DID--Damsel in Distress

Last night I went running for the first time since all my health dramas began. I went out for an easy 10 minute up the hill to the park run and then walked most of the way back. I got home, untied my key from my shoe and quickly realized that I had taken my gate key and not my house key. The management office closed at 6:00. I had no phone and the office wasn't due to open until 9:00 the next morning. Crap!
If you know me then you know that problems with keys is a reoccurring theme in my life. There was the time K & I lost an entire set of work keys--neither of us sure who was responsible or how it came about that they were missing. G told us we needed a new blood type as O people tend to be flighty. I don't even know my blood type but G assures me that I must be without a doubt an O.
Then there was the time in Slovakia where my kindly neighbor broke the window in my door, opened it for me and then repaired the window. I feel that I was set up because the door was auto lock and I remembered I didn't have my key about 1/2 second too late.
And the three times I locked my keys in my little red Aspire--once with the car running and once when the key had fallen off my key chain--that one was totally not my fault. But fortunately my little red Aspire understood me well and just happened to have a hatch lock could be unlocked without a key.
So back to last night. I found J's apartment (another librarian that lives in the same complex). I asked him to use the phone to call a locksmith. The quote was $120 (wha&%$%?). J said that he thought he could break into my apartment from the balcony. We went to investigate--he needed approximately another 3 feet. We found a crate in his apartment but I got all wimpy on him (visions of cracked and broken bones) and didn't let him try. Next we scouted the complex for a ladder--found one on a van and asked around to see who it belong to. We found the owner, borrowed the ladder, J climbed up and onto the balcony, jimmied my lock--just a little--and successfully opened my door for me. Happy ending. I took J out for dinner and plan to buy Ladder-man a box of chocolates. What a way to get to know you neighbors.
This episode once again demonstrates why I will never win Vegas. I am fortunate and not lucky. It was crap luck that allowed me to lock myself out the apartment but sheer good fortune that I was able to get back into my apartment with the help of my neighbors.

1 comment:

Idabel Oklahoma said...

I've often wondered how to describe my luck....I like your description....not lucky but fortunate.