Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Locked OUT

Bruce has been traveling a lot for work recently. While we lived with Kevin and Laurel he went to Boston for a week and a week or two after we moved into our house he went to Jackson, Mississippi. He usually flies out on Sunday might and comes back on Thursday or Friday night. His absence is generally acceptable since we talk on the phone a lot and he's back for the weekends, but there have been a few instances when his presence would have been useful.

One such instance was last Friday. By the end of the week I'm usually tired. Tired of being the only parent, and tired from a lack of sleep. Bruce and I talk until bedtime, but many nights I still have a list of things to do, so I get to bed later than I'd like. So, Friday comes around, and I'm tired, but we're all out of milk and bread so I do the morning stuff and load the girls to take them to the store. We go to the Walmart on Fry- the one further from Kevin and Laurel's house. We shop, Hailey probably throws a fit( (I don't remember, but it's common these days as we're leaving the store), McKayla was tired and I get the groceries in the trunk in a hurry, close it, and realize that I just shut my bag, with the keys, in the trunk. The car has trunk access from the interior, but the doors were locked. At first I was so mad, then I felt stupid, and finally I started problem solving. I found a phone book and called a locksmith- $85 and an hour wait to unlock the doors. So I call Mom to see if I could use her AAA membership. Long story short, I'm not on the membership so they wouldn't come, but I could buy my own membership for $65. Cheaper than the one time unlock, I considered it. Texted Bruce for his input. He says to pick the lock. Now he claims he was joking, but he just did some research on how to pick a lock, so I think he was serious. So, I think, why not? And for a half hour I try it. Then a guy stops to ask is I need in, looks it over and says he can't help because of the kind of locks. Some other guys stop to help we mess with it, one guy suggests using a blood pressure cuff to pry the door open, then unclock the door, so I go in and buy the stuff as I call Laurel to come pick us up. Thankfully McKayla had fallen asleep in the stroller and Hailey was enjoying her chips and soda, so they were doing okay. The cuff worked- just in case you every get locked out at WalMart- to get in the car, but the locks are sort of curved and the hanger wouldn't catch and open it. Total pain. So, 2 hours later I ride to Laurel's house because I don't have house keys (they are in the trunk too). I was grateful for in-laws and babysat that night so they could go to dinner while Bruce took a very expensive cab (on E&Y's tab) to the car, unlocked it, and drove it to us.

2 comments:

Jen said...

Wow... I think after about 10 minutes I would be the one throwing a fit and probably having a meltdown. You are fabulously resourceful, even if it didn't end up working. I'm impressed!

Jennifer Ricks said...

A couple of months ago Anne and Andrew locked their keys in the car (actually both sets so they couldn't just go home and get an extra). We were with them, and we were right by Walmart, so Andrew and Brian went there. They asked the guy at the car service counter if he had any ideas, and he said to call the Orem police and they'd help. So they did. The cop had a specific device, but it basically did the blood pressure cuff thing that you were going for. It was super simple and easy. I know a lot of cops have a car jumper battery in their trunks too. It's probably worth finding out what they can help you with in your area.

And you can just count yourself lucky that you didn't have a kid inside! Check out Paola's post here: http://thejellings.blogspot.com/2010/10/joys-of-motherhood.html