At work our fenced-in back yard, which we share with the patio store next door, has a huge chain link gate that weighs 18 million pounds and rolls (I use the term 'roll' loosely) on a gravel path of pot holes. We girls always try to make sure one of the guys is there to close it. This sometimes means moving our vehicles out to the street if the guys leave before we close. This was the case on Friday, our guys left early but assured us that Kevin from next door would close the gate.
About 15 minutes before closing I sent B over to verify that Kevin was going to close the gate and remind him I was parked back there. My big fear is assuming someone else will close the gate and driving away leaving a million dollars in hot tubs accessible and free for the taking. "No worries," is Kevin's emphatic reply.
As is typical for a Friday, someone shows up at 3 minutes before closing and wants to look through every item you offer for sale and leave empty handed. No, I am not a bitter customer service provider.
At 6:05 I set the alarm and lock the store and get out to my car to see that Kevin has already closed and locked the gate. Bless his heart. But... I am still in the yard. Now locked in. No problem I think. I have a key and I can open and close the gate myself with a little struggle and cursing. My key hits the lock with a thud and I realize they have changed the lock and my key no longer works!
Thank God for cell phones. Even ones that only have 1/2 a bar of battery power left on them. I phone my boss's house to have someone rescue me. Apparently our copies of the gate keys are in the pockets of the technicians who are both in Vanderhoof and Burns Lake for the weekend. But they will look to see if they have Kevin's cell phone# so I can get him to come back and rescue me. After a long time on hold while they look for a # I am freaking that my phone is going to die any second. They find the number; I call Kevin. No answer. Now what? I have 1/2 a bottle of water and a granola bar, I could sleep in the car.
I know! I will drag my husband away from playing guitar at the Well and have him pick me up. I'll leave the car here overnight. I make the call... whew, battery still working. I tell him to pick me up out front. As soon as I hang up it dawns on me that my key still works for the store. I could actually go back in and use the land line phone. Duh!
I enter the store, reset the alarm and go out the front. As I step out the door, I see Kevin's vehicles are out front and he is in fact still in his store with customers. I make a quick call to let Alb know it's a false alarm, and I don't need him. Kevin releases my vehicle from it's temporary prison and I am free! That was extremely stressful. I go for a couple of hours of retail therapy. Ahhh.
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