Jam!

The sound of no keys

What an ordeal I had. Hand to the handle, a pull and a jam.

The jolt to bring you to the realisation that your keys are on the wrong side of the lock.

Immediately, I rang my neighbour’s door bell; they were out but I noted enough clues to assure me they’ll be back sometime in the day.

So, without labouring myself, I returned the shopping trolley to the supermarket on the ground floor and made for the African shop to get some other goods.

The proximity of the supermarket makes for some uncomfortable realities and this is the second time the casual act of returning the shopping trolley has resulted in an inadvertent lock-out.

Communication breakdown

Usually when going out I have my mobile phone on me, but for the simple reason that one just has to pop downstairs the preparedness for an outing is slightly lackadaisical and the consequences can be dire.

On getting to the African shop, it was closed for holidays so I decided to walk back home rather than take the tram and hope that by the time I got home I would have thought up something fantastic to determine when my neighbours will return by paying an unannounced visit to a friend.

Finding me and seeing them

When I got back, I was let in by another resident of my apartment block; my neighbours had not returned and I considered how to while away the time.

In the lobby, I leafed through the new telephone directory to find myself, no success with any of my neighbours and even my friend who had passed on a good 7 months ago.

As I stepped out to do something useful the garage door had just closed and wheeling their bikes up to their parking space were my neighbours – I am back home again.

What an ordeal it could have been.