LOCKED OUT!

I seem to have been peculiarly intelligent today … not.  

I went off to the midweek Communion service in the parish church at 10am, picked up some food shopping on my way home … and as I climbed the steps to the door of the block, I  thought … ‘I HAVEN’T GOT MY KEYS WITH ME’ 

I know what happened.  When Hub is here he always makes it his job to lock the front door of our block of flats each night.  But while he’s away I’ve been doing it.  And instead of putting my keys straight back into my bag, I must have put them down on a table …

So I was going to ring the upstairs neighbours, who are lovely and who have a spare set of keys.  Only their car wasn’t there, and I had no idea whether they’d gone off for several days, or just out shopping – but I didn’t ring the bell.

I hid my bags of shopping round the side of the house and went to St Andrew’s, the church nearest us, where I knew the vicar was taking another Communion service.  And sat at the back … and then thought ‘supposing upstairs wife is there, and it’s only husband who’s out with the car???  Why didn’t I ring and find out????’  

So I trotted off out and went back home and rang the neighbours … and nobody answered.  And what’s more, I had left my mobile in the flat, thinking ‘as Hub’s not home I won’t need it …’

So I trotted back to the church, and waited until they had finished, and then wailed at them, and they were absolutely lovely.  The vicar went home and then phoned the churchwarden with the number for the church locksmith.  And as they were having their midweek lunch anyway, they sat me down and fed me and made me a cup of tea … which was very welcome because it was really cold in the church.  No heating and we could see our breath!

I got into a fabulous  chat with a guy who knew Romania very well … and had also come out of a life of petty crime, into a life of faith, and now is the best possible person to build relationships with the homeless and lonely who get a good welcome in our churches (one of whom had already informed me that he knew a lockpicker and would contact him for me ).  He was definitely part of the silver lining for me

So eventually the locksmith’s number came through to the churchwarden and I tried it on her phone and he was OUT … but his wife was very helpful and gave me a number for another locksmith.  Who promised to be out in half an hour – just long enough for the churchwarden to sweep me up and take me home with her and give me a hot cuppa.  And she refused to leave me until she was sure I was  safely inside.  Bless her cotton socks and then some!  She is an absolute star

The locksmith opened the block door immediately.  He had a bit more trouble getting into the flat, but eventually managed it – with no broken locks, no need to replace, nothing.

I offered him a kiss but he looked a bit dubious … … so I paid him instead, hugged the CW and then put the heating on.

(image from http://edinburghfestival.list.co.uk/event/255242-harriet-dyer-plus-the-odd-pal-what-a-palaver/ )