The KEYS to Happiness

Yesterday, like most days of the week, I headed home from a ten hour work day savoring the idea of a good run to loosen my restless legs. At home, I quickly changed, left a message for my mom to call me later, set my ipod to an audio book, switched on my watch timer and tied my keys into my shoe laces. I was set.

I had mapped out a three mile loop on mapmyrun.com and had in mind to run three miles or twenty-six minutes, whichever came first. I had an amazing run; felt good and completed my time and distance.

As I headed up the sidewalk, tired and satisfied, I leaned down to untie the keys from my shoes in order to let myself into my building. You probably see where this is going by now. I had grabbed the wrong set of keys. Great.

So, there I was sweaty, without keys, a phone, ID, money, or squat. Now what? I weighed my options. I thought about trying to call my landlord though I didn't have his phone number or a quarter to make the call nor did I want to pay the thirty dollar fee for his rescue. I didn't like this option.

Here is a good time to fill you in on a few of the details of my living. There are only three other people who live in my building. I had yet to meet any of them. I had only seen one of them from my window one night.

As I considered the possibility of scaling our brick wall and breaking in my second floor window, I remembered that I had heard one of my neighbors arriving home a little after seven the night before. It was now 6:15.

I was praying like crazy. All I could think of was "just sit here and wait until at least 7:30." It seemed kinda iffy to me, sitting on my doorstep for an hour just in case someone happens to come home and let me in the apartment. But, wait I did.

At seven, I started to get antsy and second guess myself. But then I realized it wasn't myself that told me to wait.

True to his previous schedule, my neighbor pulled up to our building right at 7:15. I jumped up from the steps and practically met him at this car door. After introducing myself to him, he let me in and we broke into my apartment with his credit card. I was so relieved and a little unnerved at the simplicity of the break-in.

I thanked him profusely as he reminded me to keep my deadbolt locked (and possibly a chair pushed under the door knob).

Now I've got to go make some extra keys.