So, Sunday arrived and Lloyd and I headed into Lincoln again this afternoon. I dropped him off at choir, stopped at Leon’s for a more detailed look-see and to actually buy some groceries. (Brad, I bought your Jello, but I’ll never get it in the mail.) I drove off to do some more errands, but started to worry about the milk and eggs in the trunk. The weather was warmer than I expected, and we wouldn’t be home for a couple of hours. I stopped at a gas station to buy some ice, re-arranged the stuff in the trunk so it would be cold and cozy, then shut it.
Remember what I said about my keys?
Um. They were in the trunk. Dnag it! So many thoughts raced through my mind in the course of a few seconds: “I’ll call Lloyd. No, my phone is in the car. Did I really lock the car? Yes, I locked the car. Why do I always lock the car? Stupid Lauren. I can call him from inside the store. No, I should call a locksmith. Why haven’t I learned to jimmy cars open yet? I’ll just walk. How far away am I?” I looked at the street sign, and I was at 40th and A, and the church where Lloyd’s choir meets is just off 23rd and A. Totally doable.
I started walking, and a man in the parking lot asked if I needed help. I said ‘No Thanks – it’s just a little walk’ and kept walking. The whole time I kept counting my blessings over this: I had my sweater on (the coat was in the car), the weather wasn’t that cold, I had my purse with me, I wasn’t in a scary neighborhood, and mostly – I was able to walk. Often when I drive around Lincoln I see people traveling around in their motorized wheelchairs, and it makes me grateful to have legs that work.
A few blocks later the man from the parking lot pulled into a driveway just ahead of me and offered a ride again. I politely refused again. (He had a very red face and drove a giant Harley Davison pick-up. Not that I don’t love Harley people – in fact, I have good story about that for another time.)
So, I got to the church and asked Lloyd for his keys, told him the reason, and we had a good laugh. He offered to get Curt’s car to borrow but I said I’d rather walk. Walking is a good way to see things up close. There were several buildings on the way that I’ve meant to peek in, and this was the perfect chance.
This is the building just south of the zoo. It has such interesting apartments inside!
One unit dedicated their balcony to a kitty condo. See – I would have missed that just driving by.
So, Life, Lemonade, yadda yadda yadda. At least I wasn’t this guy. Have a great Monday!
Lloyd here, playing with Google Maps, Street View and Walking directions:
Karla says
It’s for reasons like this that we have Triple A. And we have horrible luck with cars and need a tow at least twice a year.
Brad says
You should keep a hammer stuck up under the fender of your car with a magnet. Then if you accidentally lock your keys in the car, you could easily smash out the window. Easy peasy!
Lauren says
Ha! Don’t think that I didn’t go get a spare key made right after this. Unfortunately, to get a ‘real’ key made (with a starter chip inside -- I had no idea that’s what we had) would have been $30. As I stood there blinking and gasping, he said, “Or you could just get a key that unlocks your door. Most people just lock their keys in. That’s three bucks”. “That’s the one I want,” I said from the floor.
Beth says
HAHAHAHAHA!!! I’m still laughing at the guy in the latrine. HAHAHAHAHA!!!
Glad the truck-man didn’t kill you.
Annette says
yet another justifiable reason for the magnetized hammer under the wheel well.
Deborah says
On another note, Charles’ uncle, Paul Gebhardt, is off and running the Iditarod. It started yesterday. He is currently in 8th place. GO PAUL!
Beth says
Holy catrfish! What an experience! Is there a website where we can monitor progress?
Deborah says
http://www.iditarod.com
Also http://www.ktuu.com is a tv station that reports on it. GO PAUL!
Peggy says
WOW, that is amazing!!
Deanne says
Yes, at least you’re not that guy! Eeeeewwww!!!!!!!
Peggy says
So you walked past a zoo? With my A.D.D., I would have totally ended up there on my way to the church.
(and may none of us ever be up to our necks in waste, with open cuts …)
Karla says
Hey, are you guys messing around with things?
Lauren says
You mean the universe or something else?