I got called to a lockout in Carrara (Gold Coast) this week the gentleman in question was pretty frantic because not only had he lost his keys – his keyring had his address on it and was about to go away on a business trip leaving his 18-year-old daughter home alone. If someone found the keys, they would have easy access to his house at the worst possible time. Not good.
When he rang he wanted to make sure that not only was I bringing my emergency lockout gear, but I was also bringing sufficient barrels to redo all of his deadlocks. I assured him that my van contained all manner of locks and I was certain to be able to help him but it was probably best we got him inside the house first before we came up with a plan to completely redo all his house locks. After all…. Losing your keys is kind of like murder. The first 24 hours are critical and usually, during that time investigators get a break in the case.
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I arrived at my new client‘s home to find him outside his house with a stack of groceries. Rather than take his car he took what looked like the offspring of a bike and a wheelbarrow. Quite proudly he announced this was his new shopping mobile. He‘d bought it to reduce his carbon footprint…. But also because Ms 18 was constantly wanting to borrow the car at times when he wanted to go shopping.
So this got me thinking…. My new client had been to the shopping centre which would normally involve taking keys to drive the car….. But today he had ridden his bike barrow. He had secured it at the supermarket using a bike chain that had a combination lock so we hadn‘t needed keys for that. Perhaps he left the keys behind?
No, he was adamant he was sure he had taken his keys with him. He remembered patting his pocket and feeling them there he told me…. as he patted his pocket again to demonstrate….. A pocket that seemed very full of something metallic. Turns out he had a pocket of change that felt a bit like a set of keys. Possible he’d left the keys inside after all? No.. Not possible he said.
I had the front door open in about 25 seconds flat. After confirming he was a resident of the property with a right of entry he led me around to the back door to show me the other locks I would need to replace… and on the way through the house…. We spotted his keys. On the kitchen bench, ready to be taken shopping.
So a bad day for him just got better. It’s rarely a time for celebration when you have to call a Carrara locksmith, but everything needs to be put in perspective. He thought he was up for an emergency replacement of all his deadlocks… instead… all he had to pay for was a callout fee.
So fellahs, just remember. That big lump of 1 and 2-dollar coins in your pocket can sometimes be mistaken for a set of keys. If you are going out for a walk or a ride.. best to stick your hand right in your pocket to confirm what’s there.
And DON’T attach a name tag/address to your keys!
Update 28/08/2016
Embarrassingly… I almost did this myself today. Had a pocket full of change, and was off to the corner shop to buy some Sunday milk when I realised… I had only patted my pocket, not stuck my hand in to feel for the keys. Sure enough. No keys.
Eek. That would have been too funny.