Monday, July 23, 2007

Locked out

Recently P. reminded me that it was about time we changed the batteries in our car keys because they might run out and leave us locked out of the car. The recommendation was immediately consigned to the "filter out" mailbox in my brain.

A couple of days later, I came back to the car in the supermarket car-park and pressed the button on the key. Nothing happened! Zada, nilch, que dalle. No reaction. No reassuring click. No friendly blink of the orange indicators. I tried again, pressing a little harder. And again, even harder pointing the key right in the window.

Shit.

I got my phone out, readying myself to eat humble pie and ask P. to come and rescue me. As I was calling up his number, I noticed a neatly folded jacket on the back seat. I never fold anything neatly. And where were the booster seats?

My car (identical, I hasten to add), was parked a few spaces further along.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I once got into a car (it seemed identical to me, same colour, same make) before noticing that something was not quite right. The key had worked! Got out again in a hurry.

My favourite car story was JW's trip to Spain years ago with two friends. They hired a car, parked it in St Sébastien and went off to a hotel. The following morning it was gone.

When they reported this to the police none of them could remember what colour it was.

Anonymous said...

Cars, eh? I had exactly the same experience as deborah. An identical Volvo estate that not only unlocked but accepted my ignition key too. I only noticed the error when it became evident that someone had replaced the cassette player with a CD player. For a moment I believed that there was a God after all. Then I got out & sprinted away.

meredic said...

Heh heh. Very good. I start from the colour of my car and identify it by a process of elimination.
It is usually the dirtiest.

Anonymous said...

Ooops.

Glad I'm not alone in doing daft things.

Anonymous said...

Heard a story about a guy who went to have an expensive toupee fitted. When he got back to his car his dog started barking and snarling, wouldn't let him in until he'd taken it off!
Probably urban legend.

christina said...

Same thing happened to me as to deborah and dick. Got into a car that was identical to mine and then turned around to see stuff in the back seat that definitely didn't belong to me. My car was parked a couple of rows over.

Lucy said...

I don't really understand about car keys needing batteries. Could you not have gone back to the supermarket and got a new battery there and then, or are they special ones? Have you changed them now? Too many things to worry about these days!

Gordon said...

My Mother has done that.. sort of.. but then again, my mother is an idiot! ;-)

Anonymous said...

I did it in my works van. Got out to read house numbers to find address went back to van and key would not work.It was an old van with lots of keys. Looked inside van couls see dust and old food cartons everywhere. Stood back and saw a group of builders watching me trying to get in their van. It was the same colour only mine had SECURICOR EXPRESS written down the side of it.I was tired!.

Confinement

Being confined indoors most of the day, just the four of us, is reminding me of the days when my children were wee and most of our weekends ...