I pulled into Chase. There were like 4-5 cars in line at the ATM drive through. For whatever reason, most people forget about the ability to swipe your ATM card and use the internal ATM. So I parked out front in the fire lane. I locked the door, grabbed my separate fob, and went to the ATM.
On a side note, I don't know what these people do at ATMs sometimes. Every time I'm at the ATM it takes maybe 3 minutes. There are times I'll sit behind someone for the better part of 20- what do you people do there?
Anyway, so I quickly finished. I was also on the phone with a patient. I went to unlock the door and low and behold, the fob battery was dead.
I tried everything...
I beat the fob against a small table.
I tried to shake the fob.
I tried the emergency button.
I tried the trunk button.
I finally found a pen and pulled the thing apart and put it back together
I pulled out the battery and replaced it
I twisted the battery
I gave up and called Debbie.
It was about a quarter to 7 and Debbie typically gets off at 7. I felt like an idiot because my poor car was still running. Debbie assured me to hang tight and she would be there in a few minutes.
There was a Kroger across the street and Debbie told me (since she works at a Kroger pharmacy) that they should sell watch batteries and I could buy a replacement. So I told her if I wasn't at the car, I'd be at Kroger. Debbie was going to bring my typical break-into-Eileen's-car-again stuff which consists of a claw hammer and a wire hanger. Unfortunately, I have become quite skilled at this and even did it on other people's cars- including a sister I visit taught.
Note- this is how to break into a car. Most of the time it doesn't even set off the alarm until after you open the door.
At the passenger door, (it could be the driver's, but passenger's seems to have less buttons on the armrest to push) use the back of the claw hammer to carefully pull the door and the rubber lining forward slightly. There should only be about 1/4 in visibility into the car. If your wire is too short, carefully release and slide hammer toward mirror a few inches. Guide the wire point (loop, if grabbing lock pin) through small opening and press unlock button.
It's actually really easy. If you could hotwire a car pretty quick.... I'm going to stop right there. I guess I have a promising career as a fugitive if I wanted.
So Debbie was on her way. Another guy came in and I'm sure I made him nervous. I was just standing there beating my keys on the table telling a person on the phone I locked my keys in the running car (I'd be scared!). As I decided to walk to Kroger, I tried my car door. It opened. I was shocked. Somewhere in messing with my keys I had actually unlocked the door. The fob still didn't work. I'm thinking it may just be a mini-miracle for what happened next.
I called Debbie to tell her the good news and invite her to dinner. On the phone call, we were talking then said, "someone hit me!" and hung up. I totally freaked and called back a few times. When she answered, she said someone had hit her car. I asked where she was and if she needed help- she told me where she was- further up on the same street.
I drove up quickly. I was hoping that she wasn't at fault because she was only on the phone because of me and only left early because of my predicament. Both cars were pulled over. Her car was bent on the passenger door and his bumper was on the ground. Mind you, it's still raining.
When I walked up, they were exchanging information. The guy said he didn't have alot of money and both decided not to inform police (I don't think that's illegal). He also didn't have a way to get the car a few miles home. I ran across the street to a CVS and bought a cheapo clothesline.
Debbie and I laid down on the ground and tied up this guy's bumper. She was just ecstatic that the accident wasn't her fault. Poor thing, she only had the car back from the shop a few days.
Soaking wet, we went to eat. It was fun, we were muddy and wet. We were both in good spirits and especially happy we were able to help the old man.
I headed home, called my patient back to calm him (cuz he knew I locked my keys in the car), explain the situation, laugh, and set up my next appointment. Debbie called in the middle, but I figured it was because she had a good time.
When I got home, I ended my call with the patient and called Debbie back. She stated that she was at home and that she had locked her keys in the car and needed me to get into her apartment so she could get the spare. I have a key to her apartment, so I drove over and let her in.
The night ended, but the story didn't.
The next night, Debbie and her sister Sarah wanted to go out to eat. It was late (like 7:30) and we agreed on a BBQ place that closed at 9. Around 745, Debbie called and stated that Sarah had locked her keys in the car and that it would take at least another hour to do the runaround to get the spare and get the keys out. What a mess!
12/29/2012- Alice and I went to a After Holidays Hangover show at House of Blues in Dallas. We won the tickets at TGIFridays following the End of the World party we inadvertently went to. It was Friday, it was the last day of the world (12/21/12) so we decided to go to Fridays. They just handed us the tickets as we were leaving around midnight- pretty cool. We got 4- so both of us decided to set up dates.
After we were both stood up last minute, we just went together.
It was great!
I may put up some other photos from the concert later.
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