So, I was standing there looking at a 20 foot drop. I might be able to make it... or I might end up breaking my leg. If I landed on y phone, I would have to drag my self to the street... with a broken leg. And of course I drive a stick... I need to use both legs.
But there was the window option... I could kick one in and that might get the job done. Of course I would need to pay for the window... I wouldn't just walk away. And I'd probably end up cutting a major artery... back to that stick, need both hands, too.
Can you imagine the embarrassment of calling the police... "Hello, non-emergency, how can I help you?"
"I'm locked on a deck at a foreclosed house."
As the laughing subsides... "Come again? You say that you locked yourself out of a house on the deck?"
"That's right. I stepped out and the door swung closed... locked... behind me. If I jump off of the deck, I will likely break my leg. If I wait for my wife to show up I might end up with hypothermia. Trust me, you were not my first idea."
"So, you can't jump down?"
"No. It's like 20 feet."
"You don't have the key?"
"I don't have the RIGHT key... I have the key to the front door."
"Did you try it?"
"Um... yes?"
No, I didn't really want to call the police to have them send a cruiser by to rescue the idiot on the deck.
So I learned a new skill...
That is right. A Bass Pro Shops gift card sacrificed itself to help me get back in. I learned how to jimmy a lock. And I suck at it... but I got it done. I was actually hoping that someone would yell "Hey, what are you doing there?"... but no such luck.
It took about 15 minutes... after 40 minutes of standing around... calling a bunch of geographically inconvenient friends... calling my wife (for those of you that have MET my wife, you can probably guess at the abuse and sarcasm I endured... and will continue to endure. I was desperate)... looking at the ground down there. Could I jump? At one point I thought about shimmying down a tree... no, that wasn't happening either.
Moral of the story...
Have a back up plan. I didn't. I had the key in my hand, but it was the wrong one. I didn't pay attention to the lock... it was one of those that lets you open it from the inside but not the outside. I didn't pay attention to the auto-closer for the door. I did have my phone... and I could have made a call no matter what.
Have a plan.
