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.
Unless otherwise noted, all content of this blog is the property of Lane Bailey, ©2012 Lane Bailey.
I'd love to hear from you...
Good story Lane, and a very good point! Now that your safe, I just wish I could hear your wife! You know you will never live this one down!! ;}
Lane -
This sounds like something I might have done. In fact, something similar happened to me once.
Years ago, when I owned a Subway Sandwich Store, I needed to go up to the roof to reset the breaker for our sign. In the wind, the ladder fell down.
And . . . this was in 1989, and I did not own a cell phone!
I had to yell to a guy walking his dog on the nearby sidewalk and ask him to call the fire department once he got home - because HE, nor the dog, had a cell phone either! And he didn't want to risk letting go of the dog's leash to put my ladder back up - apparently, he couldn't see a place to tie up the dog for a few minutes.
It took about an hour before the Chicago Fire Department came and got me down on by putting up my own ladder, from a height of about 18 feet.
Pretty embarassing as well, although not as cold that day.
Luckily, my wife never found out about that - until now, of course!
Glad you're safe!
DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
Oh Lane you aren't going to believe this but that happened to me about a month ago. I was showing a foreclosure and there were three very busy children running around the house. We all went out on the deck above the garage and then I heard it. One of the kids ran back into the house and SLAM goes the door.
One of the buyers looked down and was figuring on a jump. Fortunately two doors down a neighbor was trying to relax and have a glass of wine. I caught his attention and he came over. I dropped him the key and he went around and let us out. Oddly enough those buyers didn't bite on the property but another one did and we closed last week. I dropped off a bottle of wine to their new neighbor!
GREAT stories guys ... i LOVe the "they helped me down with my OWN ladder ..."
Priceless
Great story, well told, Lane.
I really want to know why you didn't take photos. I mean, while you were there anyway. :-)
Ha! Got any photos?
Nope, never done anything remotely like that. Lately. Well, in the last 3 weeks. I did manage to lock myself in the garage recently.
I'm sorry...I don't mean to laugh....but HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
I join your wife,who I met in rolling her eyes and laughing. What would you have done if you left your cell phone in the car, Lane? Seriously, have you thought of that. I never take my cell phone in so my hands were sweating reading this.
Lane, I locked myself on a house's roof deck once. It was quite an adventure leaning over the edge calling down for help from passing pedestrians.
I have 800-373-3411 (free 411) programmed into my phone, I would have called a locksmith before the wife :-)
You are the second person I have heard in this dilemma the first one dropped of a deck from only 10 feet in the air landed in some mud and rolled down a small hill now he needed to get back in the car and drive home. I wish I could have been there to help after I took the photos. Thanks for the chuckle.
Laura - She hasn't mentioned it yet this evening. We'll see how long that lasts...
Dean - I thought about the FD... all I needed was someone to walk in the unlocked front door.
Cindy - I guess it HAS to happen at some point.
Steve - I got out with my own gift card...
Teri - I was going to say there wasn't anything to photograph, but the leaves were like a foot deep on the deck...
Ken - In my own garage I would have the tools to do something.
Lisa - Go ahead... We'll laugh again over booze on Bouron Street.
Missy - Nobody can cut me down to size as fast as my wife. She is goooood.
Patricia - It happens to the best of us... and me too.
Brad - Desperation... and I didn't need a locksmith.
Terry - I thought about it. I really did.
Thanks for the visual!!! I can so see that happening to me, thinking I'm being all cool, just stepping out onto the deck for a look around and then SLAM - the wind blows the door shut and I'm looked out - stranded 2 stories up! LOL Glad you made it down ok...and I'm sure your wife let you off the hook since it most likely wasn't a gift card that she wanted to spend :-)
Very funny Lane!!! I think you should have jumped. 20 ft is not that far. Just tuck and roll :) OK if I jumped from 20 ft I would probably break every bone on my body. It looks like it would work in my head though. And that's where I get in trouble.
Christine - I think my wife decided the short-term mileage was enough... wouldn't want to have me dredge up any other events... ;^ )
Bryant - Thanks. If I was 20 years younger I would have jumped...
Lane - I've seen something like this before, but it was a homeowner on a roof, and her ladder fell while she was on the roof. Fortunately, one of her neighbors noticed and was available to help. If it happend to me, I would call my office and ask for someone to come out and help. We have that kind of office.
Lane, you could have called me. I would have let you in .... after I took your picture! Really, I shouldn't tease about it. I've never done that but I could totally see it happening to me.
Whew! My luck it'd happen as I walked out with my clients and we'd all be stuck! I don't think even I would have jumped down from there! Glad you made it out!
This was a terrific story, Lane!!! Glad it worked out okay! LOL
Larry - Everyone else was too far away...
Bob - Speaking of too far away...
Sheree - Actually... I needed to make it IN. It was cold out.
Karen - Me too.
funny, I'll remember this next time out on a deck, lol
Crystal - you probably will... In fact, you might just remember it right after a door closes behind you. ;^ )