The Night I Locked My Keys in the Car During a Kansas Downpour

One night, when I showed up for my closing shift at the liquor store around 6 p.m., it was pouring down rain. I gathered all of my things to take inside with me: my purse, water, snacks, cigs, etc. I got out, locked my door, and shut it behind me. Just as it closed, I realized my keys were still inside. Great! I thought to myself. What a great way to start my evening. I was not a happy camper. Anyway, I went inside drenched, said my hellos to my co-workers, and proceeded to tell them what had just happened. They shared some sympathy, finished up their shift, and off they went for the night.

I started trying to figure out how to get into my car without needing to call a locksmith, because at that time of night it would have been emergency pricing and, really, who wants to pay that? So I start thinking, who do I know that can do some sketchy shit? A couple of names came to mind, so I reached out. I didn’t hear back from one in a timely manner, but the other was like, “For sure, I got you.” Fantastic! I won’t be locked out for long then. Then I had a thought. When the rain had let up, I wondered if I could somehow get in—maybe a door wasn’t shut all the way, or I could jimmy something. I went out to my car and started pulling on door handles, and one of my back doors opened. Needless to say, I got extremely excited. I don’t know if it was a one-time glitch with my car that it didn’t get locked, or maybe it consistently didn’t lock and I just thought it did. I don’t really know, and honestly, I didn’t really care. I was just happy I got my keys back. My friend did not have to come help me, which I am sure she was glad about because of the weather and the fact that she would have had to drive thirty minutes in the pouring rain at a time of night when she was probably starting to wind down.

It is nice to know that I have people in my life who are willing to go out of their way to help me when I need it, even if it is only a couple of people. Ever since my dad died, it’s been difficult to see who is really there for me. Even my brothers don’t always want to help me with things. In the end, I got my keys back, I didn’t have to pay a ridiculous amount of money for someone to do it for me, and I got a reminder that there are people in my corner even when I don’t always realize or remember it.