I'll fess up that it was me standing outside a locked truck with the engine running, me without a spare key hidden away somewhere. That was remedied the first day we were back. That in itself was an adventure.............................
After diligently having a hide a key on all our prior vehicles and never using it, it was too easy to “never getting around to it.” Monday at noon I stopped by our small town hardware store. Dave and his wife run the place. We use to complain about the somewhat higher prices – “I’ve got to run over to ‘Holdup Hardware’” or “I’m making a trip over to ‘Costalot’” that is until gas prices climbed and time became more valuable to run down the hill. And, every real project takes a minimum of three trips to the hardware store, right? The business has grown and we’re seeing local folks employed.
I walked in and announced I needed a key made. The girl at the register was quick onto her radio, “Need a key made!” They love those radios. Dave was within sight doing inventory in an aisle. On the radio he announced he’ll take care of the key.
“Hey, Ski. What do you need?” he asked from across the room.
“You got ‘em trained on radio use, don’t ya Dave?”
“Yeah. We love these radios.”
“I need a key for my truck.”
He squinted his eyes and looked at me.
“Just for getting in the door,” I added.
“We can do that!”
He made the key. “Do you have the truck here?”
“I had to go to the post office so I got the truck.” In a small town it is required you add information about your day and events so it can be spread throughout the community.
“Try it.” Dave said as he handed me the key, still warm from its birthing.
I was right back in after trying it in my driver’s door. “Don’t open.”
“Really? Let me work on adjusting this cutter.”
After the adjustment and some recutting and a new second key, just to be sure, I returned from the second test. “Nope, neither of these keys opens the door.”
“What?” Dave’s brow was furrowed. His mind was working. He pointed at my key still in the cutting machine. “Does that key open the door?”
“Good question! I’ve never once opened the truck with a key. Always just push that little magic button.” I pointed toward my keys.
With all the keys, Dave and I were out in the parking lot. The driver’s door would not unlock with any of the keys. “Well, I’m feeling better!” Dave announced.
“I’m not.” It was my turn to think. “Let’s try ‘em in the passenger door.”
They worked. “Have you had the driver’s door lock changed?” Dave asked.
“Nope. We use the magic button……………………….but seems like when I was checking the carfax report prior to buying this truck, seems I remember it had been reprocessed once. Maybe the lock was punched out and just quickly replaced.”
“Could be it.” Dave nodded. “What are you going to do?”
“Open the passenger door with the spare key.”
I know it is only a matter of time before the Lady returns from Safeway and announces she was asked about our truck getting reprocessed.