11 November 2009

Drama with Keys


This morning, I was at our local Mall getting stuff for The Great Candy Exchange.* I also popped in to Stevens and scored some Christmas bargains. Oh yes I am so onto it today.

There I am, laden down with bags, pushing the stroller with my elbows and the Scrag has had enough of all this sitting lark and he starts to complain and demand my keys. You know me, anything for peace, right? So I hand him my keys and say, "Don't lose them Scrag, not like yesterday in Whitcoulls OK?" (I had to key-hunt yesterday after I let him play with them. I should have learnt.)

We make it to the car, plenty of time to make it home for my 10am appointment. I deposit my bags of goodies in the front seat, strap the Scrag (with keys) into his carseat, shut the door and... pop!


Scrag presses the remote lock on the key ring. He is locked in the car with the keys.

OK, don't panic, I think. I wave and point to the keys: "Push the button bub! Push the button!" I say hopefully through the glass (as if... He's 18 months old!) He waves the keys at me and giggles. What a fun game!

I try again. He waves the keys... if only I can get him to accidentally push that button again? Oops! He's dropped the keys.

Now what?

Phone the AA? Nope, no credit on my phone. And the darn Vodafone top-up menu has been out of order for a whole day. Phone Mr G. Yes, the Knight in Shining Armour! (I can phone his number but no-one else's)

I call the Man. He says He will call AA for me. Hang tight, he encourages.


Meanwhile Scrag doesn't think this game is much fun anymore. He is wriggling and complaining, trying to get out of his carseat, trying to open the door... his happy giggling has turned to tears of confusion, which quickly turn to distressed sobbing. I stand helplessly by, tapping on the window and trying to reassure him through the glass, "You're OK, bubba, mummy's here. The man is coming to let you out..."

10 minutes feels like an hour with my poor little man screaming inside the car. I feel helpless! (I am helpless)
I explain to curious passersby why I am standing outside the car with a screaming baby locked inside. I am not a car thief or a kidnapper!

At last the AA guy arrives. It takes him less than a minute to open the car. He shakes his head at me and gives me some sage advice: "Never let him have your keys!!"

Ahhh yes, thanks. I should have thought of that!

I give the Scrag some Candy to console him (luckily I happen to have some on hand...) Now I just hope he won't be traumatised for life by...
  • cars
  • carseats
  • keys
  • the AA man
That could really make things tricky.



The Great Candy Exchange is a cool thing Gail has dreamed up where a northern hemisphere blogger gets paired up with a southern hemisphere blogger and we send each other a bunch of candy: local specialities and treats. My Candy Buddy is Jenny, and I'm sending her these New Zealand favourites. Mmmmmm. Lucky you Jenny.


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10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh Simoney I am so sorry that this happened to you!!!
That 10 minutes can seem like a life time...this happened to me with my oldest when he was a baby...still remember it like it was yesterday.
Good thing you had the candy on hand!!!!
another GREAT reason to have a candy exchange!!!

Amy said...

Oh No! What drama! Read your post out to the fam - most entertaining :) Thank GOD for husbands, and the AA!

Tracy DeLuca said...

Oh, man. My son locked me out of the house before but I have my van rigged so that I always have a way in.... just in case. It is so scary when something like that happens!

Widge said...

oh dear! glad you got it sorted before too long.

I have an award for you.

Jenny said...

Oh No! Not good at all. So glad you kept your head. And now I know what you are sending me too-heh, heh, heh (insert devilish grin here).

PaisleyJade said...

Oh dear - I would have never thought of them locking themselves in the car! Good to have that reminder. Posted my candy off today - $30 postage!!!

Gail said...

Oh chickey!!!!! What a crap thing to happen!
And oh my, that's a good stash of candy!

And CRIKEY Kristy!!! $30???? (feeling like my idea was NOT a good one!) So sorry!

Penny said...

Benjamin loves keys too and I've thought about him being locked in the car so many times each time I've given them to him...so when I give him the keys (I'm all for peace too!!) I always open the passenger car door at the same time just in case. I'm sure Jono forgot the trauma as soon as he ate the candy : )

Lisa said...

Those were probably the longest ten minutes you'll have to endure (hopefully!). So glad things worked out.

I've stopped by from BMC. I love the site -- and your sense of humor -- and plan to visit more often!

Sophie said...

awww bless. Sounds like a morning and a half Simoney!!

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