All Keyed Up

I waste no time crawling out of bed today. It is our Sunday for the the singing of our cantata, and I need to be at church early to make sure everything is set up, that all the pieces are in place, that I have a good handle on things like when to indicate to the congregation to stand and join the choir in singing, and what place in the score to get to when the congregation's part is over and the choir sings on.

I dress quickly and locate Sugar's leash to take her out for the usual morning constitutional. We do this every morning, and I leave my keys either in my coat pocket or on the sideboard by the door. I glance at the sideboard and do not see my keys, so I assume they must be in my coat pocket. Sugar is eager to get outside. We stumble down the steps and I open the door. She races out into the cold snow and ice, immediately looking for a good 'spot.'

I let the door close slowly, hoping it will not quite latch while I fumble in my pocket to make sure the keys are there. In an instant, I hear the solid click of the door closing as my hand grasps thin air. Oh, no! I realize I have locked myself out and the boys are sleeping soundly. I do not have much time before I need to leave. What to do!

Honk the car horn and wake the boys and half the neighborhood? No - car keys are on the ring with the house keys. That won't work. I let Sugar finish her business, then I ring the buzzer in the wild hope that one of the boys will hear it and actually get up to investigate and not roll over and go back to sleep.

After a dozen buzzes (where are all those other dog walkers this morning?), I walk around the building to where the bedroom window is. I pick up a chunk of ice and toss it at the siding next to the window. No response. I toss another chunk. Still nothing. I kick a snowbank of ice until it breaks apart into three huge pieces, then I pick up one huge piece and dash it against the blacktop. It shatters into more manageable sized chunks.

I begin tossing piece after piece, calling Kiel's name. Nothing. I am worried. I have no way to get in and I hear the church bells chime 8 am. I need to leave. I haven't fed Sugar or taken my medicine. I stand directly beneath their window where all the ice chunks have fallen. I no longer care about waking the neighbors. I must get those boys to let me in.

Whack. Whack. Whack. I toss pieces of ice repeatedly. "KIEL!" I yell. Whack, whack, whack. "KIEL!" Whack, whack, whack. "KIEL!" After ten minutes, Drew finally opens the window and looks out sleepily. "What are you doing?" he asks innocently. "Let me in." I plead. "Oh. Why are you out there? Just a minute." At last! Success. I think back to how many times I tried to get spare keys made and tucked in a safe place near the door of the building. If only!

There is no help for it now. I fly about getting ready, barking orders to Drew to feed the dog. At least they finally heard me and I will be OK getting to church, and thank goodness I still have plenty of time to prepare. What I don't get to think about, God will take care of! I settle down as I drive off, thankful that there was no emergency connected with my lapse of sanity. Now all I have to do is concentrate on counting for the upcoming music and all will be well.