The Key Thing

Drew was late getting up. My main focus was to get him on the bus. Today is a tight schedule. I am teaching a class at 8, and want to be at the library early to set up, review, make sure everything is in place. Andrea is coming by at 10 to borrow the car. Kiel has to drive to the east side of town to pick up a van for work. If we just keep to the schedule, it should be a piece of cake.

In fact, I walk Sugar and am a bit ahead of schedule. Good. I button my coat, grab my purse and fumble for my keys. Suddenly, panic runs clear through me like a bolt of lightning. My keys. Drew had them last. No, no. Please let them be here. I search to no avail. My heart pounding in my chest, I text Drew. Where are my keys?

I get the return text. Shooooooooooot. They are in his backpack on the bus on the way to Finney. No, no, no. I don't have any way to deal with this. I need my keys. The clock is ticking. I call Kiel. He answers still groggy with sleep. I lay out the problem. I hear him sigh. And sigh again. And again. There is no help for it. The keys, including the second set in Drew's pocket, are unavailable and my car is officially out of commission.

We scramble to come up with an alternate plan. Now everybody is running. I stand by the window waiting for my ride to appear, watching the time melt away. I will be lucky to get there in the nick of time now. I debate whether to call and let people know I am delayed. If the car doesn't show in five minutes, I will have to call. Oooo - there it is. I run out the door, praying that I can somehow get there with enough time to at least get the monitor and computer online.

I make it with 2 minutes to spare. The class is late getting there too, which gives me time to collect my scattered thoughts and be calm. He didn't do it intentionally. And he is very penitent. I have three texts of Sorrys to prove that part. I admit my first presentation lacks a certain continuity, but I have recovered by mid class and am fine for the other classes. Ah, me. Life has a way of throwing you curves. Good thing I can repeat my motto: It's a library. No one will die.