Locked Up!

Last Friday, I accidentally locked myself up at home because I forgot my house keys in my bedroom which I already locked. It wouldn't have been a problem if only I didn't have to go to the office that day, at that specific time - we have an important meeting. I couldn't get out of the house because the main door is locked with a heavy duty padlock, I couldn't unlock it because the keys are locked inside the bedroom and jumping out of the window is not really a sensible option when you live on the 11th floor.

There are spare keys ofcourse, but both of them are with my two brothers who were already at work. I called them just to check if by luck their spare keys are anywhere at home: the other isn't picking up the phone, the other one confirmed it's with him and he can only come to my rescue by noon. Time is running out so I had to move fast... I grabbed a hammer from my brother's tool box and hammered on the bedroom door knob until it was partially loose. With the help of a plastic calling card (Thank you, MacGyver!), a little bit of wriggling, shaking and twisting of the knob and some luck... Voila! The door is open and I got the keys! Though late by a few minutes, I managed to make it to the office.

Later that day, when I was calmer and had time to think of the day's events... I realized it was NOT the first time I locked myself out, but it WAS the first time I had to break a door knob, I used to be able to unlock it with a knife alone. Hahaha! Anyway, since I was the one who broke the knob and it was my fault, I bought a new knob to replace it. The question was who is going to replace it? I never replaced one before and my brothers who know how can only do so in the evening. But I couldn't stand seeing the proof of my stupidity hanging loosely there for hours and for everyone to see... so with the help of the instruction leaflet inside the package, some common sense and my very basic background on Mechanical Engineering (Thank God we had to take it in college!) I was able to replace it myself! Come to think of it I felt a little bit excited when I was installing the new one. I felt great that I could do something I've never done before. Hahaha!

I told a few people about this achievement and they were quite surprised! My best friend found it funny, partly because of the whole story of me getting trapped and she even told me to write a blog about it, which is exactly what I was thinking of doing - we do think alike. My boyfriend thought I was lying and that I asked my brothers to do it for me. My colleague thinks I am strange because normally she would call a locksmith to take care of it.

By the way, my other brother whom I was not able to reach that morning didn't even notice that it's a new knob (I bought exactly the same one). And the knob is working quite well, nothing strange about it (so far... I'm keeping my fingers crossed). Hopefully, I won't get myself trapped or locked up again, but if I do at least I am quite confident now that I know what to do and how to do it. :P