Broken Key

215 Marbles

    My son was on his way out the back door when he broke the key in the lock.  I tried to retrieve the broken key with needle-nose pliers, tweezers, and a bobby pin.  No luck.  When I called the locksmith, I found that retrieving the broken key would be at least $70.  I said, “Thanks, but no thanks” and promptly hung up. 
     Think.  Think…
    Youtube.  Ask any question and you will find an answer (A girl barely needs to leave home these days).  I found numerous tutorials on how to solve my particular problem using an obscure device called a key extractor.  I called around to see if I could find such a device, and again, no luck. 
    Then I started unscrewing the lock on the off chance that there would be a way to push the key out from the inside.  As I worked on the second long screw, the whole lock fell apart, the other side falling outside the locked door.  Hmmm, a bit of a pickle. 
    I called Ex-man to see if he could help out but he was still working and sounded pretty stressed out himself.  This was a job I’d have to tackle on my own.  A final call to a local hardware store asking for the elusive key extractor led me to Ed who asked what type of lock it was.  I looked on the pieces of lock and found nothing then I asked my son to run outside and see if the other side of the lock had anything written on it.  It did “Weiser”.  He told me to bring it in and he’d see if he could help out. 
    On the way to the store, we crossed our fingers and sure enough, Ed was a champion.  Coincidentally, Ex-man was at the same hardware store picking up soil for the job he was working on.  When I got back to my car, I noticed  that his truck was completely blocking me from getting out.  I tried to manoeuvre around it but it was impossible.  I sat and waited and finally I sent my son inside to ask his Dad to move his truck.  As I sat there, I thought to myself, “Why would I be surprised?  He wasn’t considerate when we were together.  How would I expect him to be when we’re apart?  As Maya Angelou says, “When people tell you who they are, believe them.”  Don’t be surprised when they show you over and over and over. 
    When Ex-man got back to his car, I explained to him that I had left the house with the door lock completely dismantled and I needed to get home.  His car was blocking me (of all the cars in the parking lot, he chose to block mine?)  He didn't apologize or seem to care - when someone shows you who they are, believe them.  I should stop banging my head against the same wall, over and over and over. 
    When I got home, my son and I reassembled the lock and got it working again.  High fives all around. What were my lessons? Number one -  I’m resourceful and not alone (even when I feel slightly ill-equipped to handle a problem). Number two – people change but never expect people to change (especially Ex-man).  Number three - Today I’m thankful that I'm not in a relationship with Ex-man anymore.  They don’t call it a Weiser lock for nothing. 

You have what it takes to handle anything life throws at you - from little inconveniences like a broken key, to big inconveniences like a broken heart.  Could you ask for help when you've tapped your own resources?  (There are always hardware store angels equipped to step in - Marble 324 & today - and they really like to receive a gift of beer as thanks.)