Locked up! and a revision in my “to do/learn/realization” list....

I turned the door knob once more ,a couple of more times and then shook the knob like a dozen times, double checked to make sure that the door was unlocked, still nothing, it wouldn’t open! The door wouldn’t budge nor would the silver little thing which is supposed to go in when you turn the handle move. I felt my pulse quicken and small beads of perspiration started to dot my forehead, I took a deep breath, trying to push down and squash the dark ominous pressure which was trying its best to snake up my oesophagus and leap into my throat. (The news that a Tsunami had hit Samoa and there was an earthquake wasn’t helping)

I took a couple of more breaths, swallowing hard, frantically shaking the doorknob as the realization sank in, along with the pressure I had pushed down my throat. I felt my stomach churn and I called my flatmate and we both started to turn the handle frantically, trying to open the door, the force practically making the door shake on its hinges. We were locked inside the house!

We tried, a credit card, a screw driver, several spoons, a few calls home, googling and a hair pin but the silver thing which is supposed to go in when you turn the knob wouldn’t turn nor would the little knob like thing you’re supposed to press go in and hence the knob wouldn’t come off. We tried to get hold of a locksmith, but no one was willing to come around at that time of the night and it looked like there was no way we could dismantle the lock and open the door except by doing the “ultimate” of breaking it! (Well the ultimate would have been breaking down the door and at the rate things were going that wasn’t too unlikely a possibility)

As luck would have it a friend dropped by, and then it was a series of blows on the door knob with a hammer and a screw driver, a neighbour disturbed by the hammering tried a couple of more bangs .Nothing! Another friend and some more hammering, still nada. A bit more banging from inside, the door looked like it was ready to come off its hinges, but the lock wouldn’t move.

After nearly 2 hours we gave up, and decided we’d spend the night inside the locked house (the threat of an earthquake seemed very real and I had several thoughts running through my head) and then our friend showed up with another neighbour and a huge hammer, and bang! Bang! Bang! part of the lock came hurling inside the house. Still the door wouldn’t open, and it was 5 more minutes of grunting and twisting with the pliers and tada! The door finally opened... we could breath the sweet fresh air and see the stars... Sweet sweet freedom.

That was quite an experience and I have learnt that a girl needs to add some more things to her “to do/learn/realization” list:

1. How to dismantle a lock, and fix a new one

2. How to fix a tube light

3. How to unclog a sink

4. How to unclog/fix a leaky toilet

5. How to clear a blocked shower head

6. How to paint

7. How to use a drill and hammer a wrench and a nail

8. How to replace a light switch and fix a top

9. The super powers of “ super glue”

10. You never know when you might get locked inside a house so be prepared and have your tools ready.

11. Google cannot always help you

12. The list never ends

13. Men aren’t always around ( not even the handymen)

14. We women can do it!