Trapped

When I drove home after teaching, my car door wouldn't open even though it was unlocked. It scared me to be stuck but at least I was home. I couldn't call anyone because my phone was in the trunk. I turned the car back on and buzzed down all of the windows. I was prepared to climb out of the driver's side window in my dress. I saw my neighbor Rick outside a few yards away in his usual spot tinkering with his big red truck.

Rick is the cackling, cursing, cave man, unofficial maintenance man, resident watchdog who messes with stuff over in the last garage in our shared parking lot. He usually annoys me revving his truck or making other mechanical noises. He likes me because I always pick up wind-blown trash in the lot. "This is my home!" I tell him. "I do it because I don't want to see it." 

With my windows still wide open I drove the few yards over to him. "Hey Rick, I'm stuck! My door won't let me out."

 

"Flip the switch again," he said.  I still couldn't get out. Then he tried the passenger side and it opened. I was grateful for his help and thanked him. 

 

I drove back to my parking spot, hopped over the gear shift, and climbed out. I retrieved my phone, closed up my car as usual, and went inside to change into jeans.

When I returned to my car I discovered I was locked out. The key fob was long defunct, way before I owned the car, but even using my key by hand didn't unlock the door. I called my mechanic. He asked if I could open the trunk, "Yes, I can!"

 

"Do you see the knobs inside that release the back seats?" I couldn't. My panic had temporarily blinded me. I was ready to call triple A and tow the car to my mechanic. 

 

Luckily Rick wandered back over and spotted the knobs. He pulled them and was able to push down the rear seats, creating an inlet. He couldn't believe I was willing to climb in. I only asked him to be my witness in case things went wrong. "You're so limber," he said, cackling. I smiled and thanked him and then drove to my mechanic's shop. 

 

My mechanic stopped his work and gave me a lift home. He later texted me a video of him successfully locking and unlocking the door. He must have taken off the door panel to get at the mechanisms inside, and liberally oiled everything. It works now - I'm so grateful! Sam has been a fabulous honest mechanic for us with our old cars for about 20 years.