Locked Out

Last week I acquired a New Life Skill.

When I was taking out the garbage, my door shut behind me before I could flip the lock into the non-lock position.  So I locked myself out.  In my jammas. I have a talent for doing this, which is why I always have 2 sets of keys in my purse.  But this time I had no keys, just an unhelpful bag of garbage.  And Daya was in New Jersey.

The super was not home and would not be for at least an hour.  My next door neighbors with the connecting fire escape were not home. I got creative and surveyed my resources- the super's daughter let me use their abnormally tall stepladder, and I also needed the 2 large plastic garbage/recycle bins from the laundry.  And some serious acrobatic skillz.

Millie might be very upset with me for posting this, as I had it on Facebook for a couple of hours and she guilted me into taking it down.  Because it made her anxious, and I don't want her to be anxious. I love Millie rather madly.  But really, I am not concerned about someone repeating my stupid and dangerous (but very clever!!) acrobatic stunt.  I barely made it, and if I was just a very little bit larger or less nimble, or less willing to be mostly upside-down on the fire escape I wouldn't have been able to do it.  It also caused a bit of commotion- inside and out.  My apartment is not window-entry friendly at all.

It actually makes me think about the fire escapes and how larger people could really get out (or not??) in case of emergency.  They are definitely built to go down, not up- and out, not in.  I guess they are meant to be used with fireman assistance.

I really would not have minded if a fireman came along and helped me out....