Code Tessa

*The picture is unrelated to today's post besides featuring the key character.

Got a call while at work today from Troy and the conversation started with "It hasn't been a good morning." I shutter at this statement. What? What could possibly have gone wrong and would it have been any different if I weren't a deadbeat career mother and had I been there? Troy's usual morning routine is to drive Nate to end of our driveway and wait for the bus. During the waiting time he gives Nate his reminders of what good behaviors are expected at school and also plays beauty shop trying to tame Miss T's mane into something somewhat presentable for the day. According to Troy, this morning was particularly hairy as the kids were being lazy and not moving at the much needed brisk pace to meet the deadlines at hand. And Tessa was being rather difficult about her fro. She ran and climbed about the van trying to avoid any combs, brushes, bows or ponytails of any sort. In his superdad fashion though he managed to secure a proper ponytail. The bus comes and Nate marches up the stairs and into his seat. Troy now proceeds to properly lock down Tessa into her 5-point harness and the next stop will be her preschool. The automatic door closes. Troy rushes around to the driver's side door to get going. DUN DUN DUHHHHHH. The doors are LOCKED! Car running. Cell phone inside. Tessa on lock down in her car seat! Tessa's tantrum about the van had managed to unknowingly lock the doors. No keyless entry.

His first instinct was to throw a rock through the window. But, he settled himself down and tried to rationalize a better plan. The next 10 minutes were spent trying (through the closed windows) to teach Tessa how to wrestle herself out of her car seat. These efforts were unsuccessful and Troy realized that is probably a horrible idea to teach her such maneuvers as she would probably use them to her advantage in the future. The other horrible vision that flashed before him was her having to crawl up to the front of the van to unlock the doors and putting the car into drive while it was still running. Not good. Very very bad. Next step was to flag down someone driving down the road because the cell phone was in the running van along with the 3 yr old child! A kind woman stopped, notified the sheriff who notified the tow truck. And, in a very hot hot minute, there was the tow truck driver to save the day. Whew.

Lesson for the day is next time you lock your keys in the car if you mention there is a child inside you will get it done in a flash! Disclaimer though as I'm not sure what the repercussions are if the tow truck arrives and there is no person inside the locked vehicle.