Breaking and Entering

I have been wondering when it would happen... and what I would do to fix the problem. It happened today, and let me tell you all about it! I came home around 3:30 from the 2nd Annual Pumpkin Fest. I unlocked the door, and dropped the first load right inside. I then spent about half an hour checking my e-mail and straightening up the apartment. I went back out to the car around 4:00 to get the last load. When I got back to the door, it was locked. Obscenities!

I went back out to my car and sat there for a few minutes, contemplating my plan of attack. I first took inventory of what I could use to break in. Items I lacked: keys (obviously), phone to call landlord, and a ladder to reach any of my windows. Items that were available: a map of Iowa, my school ID, some cds, pumpkin bars, and a saxophone lyre that someone left near the football field after a game a few weeks ago.

I quickly hatched a plan. I would break in using the lyre. I bent the life out of it, and it didn't work.

My next plan was to talk to the nice lady who lives downstairs. I hadn't officially met her yet, but this was my best plan. Dustin, the neighbor I have talked to, wasn't home, nor was his new roommate whose name I don't know.

I trudged around the building and knocked on her door. "Hi," I said, "I'm the girl who lives upstairs."

"Come on in" she says, as I asked if I could borrow her phone to call the landlord. She introduced herself as Becky and then proceeds to tell me that she has done this herself and knows exactly how to break in. Oh, cool, I thought! So she grabs her butterknife and away we go. We worked and worked at it. She even went back downstairs to get a long sharp knife and a spatula. Nothing would get it! We cut up the door a bit too. Oops.

We eventually conceded to the fact that we were not going to be able to break in. I knowthat this is a actually a good thing, but it was frustrating today! Her door won't keep anyone out if they know what to do. We finally had to call Cyndi for a key. The first time we dialed she didn't answer. While we waited I continued to learn more about my downstairs neighbor. She is a grandma who has raised her kids and has been divorced for about eleven years. She lives with her cat Esmeralda. She likes to move a lot and loves pro-football. Awesome! I know things about pro-football! We talked for quite awhile. It turns out we are both Chargers fans. Who knew football would be a common thread with me and my grandmotherly neighbor!

While we watched the Chicago-Philadelphia game, Cyndi called back and said she would come over. I felt really bad, but then when I talked to her, it wasn't a big deal. Cyndi was going to ride her motorcycle anyhow, and needed somewhere to go. She was wearing some sweet chaps! She also mentioned that she sings for the Metropolitan Chorale. Their director conducts the top choirs at Wartburg and also the IAM Europpean tour that I went on in high school. It's so crazy how everyone has connections.

I was finally able to get into my apartment around 5:00. It sure is a good thing that it's Sunday and I only have a few things to do before tomorrow. I can assure you that this won't happen anytime soon! I guess if it does I can hang out with the neighbor.