So, this morning it was pretty nice. As I was getting ready to leave the house, I realized I’d left my coat in the car last night, and vaguely considered not taking it and either wearing just my sweater, or my sweater and a light jacket. I was running late enough, though, that I went ahead and took not only the coat, but the entire car, leaving it parked on the top floor of the parking garage at the Quincy Center T station.

Then I had a reasonably productive day at work, followed by a brief check-in at Diesel (including a nice chat with dietrich), followed by a pleasant if admittedly slightly chilly walk to Something Something to pick something up, followed by a quick dinner in Davis (by myself, unless you count Terry), since I’d been ravenous before I left work, followed by a pleasant T ride to Quincy, followed by—

Um.

Isn’t my key supposed to go in the lock on the car further than this?

Yes, I’m quite sure it’s supposed to go in further than this. I believe it’s supposed to turn, too. And the door is supposed to open, and welcome me into the car AND OUT OF THIS INSANE FUCKING FREEZING WINDY COLD! I’m completely certain that’s what’s supposed to happen.

That’s not what’s happening.

If the lock on the other side weren’t already broken¹, I could try that door.

So, I can walk home and hope that when the sun comes out tomorrow morning the lock warms up enough for me to get in. [If I had taken the time to check the weather forecast I would have been less optimistic.] Oh! Or I could walk home, and walk to the automotive supply store in the morning and get some of that de-icer you can spray in your locks when they freeze, and see if that works! Yes, that’s a good idea. Too bad there’s no place open now, because I’ll be agitated until I get this resolved. Like, for instance, maybe a convenience store would have it.

Well, there’s actually a convenience store in the T station, and they didn’t have what I was looking for (de-icer for locks), but they did have de-icer for windows, and I figured if it melted ice it was worth a try. Said try, of course, involved wiggling my key in and out of the lock while spraying this stuff at the slot. (I needed the key both to hold the slot open and to help convey the de-icer into the lock, since this stuff didn’t come with the little tube that gets it into the lock. I suspect that’s the major distinction between this product and the kind sold for locks.) And I did this for a long time, in the freezing wind, with the de-icer stuff splashing onto my hands and being blown into my face, occasionally taking breaks to put my hands in my pockets to thaw. And I was just about ready to give up, when the key finally slipped all the way into the lock! Joy! Delight! Success! Er, Progress! The key did not turn, but at least something was happening, which confirmed me in my stubborn determination not to hurry home to a warm bed, but to keep standing there on the windy roof alternately muttering entreaties and threats to the lock under my breath. Actually, I didn’t mutter entreaties and threats to the lock under my breath, but it sounds very dramatic, so I certainly would have if I’d thought of it at the time. Anyway, it might have worked.

So I worked on the lock for another ten minutes or so, with a couple breaks to shelter from the wind in a stairwell, and finally it turned! Joy! Delight! Progress! Success!

Needless to say, the Diesel engine needed some coaxing to start, but that I’m familiar with, and now I’m home and warm and my car is sitting in the driveway. Unlocked. I have no intention of locking it again until the spring, since clearly no good comes of locking my car.

Oh, did I mention that the person who broke into my car a couple weeks ago took a glove? I think it might be time to get a new pair.

But for now, my hands are nice and warm, and my bed will be nice and warm, too.

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¹ This has nothing to do with the burglary; the passenger-side lock hasn’t worked since docorion got the car before me, I believe. Certainly not since I’ve had it.