As I exited that mall, in a rush to get home in time for my office hours, the eleven o'clock heat beat down on the three of us. I walked briskly to our car, let Brody out of the stroller, opened the door to have him climb into the car, pulled Bonnie out of her carrier, put her into her car seat, and closed the door. Already sweating from the heat in the middle of an asphalt parking lot, I broke the stroller down, threw it into the trunk of the car, shut the door, and went to the driver's side of the car. As I prepared myself for the familiar convincing I was about to do to the car climbing toddler inside the vehicle to get into his seat, I went to open the door. Nothing. The car was locked! My babies were locked inside the car and I was outside. Oh. My. Gosh.
Oddly calm for the situation at hand, I thought, wait, Brody is inside. He can unlock the car. After all, he was the one who locked it, right? WRONG! I begged him. "Brody, Brody, please unlock the car." "Here is the button!", I yelled as I pressed and dug my finger into the window, pointing at the button on the arm rest of the door. He looked at me, with confused eyes. What mom? You want me to push our fingers together against the window? Oh, okay. Wait.. that's not what you want? "Brody, the button! Press the button!" Oh, the button! I love buttons! Okay mom! "No, Brody, press the other button! That one locks the door." The other button? Okay! I will go to the other door and press the other button. "Brody, no! NO! That button locks the door! Please press the other button!"
As tears stream down my face in frustration, I realize, there are keys inside the car! These keys are my way out of this mess! "Brody, under the blue bag, on the seat... get the keys!" Mom, I'm not sure what you are saying, therefore I am just going to play with these cool radio buttons. Oh, what's this? A horn? That's pretty cool. Oh wow, I've never noticed this before... a mirror. Oh look, I can pick my nose and see it in the mirror. "Brody! Brody!"
I realize then that my phone is in my pocket. I also realize how loud my voice is outside of my head, yelling into my car trying to convince my two year old to unlock the friggin' car. As I try to call Jeff, the phone keeps going to voicemail... of course, just my luck. As I'm crying, calling Jeff over and over, calling his boss, calling and calling.. I'm just watching Bonnie's little head glisten with sweat inside the car as she stares back at me with her innocent little eyes. Meanwhile all I'm thinking is that I'm trapped in this hour glass, and that my babies are going to die. "Please Brody, get those keys!!" Momma, why do you look so sad? Is something wrong? Oh yeah, there is a horn. Let me push this thing again. Wow, it still makes a big noise.
A guy walks slowly over to my car at this point. He asks what is wrong and if he can help by calling mall security over to unlock my car. Yes, Mr., please!!!! He calls them right away and I try to explain myself while I'm shaking and so upset. He understands and I find out he works at the mall and this same thing happens often. While this makes me feel a bit less of a crazy person yelling at her car with her locked children inside, I just want my babies out of there. It's so hot, and I'm so done with this morning.
Jeff finally calls. The security people show up right as Jeff pulls up (with his awesome boss) and unlocks the car. Brody immediately climbs into my arms with his innocent little face. Jeff pulls Bonnie out of the car, and things are okay again. Everyone is breathing, and I have the keys again.
Oh my word.
