Lost Keys SOS

A little after lunch, I took my daughter, Ging to Robinson's for some last-minute shopping. We parked in the basement, all the while talking about where and when to meet up after, and me issuing last minute reminders about pickpockets and stuff. We parted near the escalators - Ging heading up to the department store and me to the supermarket.

I finished my shopping quickly and went out the mall to browse the nearby tiangges. I reached into my bag for my sunglasses when I suddenly realized... Where are my motorbike keys?! A few minutes of frantic search into my handbag, pockets, shopping bags and wallet turned up no key. 

Uh-oh.

I had this same scenario a couple of months back. I was going home from work, and when I reached the bike rack where I had mine chained, I found out I lost my keys. I had to call my brother-in-law so he can tow me using their scooter. Very McGyverish pa nga since he didn't have any rope to pull me so he tied two hoodies together and use them to pull me home. I called Mang Ador, a locksmith who used to live beside us, to dismantle my ubox lock and duplicate the key from there. My spare was also lost a long time ago. Ever the procrastinator, I put off getting the key duplicated and forgot all about it.

Until today.

Hay naku, sabaw talaga! I retraced all my steps back to the shops I visited, went back to the parking lot and circled my bike twice, thrice, but still no keys. Mang Ador wasn't answering my call so I went to pick him up from his shop. I was in panicking na, pretty sure I locked it inside the compartment, but still fearing if I did drop it somewhere, then someone might have picked it up and is already driving off  to some chop shop in my beloved apple-green bike. 

On the way back to Rob, after grilling me if I had looked for the key everywhere, he relayed:

Mang Ador: "Meron din akong kostomer dati, taga-Pepsi naman, nawala din susi ng motor. E di pinuntahan ko at pinipick ko na yung lock. Maya-maya, napatingin ako sa baba. ayun, nasa damuhan yung susi. E di imbes na singilin ko sya ng 300 pagpapagawa at 150 sa duplicate, ayun nakatipid pa siya. Niloko ko na lang kung magkano ibabayad nya sakin pag nakita ko susi, sabi niya kahit magkano!"

We both laughed and I assured him this time, I'm pretty sure I locked my keys in the ubox. When we got back to the mall, he promptly got down to business picking my bike's lock. After ten minutes (and several people looking at us suspiciously, perhaps thinking we were stealing the bike), he lifted my bike's seat to reveal the inside of the ubox: NO KEYS.

Dejected at the thought of shelling out another 500 bucks for his services (like I did the last time), I went back inside to try to ask around if somebody happened to find my keys. Mang Ador did the same and the first guard he approached produced the key. It turned out I had dropped it in the parking lot and I NEVER THOUGHT TO ASK THE PARKING LOT GUARDS FIRST. Brilliant, Jaz, genius work indeed. 

So there I was, frantic and sweaty because I assumed the worst right away, I even dragged a locksmith from his afternoon siesta to a crowded mall. I thank God we found it, but I did want to sink on the floor right then and there as the guards and Mang Ador looked at me while all I could do was say sorry and thank them with a sheepish smile. Hay naku ulit! Sabaw talaga!

This is a perfect instance for me, of the answer being right in front of me, but I missed it because I immediately went into panic-mode. Oftentimes, the simplest solutions work best and can save me further aggravation - and cost! 

Moral of the story: When in doubt, always ask first and never assume right away.

Hey wait, that lesson sounds familiar... but that's another story nyaha. :)