There are those days when you can tell pretty early on that things are not going to bode well for you. Today was that kind of a day for me. It started with little indicators that had I been paying attention I should have been more prepared for what was to happen later in the day.
First as I was getting ready to go to town, I almost forgot to grab the three rocks a dear friend of mine had purchased and I was to meet her at my grocery pick up stop later that morning. I had given them one final quick spray early that morning and had nearly left them sitting out in the garage drying. That would have been great, her pulling up to meet me and me realizing her rocks were still sitting at home!
As it was, I did remember. However, what I failed to do apparently was actually submit my grocery order the night before. Each week I submit all my boxed, canned and paper goods to Wally World for contactless pick up. I basically order the same things every week, so it saves me a lot of time and I’m not risking undo contact in this covid environment we still live in. I go onto their app on Tuesday and place my order for pickup on Wednesday. It normally works like a charm. Not today. I had gone in and placed my order, chose a time to pick it up BUT apparently I neglected to hit some pesky submit key that is vital in actually placing your order.
I first became aware of it on my drive to Cedar Falls, noticing I hadn’t gotten any text message notice on my phone to let me know that they had my order ready for me. When I got to Wally World I stopped in the parking lot to check and see if I had any emails about my order. None. I called my bank to see if they had taken out a payment for said store, nope. So there I was with no order to pick up.
I met my friend and gave her the rocks she had purchased and explained to her what I did. We had a good chuckle and then as she got her grocery order pickup because she had done it correctly, I went and parked and had to take my list inside and pick my own groceries. It didn’t take long because I just went off of their app of the items I wanted, deleting them as I went.
I came out to the parking lot, loaded my groceries in the back, Jazzy watching me from the second row of seats, and walked 2 cars over to place my shopping cart in the cart rack like a normal person. (They don’t do this in Florida, they just abandon the carts all over the parking lots, I’ve seen this for myself.)
I walked back over to my car, and the car doors were all locked. Did I mention Jazzy was inside? Let me state that normally I keep my purse with me while returning the cart, but today, since the cart rack was practically next to my car, I tossed my purse inside the front seat, and thought it would be fine. It was not fine. Jazzy had decided to hop into the front seat, the better to watch what mom was doing, and stood on the lock button by placing her front paws on the door rest. Yup, my own dog locked me out of my car. Let me also state that whoever designed those lock buttons on door rests has clearly never owned a pet.
I always leave my front two windows cracked open just a bit so Jazzy can have fresh air and enjoy the smells around her, unless it’s really freezing out. Shar-pei, at least the brush and bear coat variety, love cold weather. Most Shar-pei hate the heat, so on a nice winter day like today, the windows were down just a bit. Not enough to reach my big man hands through and hit the unlock button, but enough that if I had some long stick I could possibly pop it open. I checked the ground around where I was parked (near a tree) and no sticks, just several masks, cigarette butts and a smashed pop can. Why are people so gross?
There was an employee at a cart rack just across from me, so I went and explained my “situation” to him and asked if they might have anything in the store, like a dowel stick or something long and straight that I might use. He got on his radio and asked and the person in the store answered with a resounding NO and they can’t help because if they break something and liability, and blah, blah, blah. I get that, and again I said that I did not expect them to do anything, I was just looking for something I might use. Thanks for being helpful.
I walked back to my car and was trying to coax Jazzy to again step up on my door handle and perhaps unlock the doors, but she was confused and was sitting on the opposite seat waiting for me to get in the car. The bad thing about dogs is they don’t understand your full conversation, or at least they act like they don’t.
Luckily, there had been a very nice lady nearby putting her groceries into her car, which was unlocked by the way, and she came over and said she thought she had a long handled window scraper if I’d like to try to use that. Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers.
Now you might think that was the conclusion to this story, that I was able to use her ice scraper and pop the lock. You would be wrong. What really happened was even better. As the lady approached my car to let me know she may be able to help me out, Jazzy jumped up into the seat, and put her front paws back onto the door rest to see who this person approaching was and CLICK she unlocked the car just like she had locked it!
The lady and I both had a good laugh and I told her she must have good luck! I was so happy to be back in my car, I even gave Jazzy a treat for being a good girl and bought her a new little ducky toy at the pet store. After all it was my fault for tossing my purse on the seat in the first place!
After my heart calmed down, we finished up in town and headed back home. My car made some weird lurches and noises on the way home and I was really shocked it didn’t break down along the way, but we arrived home safely. I will freely admit that after getting all the groceries put away and Jazzy and I both fed lunch, I took a nap and put the adventures far behind us.
Until next time!
Stay safe, BE KIND, wear a mask and social distance!
We got this!
Toni