coming home

flying back home was easier than the flight to peru. shorter layover. only complaint was dry throat due to dehydration and not being able to sleep well on the second flight.

in any case, my plane touched down ten til 6 AM. was in a cab and on my doorstep by 6:45.

home sweet home.

let myself in, took off my shoes, and dropped off my bag while scanning the apartment. oops. . forgot to throw out those old flowers and i could smell the decay. eww. i grabbed the bag and my keys and went to the trash chute just outside my door. i threw away the trash and walked the few shorts steps back to my door and realized. . .

i. had. the. wrong. keys.

shit.

i jiggled the doorknob uselessly. arggg. . i hadn't even had a chance to have a glass of water. i had no shoes on. no cell phone. no nothing. . . darnit- i've been thinking about making dups of my keys and giving them to VK or Q2 for months but had been too lazy. stupid stupid.

i spyed a neighbor taking out her trash and greeted her. i explained my situation and she let me in and looked for the super's number. . unfortunately he was away for the weekend but i left a message. my kind neighbor lended me some slippers and her key for the front gate so i could come and go and check out the locksmith nearby. still closed. it's only 7AM on sunday morning afterall.

i go back to my apartment and look at the bathroom windowsill and debate whether or not i can climb in that way. no chance. it's a few story drop down on stone. too risky.

there's a number for an emergency locksmith near the call box at my apartment entrance. i grab the business card and the yellowpages that are stacked near the mailboxes. i go back to my neighbors and call for price quotes. i get them down to $70 and they are on their way.

i'm pissed i'm wasting $70. but it'll be worth it to be back home. neighbor's husband warns me that the locksmith will try to rip me off b/c i'm a girl. he tells me not to pay any additional fees and that i can buy the cylinder myself and get one of the maintenance guys to install it.

i go wait outside for the locksmith. he arrives twenty minutes late. the lovely neighbors head out to the beach with their daughter and wish me luck. i lead the locksmith back to my apartment and he inspects the lock.

ls: i will have to drill and break the lock. so the lock has to be replaced. that will be additional.

v: i only want you to open it.

ls: but you will eventually have to replace the cylinder. regardless, it'll cost $65 just to open the lock. another $175 fee. . .

v: no no no. that's not what i was quoted on the phone this morning.

ls: i'm sorry, it must be a misunderstanding. there is an additional fee.

v: that's bad business practice. you can't change the price of a quote. i called twice and got the quote of $65 (yes, i lied, i got $75 the first time and $70 the second time).

ls: who did you talk to?

v: i don't know the names. i spoke with a woman the first time and a man the second time. you really can't change the price like that. very bad business practice.

ls: ok, maybe it's just a misunderstanding. let me make a call. ls makes a call and speaks foreign language. he sighs. ok. b/c it's a misunderstanding, i'll honor the $65.

v: ok. just open it. don't replace the cylinder.

ls: ok. (in a skeptical tone) if that's what you want to do.

minutes later the cylinder is drilled and the door is open. i grab my keys and debit card and put on my shoes. i rush to the ATM to get cash to pay the guy.

finally back at home. i have a glass of water. take off my shoes. eat some cereal. then crawl into bed. turns out the dry, itchy throat is a cold.