So Funny

Here's a riddle for you:

What do you get when you add this key

This doorhandle/key lock combo

And this rascal?

Answer:

Two super freaked out parents!

Yes indeed, a few mornings back Alex locked himself in his room.  He's been experimenting with taking some time out for himself, hiding behind the chair in his bedroom, or in the closet and asking us to "go way."  We usually indulge him and wait patiently just out of sight until he says it's okay for us to come back in (typically about 5 seconds after he sends us away).

The other morning he started closing his bedroom door on me with the usual directive to "go way."  I let him close the door and stood on the other side asking "OK, can I come in now?"  He giggled, so I took that as a "yes" and went to open the door.  Only it didn't open.  Little had I known when I let him close the door that there was a crazy Euro-style key in our crazy Euro-style door.  Oh no!!!

Russ rushed over and fiddled with the door handle trying to figure out how to unlock it while I paced around the house having multiple panic attacks and imagining the various scenarios that were likely about to unfold:  Fire departments called, doors pounded down, windows bashed in . . . with Alex all the while screaming to be rescued and us helpless to get him . . .

Of course Alex wasn't screaming yet.  He thought he'd really done something wonderful and kept saying "So funny" and giggling on the other side of the door.  Yeah, hysterical.

After what seemed like an hour, but was probably 3 minutes, Russ told Alex to turn the key again, and (thank goodness!) he did.  The door unlocked, was opened, and there was our little monkey:  So proud of himself for his funny antics.

Needless to say, all those crazy Euro keys have been removed from all doors in our apartment and I have spent much time studying how I will dismantle the doorknob if ever caught in that situation again.

Whew.