May 16, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. Car Keys.

My car keys were not in my car. The car was locked. Both facts are unusual. I discovered it when I opened the car door and the alarm went off. The noise in the empty parking garage was deafening. I reached in the pocket of the door to get the key in order to stop the terrible noise to find no key. I finally used the code on the door to stop the noise, which was a great blessing, but I was unable to find my keys. I searched my bag and my backpack but to no avail. I knew I drove the car the Friday we left town and we took the Metro to National Airport. On our return today Ken and I took the Metro back to my garage at work, so we could drive home. But the car was locked and there were no keys. We took a taxi home.

It is a confusing situation. The door on the driver's side does not work, so I never lock the car. If the lock is engaged, all the other doors lock except the driver's door, so if you have engaged the lock, and you open the driver's door, the alarm sounds, which is what happened today. Years ago, I got used to using the external buttons to open the door and to leaving my keys in the side pocket of the door, so my keys are always in my car. Several times in my life, this has proved helpful, as when the car must be moved and I am away, Regina has moved my car. But today my system failed me. My car had been locked and my keys were not in the car. Now this whole thing is a puzzle to me. I drove to my garage in Bethesda early morning, May 1ST, and I think I did what I always do, which is to put the keys in the side pocket and get out of the car. I know I unlocked the doors because our suitcases were in the back seat. Now I bet Ken put the lock on the doors, but where on earth did I put the keys? I know it was early on a Friday morning, but where are those keys? Or perhaps someone took my car for a ride and stole my keys. I searched all parts of the car, trying to find the keys, before giving up and taking a cab home. And I searched every place in my suitcase and backpack, hoping that I took the keys with me. No such luck. I have another set at home, so on Monday I can retrieve my car, but the real question is "what did I do with those darn keys?" I certainly hope this is not another Senior Moment.