Ben Robinson

All About Ben

By Ben Robinson

I had a bit of a crisis this weekend. Somehow my car keys were not in my jacket pocket.

I ran my route Wednesday, driving all over Pickens County. I was off work Thursday, and quite honestly, glad of it. I did not make my weekly trip over to my friend Tim’s house, choosing to stay home and watch television instead. Friday I got up, showered, and got ready for work. I stumbled out to my car, checked my pockets, but found no keys.

I decided the keys were inside the house, though I had no memory of bringing the keys inside with me. A quick search of my bedroom and the area where I sit to watch television turned up nothing.

My mother came home about two hours later and asked the usual questions. “Where did you have them last?”

Uh … in the car.

“What did you with them when you came into the house?”

Uh … well, apparently lost them.

My father was not much help either. He called the car dealership where I bought the car, and they said it would cost about $180 to make a new key, but I would have to get the car towed to the dealership first.

So around $50 to get the car towed, then another $180 to get new keys.

“You’re being optimistic,” my father noted.

“You can borrow my car until you get yours working,” my mother said.

My car was probably working, but it just needed a key.

I borrowed my mother’s car to go to the office, but I was limited to what stories I could accept assignments for.

“Within walking distance” does not give me much range.

So Saturday I cleaned out my bedroom completely. Even if I did not find my keys, this was something that needed to be done. On the third messy shelf I cleaned off, I found my keys.

I still do not remember placing them there, but I found them, so that’s all that mattered.

Now I need to get smart and have a spare set made, in case I get careless again. But not for $230.