Drama with Keys

This morning, I was at our local Mall getting stuff for The Great Candy Exchange.* I also popped in to Stevens and scored some Christmas bargains. Oh yes I am so onto it today.

There I am, laden down with bags, pushing the stroller with my elbows and the Scrag has had enough of all this sitting lark and he starts to complain and demand my keys. You know me, anything for peace, right? So I hand him my keys and say, "Don't lose them Scrag, not like yesterday in Whitcoulls OK?" (I had to key-hunt yesterday after I let him play with them. I should have learnt.)

We make it to the car, plenty of time to make it home for my 10am appointment. I deposit my bags of goodies in the front seat, strap the Scrag (with keys) into his carseat, shut the door and... pop!

Scrag presses the remote lock on the key ring. He is locked in the car with the keys.

OK, don't panic, I think. I wave and point to the keys: "Push the button bub! Push the button!" I say hopefully through the glass (as if... He's 18 months old!) He waves the keys at me and giggles. What a fun game!

I try again. He waves the keys... if only I can get him to accidentally push that button again? Oops! He's dropped the keys.

Now what?

Phone the AA? Nope, no credit on my phone. And the darn Vodafone top-up menu has been out of order for a whole day. Phone Mr G. Yes, the Knight in Shining Armour! (I can phone his number but no-one else's)

I call the Man. He says He will call AA for me. Hang tight, he encourages.

Meanwhile Scrag doesn't think this game is much fun anymore. He is wriggling and complaining, trying to get out of his carseat, trying to open the door... his happy giggling has turned to tears of confusion, which quickly turn to distressed sobbing. I stand helplessly by, tapping on the window and trying to reassure him through the glass, "You're OK, bubba, mummy's here. The man is coming to let you out..."

10 minutes feels like an hour with my poor little man screaming inside the car. I feel helpless! (I am helpless)
I explain to curious passersby why I am standing outside the car with a screaming baby locked inside. I am not a car thief or a kidnapper!

At last the AA guy arrives. It takes him less than a minute to open the car. He shakes his head at me and gives me some sage advice: "Never let him have your keys!!"

Ahhh yes, thanks. I should have thought of that!

I give the Scrag some Candy to console him (luckily I happen to have some on hand...) Now I just hope he won't be traumatised for life by...

• cars
• carseats
• keys
• the AA man

That could really make things tricky.

The Great Candy Exchange is a cool thing Gail has dreamed up where a northern hemisphere blogger gets paired up with a southern hemisphere blogger and we send each other a bunch of candy: local specialities and treats. My Candy Buddy is Jenny, and I'm sending her these New Zealand favourites. Mmmmmm. Lucky you Jenny.