Tuesday

When Luck Appears, Disappears, and Reappears

As I arrived at my BGSU office this morning, I paused and could not remember turning off my headlights. Rather than risk the draining of the battery on my trusty 1995 Hyundai Accent, I walked back to my car to double check. Unlocking the door and reaching in, I found that indeed I remembered to shut off the lights.

Good luck.

While in the process of shutting the door, I noticed my key ring sitting on the passenger seat, and I cast a horrified glance at the door lock. Ever vigilant about reducing my crime risk, I locked the door but left my keys in plain view, glistening in the emerging winter sun and taunting me with their "near-but-so-far-away" state, like a video clip of a cross country moving truck.

Luck left me.

I tried the other door handle, knowing full well that its locked status had not miraculously changed, and I began to think through my options. I could call AAA, but it would probably be a few hours for them to arrive, and there would be no guarantee that they could actually enter the vehicle. I could call a locksmith, but this would probably run me $75-$100. I happened to be near the rear of the vehicle, and the hatch looked...different. Sure enough, I drove all the way from Toledo to Bowling Green with an unlatched hatch, and sixty seconds later I retrieved my keys after a short crawl through a subcompact car.

Luck returns.