A First

I knew I would have something to write about on a Bridge lesson day but it has nothing to do with Bridge. It has everything to do with memory and irony.

This morning, as we were leaving the house for our lesson, I noticed my car keys were missing from their hook. Not a good thing. You can't call your car keys as you would your cell phone when it's misplaced.

We looked in all the usual places in the house and no keys. I had no idea where they might be. My wife suggested I look in my car which was parked in our driveway. (Remember this.) So I went out and looked and sure enough there were my keys on the left side of the driver's seat.

Obviously I dropped them there yesterday afternoon when I returned from golf. Why didn’t I miss them? How did I lock the car before entering the house? Answers: I had so much “stuff” in my hands when I left the car I never noticed I didn't have the keys. So, obviously, I hadn't locked the car.

Now that was a first. A long time ago I did lock myself out of a running car, but at least I knew it and was able to call for help. But forgetting to take my car keys altogether? Never.

But wait, I said there was irony. Eleven years ago our BMW was stolen off our driveway with the car locked and the alarm set. And we were home at the time. It was found the next day totaled, in Newark.

This morning, car unlocked, keys in car in plain sight and still in driveway.

Go figure.