Lightening never strikes in the same place twice.

That may be true, I don't actually know. I do know that one time lightning struck a tree in the backyard leaving a rather large dent in house. But my mom had the tree cut down so now we'll never know if lightning might've victimized the same tree again.

But all of that is beside the point, other things do strike twice in the same place. Like, for example, hammers, or very discontented workers.

For me it is the locking the keys in the car. Two times in the same place.

The first time was after taking a nap in my car with the seat rolled way back. I sometimes like to sleep in my car, mainly just because it is mine and I can sleep in it if I want to, like a portable home, only less comfortable and private. Anyways, when I got up to go back to class the keys were apparently still resting peacefully, and later tauntingly, on the driver's seat.

While I was waiting to be rescued, sitting on the frozen blue bench in front of the school my Assistant Principle pulled up, rolling down his window, and asked, "is everything ok?"

"Yes," I told him, "someone is coming to rescue me."

"Do you want to wait inside?"

"No, I'll be alright, I have mace in my bag."

pause.

"I was referring to the weather."

"oh."

awkwardness.

"Well I think I'll be alright, thanks."


The second time was one evening a week or so later when I was just stopping by to pick up a laptop charger from my classroom. A quick dash, in and out. A moment later, I stared through the window, charger in hand, at the keys on the seat right next to the purse with the spare key still in it from the previous incident. Really?

I wasn't quite sure what to do at this point. Thankfully, a coworker of mine had a brilliant idea: combing the streets for a cop. Cops can break into cars, right? Plus, we teach at the alternative high school, with which all cops in Provo are familiar. We thought they might have mercy on a few teachers who choose to put up with those kids every day. Surprisingly, we found three cop cars within a minute or two of searching. Not surprising, they were handcuffing a former student of ours.

We were able to convince one of the officers to come help us out. First he made sure I wouldn't be upset if he damaged my car in any way (I didn't mention to him that I already can't unlock the passenger door from the outside because of another incident that happened only days after purchasing the car).

The battle of wills was on. The cop or the car, who could hang in there longer? Thankfully, our fierce cop was way more intense than the safety features on my car.

Both times I was in the same parking space. I don't park there any more.