I Had To Scream For Help From A Stranger Out Of My Third Floor Window Today.

Our bedroom and bathroom doors stick. When they are shut all the way sometimes they can be really hard to open. We have known this since soon after we moved in. Lately, however, it has gotten even worse. When shut all the way these doors are now locking and can only be opened by using a mini screwdriver as a key. We have learned to be very careful not to shut any of our household doors completely, but to leave a small crack. This was working great until a couple of weeks ago when Afton learned to shut doors....hard....to shut them all the way. She has locked herself in her room. She has locked her sister in our room. She has locked an empty bathroom more than once. None of these situations have caused us too much alarm because the mini screwdriver has always been there to save the day.

Then there was this morning. After breakfast I took Afton to her room to get her dressed for the day. I walked around doing a little straightening up. Afton was playing happily. I heard Ponder just starting to fuss to eat from the other room. I decided I better get Afton ready and head out to feed the baby. I looked up just in time to see Afton proudly pushing the door shut. My heart stopped. I felt my body and voice switch into slow motion as I lunged to stop her, screaming "Noooooooooooooooo!"

I was too late. The door clicked shut. I ran over to it and shook it. It was locked. Afton and I were locked in her room. We had no phone. We had no mini screwdriver. We had a hungry baby in her bed in the next room whose fussing was turning into crying. My heart immediately started racing. I broke into a nervous sweat. There was no help to be had from the inside of the room. I knew I had to get help from someone outside.

I popped Afton in her crib and told her she better hope we could get someone's attention quick or we were both in big trouble. She just giggled, totally oblivious to my full blown panic. I opened the window. Normally there are tons and tons of people buzzing outside my building but this morning the lot was dead quiet. I sat listening to my baby crying through the door thinking what am I going to do if no one comes by? That same phrase kept repeating in my head getting louder and louder. What am I going to do? WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?

Just then a friendly looking young woman came out of my building. She looked like someone I would have been friends with in college. If I was ever going to have to yell to a stranger for help I couldn't have asked for a better stranger. It could have been a lot worse. I looked a mess. I had bad morning hair and was still wearing my nightgown and glasses. I was so embarrassed about what I was about to do. Humiliated really. But I had no other options. I wasn't about to let this nice and safe looking stranger get away. I took a deep breath and did what I had to do.

"Excuse me!" She looked around. "Excuse me! I am up here. Can you help me?" She saw me then. "Can you help me? I am trapped up here." I saw fear come over her face and I realized she must have thought I was being help captive. My disheveled appearance certainly fit the part of a kidnapping victim. I quickly explained that it was my young daughter who had trapped me in the room and not someone more sinister. She very graciously called Ron and explained who she was and that his wife and daughter were trapped in a bedroom. I thanked her heartily and she was on her way with a good deed under her belt and a very unusual story to tell. Minutes later Ron arrived and we were freed.

Our Little Culprit

Afton never had a foggiest clue that she had caused any trouble. She has another new past time besides shutting doors. She now loves throwing dirty diapers into the trash can. That is a past time that comes in pretty handy around here, so I guess we'll keep her. Oh and don't worry, we asked for new door knobs and locks today and until they arrive we will make sure there is a mini screwdriver in every room.