A funny story.....

As I was driving out of Hood River yesterday heading to Portland, I passed a sign for mini storage. Made sense to stop in and find out the charges and sizes available.

I went to the office door, "CLOSED" said the sign, "I am in appointments and unable to find back up staff. The gates are open today, I'll be back tomorrow."

Okay, says I, the gates are open. I'll go in an check it out, see how it feels.

Sure enough the gate is open, I drive in, peruse the grounds and the layout, determine it would work for my needs, turn the car around and head back out.
ohho, 'out' now has a closed gate across it!!!

I pull up to the asphalt right in front of the gate. Nothing happens.
I go to the keypad box and push some arbitrary numbers, the 'CALL MANAGER' Light flashes.
hmm, yes good idea, call the manager.

A gentleman is walking past, I gesture through the bars of the gate, "Can you come here a moment?"
He walks over with a puzzled expression, "Yes?" His body leans back a bit, away from the gate, away from possible range of my extended hand.
"I've got myself in a bit of a pickle. I am locked in here, and have no way out. Would you go to the office and see if there is a phone number on the door or window that I might call to get out of here?"
"sure." says the kind man.
Upon return he reports there is no number.

hmmm.......

Oh wait! There is a Security Systems number on the gate!!! with a phone number! yea! I'll call them!! (beginning to feel the first wave of gratitude for technology and a cell phone in my hand!)

ring, ring.....
"Hello, I accidentally got stuck INside a gate that has this phone number on it. Can you help me?"
"No, we would have to have a call from the manager in order to open the gate."
"The manager is not here."
"We cant open the gate without the managers request."
"Can you call the manager?"
"No, we dont have his number."
"Do you have any suggestions of what I can do?"
"Maybe you can call the cops."

okay......
I wait for 20 minutes hoping someone would be coming into their storage unit. nope, no traffic.

Feeling a lot of gratitude for technology, that I have a phone to use, I call Ryan in Bellevue, who looks online for the Hood River non emergency police department number.
Bingo!
I call, explain my predicament, the dispatcher takes my name and number, "Can I call you back in a minute?"
hmm, is there any other answer but , "Yes!".
a minute goes by......
the phone rings,
"Do you see a yellow keypad box near the gate?"
"Hallalujah, yes!"
She gives me the code, I punch it in and the gate opens.
Free at last, my god I'm free at last!!!!!

Makes me laugh!!
Hope this gives you a good chuckle and some great visuals!!

Drink the Giggles!
Sunny