One of the reasons I dislike coming out to Jackson this time of year is the number of people around, particularly those noisy ones who rent neighboring condos in this rural complex. Our neighbor these past few days was annoying us mightily; he sat out on his deck, separated from us by only a thin wood partition, smoking and talking in one of those resonating voices that, no matter how low you speak, still manages to find its way, along with the cigarette smoke, into next door rooms. I was building up to the point where I felt I might say something when the unspeakable happened.
Pre-rodeo, Cristal went out the front door, barefoot, to test the weather. I followed suit, the 88 degree temperature making normal western attire somewhat unbearable at the moment. I pulled the door shut, a reflex action of going through a door and, unbeknownst to me, it was locked from the inside. LOCKED. OUT. OK, so I’m an idiot. But admitting that fact didn’t help get us inside. No key, no car key, no phone, July 4th afternoon, no credit cards, no money, no emergency number to ring even if we’d had the phone, no one in the office anyway and, to my especial anger, no combination for the lockbox right there in front of us containing a spare key for guests. 
If you’ve never been in this situation, you cannot possibly imagine how vulnerable you feel. Cristal’s words, “OK, let’s not panic” gave absolutely no solace. Since I was the one wearing shoes, I walked around the building to see if anyone could help. It turned out the only person here was Mr. Smokey Voice.
Smokey very kindly first tried the combination he’d been given for his lockbox on ours. No luck. Then, miracle of miracles, this small, lithe man went back inside and, at second story level, managed to get over the partition to our deck, walk inside through the slider screen and let us in. Our Hero!
He and his wife were leaving this morning and would accept no wine, no gift, and hardly a word of thanks. When we returned from the rodeo and fireworks later that night, he happened to be outside loading his car. We tried to say thanks again but it was as if he didn’t hear us, as if we didn’t exist.
Perhaps my original feelings were mutual?
Andrea Downing 
You gals got darn lucky – – is about all I can say! tt
karen casey fitzjerrell
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Don’t we know it! Not only that, but if we’d been reduced to phoning a locksmith or the police, it all could have taken hours and we’d have missed the rodeo!! Unthinkable!
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Life does like to play tricks like that on us. So glad you were able to get back in, but….(Smile) Doris
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What’s that saying? ‘Man proposes, God disposes’ Well, I proposed to tell off that guy for noise and smoke and then…
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Andi, America is FULL of surprises. This particular man had the macho thing going on…strong, loud, smoking, drinking…ready to help damsels in distress. You made his day, but, he can’t/CAN’T show it. Swagger goin’ on there, don’t you know? Sounds like you’re having fun, you two. Keep on! Rolynn
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Well, if you’d seen him, you wouldn’t think “macho” I think we were lucky he was small and lithe; could so easily have been otherwise. Anyway, we got to the rodeo and are definitely having fun.
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Rodeo, fireworks, wilderness adventure with happy ending? Happy 4th of July!
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Thanks Paul. Hope yours was good, too.
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Odd set of circumstances. Your closing comment about your feelings perhaps being mutual, may have said it all. He’d help you out, but wanted no social contact, not even the slightest, odd, too, since he was leaving anyway. Maybe he’s just a jerk and irritated at being “put out,” and figured the sooner he got you two inside the sooner you’d be out of his hair. I wonder where he was from, if he was on the run, or just with people in general he was done. (Ha! Ha! Didn’t know I was a poet, did ya?) P.S. Did you see the “wife?” Was she cordial at all?
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Saw the wife briefly as I called from down below outside for help. She just nodded at me; thought she might be foreign but no idea as I heard English being spoken from over there. Anyway, I’ve got the lock box code now so hopefully this won’t happen again!
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