Similarities and Differences

A Key

Monday, August 14

The weekend was absolutely crazy. I got home last night, and Ava was all excited to see me, and I was excited to see her, too, but I was so drained. After she went to bed, I just sat on the couch downstairs, and made myself watch Netflix just to give my mind a break.

Also, I lost my key to my truck. I mean, luckily I have a back up, and I'm pretty sure we lost it in the house, but I won't risk only having one key, so I took Ava to a locksmith today. Let me just start off by saying this place wasn't in the best part of town.

Ava and I pulled up to this place that almost looked like a shack. I grabbed her hand before we walked in, which I don't do a whole lot because she's nine, but the father in me instinctively did that. There was an older lady just standing behind the counter. The place reeked of smoke. Ava and I exchanged glances, which probably wasn't the most polite thing to do.

"Hey, I called on Friday, and I have an appointment for Issac to make me a key. Are you Betty?"

"Yes, I am, and Issac is out on a job right now." She folded her arms. "But I can try to make it. Issac told me a little bit about it. Hand me that key." Bossy much?

"Um, okay." I handed her the key, pausing. "If it doesn't work, I'm not paying for it."

"I know." I pretended like I didn't see her roll her eyes.

Betty just looked mad at the world.

Ava leaned on me as Betty walked to the machine and started cutting the key. I wondered if trusting her to cut my key was a good idea. When she finished, she said, "Okay, now, I have to go and program it. It's cut, and that's the easy part. Programming this s*** is the hard part."

She started to walk out, so I decided to follow her. I mean, she literally could've stolen my truck. I knew she wasn't going to, but still.

"I wanna see how you do this," I told her as I followed her out.

"What? You don't trust me?"

I laughed a little. In all honesty, this place wouldn't still be open if these people stole people's cars, so I wasn't too concerned. "No, I'm just curious."

She unlocked the door to the driver's side and climbed up in the seat. "Why? Are you trying to figure out how to hijack a car?"

"Um, totally. Duh."

She gave me a look then looked down at the programming computer thingamajig. "Well, hell, do you have a record?"

I laughed a little again. "Do you have a record?"

"I asked you first." She swore again. "This damn thing don't work." I gave her a concerned and annoyed look.

"It's fine. We'll just have to wait until Issac gets back because we'll have to use the other machine."

"How long will that be?" Ava asked quietly.

"I don't know. Could be an hour or so."

"Ma'am," I said calmly. "I had an appointment at 3:00. Issac said this would take twenty minutes tops. We drove half an hour to get here, and I do not want to come back."

"Well, he's out on a call. It's not my fault."

"It sounds like it's Issac's," Ava said, folding her arms, annoyed.

"Yeah, don't blame me. At least you're not locked out of your car. That's the type of call Issac is probably on right now." She unplugged the programming thing from my truck and got out, holding onto the key. "Look, the key is cut, and I'll give Issac a call to see where he's at, okay?" She started walking back inside before I could answer.

"Uhhh, sure."

Ava and I exchanged glances as we walked back in.

"Have a seat," Betty said.

There was an old leather couch and Ava and I both sat down. Ava put her feet up on the couch.

"Wow," the lady said, "you're gonna put your feet up on my couch?"

"Your couch? Do you own this place?" Sometimes Ava is snarky. I think she got it from me. She just doesn't know the right time to use it.

"Yes, I do, thank you." The lady pressed her lips together as she dialed Issac's number.

Ava sighed and put her feet down.

When Betty got off the phone, she said, "Issac will be back in about half an hour, okay?"

"Okay."

As we waited, this lady complained and complained about everything, and Ava and I just kind of went with it. Betty got annoyed with Ava for asking her so many questions. She went out for a few cigarettes, too. When Issac finally got there, Betty told Ava to ask him all the questions she had asked Betty. Issac was completely normal. He had also lived in the south; I could tell right away by his accent. He programmed the key, and everything worked fine, so then we could leave.

I've been thinking about this lady. She had worked her whole life to get to where she is now. We know this because she told us her life story, even though Ava really didn't ask that many questions. She seemed lonely to say the least. She didn't have any kids or a husband. She talked about how she started this business and didn't have time for family.

Maybe if I was lonely, I'd be bitter, too.

I'm lucky when it comes down to it.