The Incident

In what now feels like forever ago.... I had managed to start getting myself to the pool for exercise at the start of this year.  (Seriously though, SO LONG ago... and so innocent... sigh)

I'd initially just wanted to get myself there, but after a few weeks I started refining the process to make it easier.  At some point I decided to use a little locking padlock I had rather than the combination ones (no idea why.)

If I remember correctly, I attached the key to my gym membership lanyard so that I'd always have it in a safe spot and not lose it and not have to deal with a safety pin.

One day, probably mid February, I was mindlessly changing into my swimsuit, and grabbed my swim bag (has shampoo and swim cap etc.) in it and my towel and I closed the locker and locked the padlock and just as the *click* of the lock closing happened, I realized that I had left my lanyard and therefore KEY on the locker shelf.

Um.  Shit.

So there I was, IN MY SWIMSUIT.... locked out of my locker.  My brain wanted to run home, but I quickly had the counter thought that my house keys were locked in there too OMG WHAT DO I DO NOW?

Fortunately I had my towel... but, that was it.  Just a towel.  And flip flops.  So I steeled myself, and I left the change room and made my way to the front desk, tears in my eyes.  Yeah wrapped in a towel but pretty much utterly embarrassed and humiliated.

I think they knew right away what was going on but I explained it anyway "I locked my key in my locker".  A lovely woman came with a giant padlock cutter thing and said hey, don't worry about it, some people do it over and over you have no idea how many times.  I mean look, she said, this padlock cutter is well worn.  You're fine, don't worry!

It was reassuring but I was still so embarrassed and really felt stupid.  She came in, I showed her the locker, she asked me what she would find inside and I had the thought OMG I could be lying and trying to break into someone else's locker and I have no idea what is in there!!!

I didn't think to say "my ID with my photo is on the shelf" so I just said uh... I have a big bag and a blue jacket and uh... she cut the lock and I said thank you so much, I feel so dumb.  She asked if I wanted her to throw out the lock and I said yeah, sure, still in tears.  I hadn't done any exercise yet that day but I just wanted to go home so I did.  Threw clothes on top of my swimsuit and packed up my stuff and headed out... head down past the front desk, with a smile and wave to the people who had helped me and then I went home and cried.

It's much funnier in retrospect and I was able to laugh at it pretty quick but MAN did I feel dumb.  I don't think I've ever locked my keys anywhere like that before and knock on wood I never will again but I will also be using a combination lock of some kind whenever it is I go back to the gym (which is likely not any time soon...)

So yeah.  I locked my key in the gym locker, but hey, at least I had a swimsuit on?  But um, yeah, me in a swimsuit, especially this not flattering "made for swimming not photoshoots" swimsuit and then wrapped in a towel but clearly not dressed and oh yeah, flip flops.  GAH!

Hopefully a first and last time for me, but apparently a fairly regular occurrence for others.  D'oh!