Every morning a happy sounding little bell goes off on my phone at 5:00 am sharp. I quickly turn it off so I don't wake up Miji and I wrap my arms around him. I lay there all warm and cozy with the cool breeze from the fan gently blowing us. By 5:15 I am dreading getting up even more but I make myself do it. Today was no different except for the fact that I got out of bed at 5 twenty something and I was late. Adri told me she wanted a smoothie in the morning so I walked to the kitchen and chopped strawberries and bananas so all I would have to do is start the blender when I got out of the shower. I jumped in the shower, blow dried my hair, threw on my make-up, got dressed, made smoothies and I was pretty much on time.
One last trip to the restroom-right on schedule. I reach for the door and turn the knob but the door doesn't open. I turn the knob a few times, turn the lock a few times-nothing...then panic sets in. I scream out to Miji who is laying in bed "I am locked in the bathroom, the door won't open!" By this time I hear Adri on the other side of the door asking Miji what's wrong and he tells her that I can't get out. Adri is like me and she panics in situations such as these. I could hear panic in her voice as they worked together to try and jimmy the doorknob. The first thing that pops in my head is that all I need to do is take off the doorknob. The conversation between me and them (Miji and Adri) went something like this:
Me: Get me the screwdriver that's by the door
Them: There's no screwdriver right here by the door
Me: Not the bathroom door the bedroom door
They stick the screwdriver under the door and I begin working on taking out the screws to get the doorknob off. Meanwhile they are turning the doorknob as well.
Me: Stop turning the doorknob, don't touch it-Oh my God I am stuck in the bathroom-I feel like R. Kelly is going to start singing locked in the closet but he would change closet to bathroom
Them: (laughing)
As the screws come out and I think the door is just going to swing open there is a mechanism inside that is just sitting there stuck. At least now I can see them and I start to think that this is where they will squeeze my food through the door in days to come as I sit trapped in my bathroom.
Me: I am stuck in here I can' get out, how am I going to get out?
Them: Baby we're going to get you out (as adri is yelling to just kick the door down)
Me: I can't get out, I can't get out (more panicky)
Them: Stop yelling, we're doing the best we can
Me: Ok, just hurry up, I am stuck! Wait-hand me a credit card or something, I saw this on Teen Mom the other day!
Them: Oh yeah, you're right!
They hand me a little credit card and I try to jimmy the lock-still nothing and by this point I am thinking about the bagel that is sitting in the toaster, the fact that Adri is late for school, how I am going to try and explain this to work when I call them to tell them I have taken up permanent residence in my restroom.
Me: Adri's going to be late, get money from my purse for her lunch and take her
Them: I will take her/Mom, it's ok I will just miss 0 period, we can't leave you in there!
Me: Get the hammer and try and bang this piece out
They get the hammer and instead of standing away from the hole, I put my face up close to get door dust in my eye after he hits the metal part with the hammer.
Me: I just got dust in my eye!
Them: Then stand away while I am hammering
Me: Can the hammer fit under the door
Them: No. Can you get the window open in there
Me: Um yeah but I will not fit through that tiny thing! Are you planning to send Adri in to rescue me? We will both be stuck!
Them: (laughing) No, I was going to hand the hammer to you!
Me: Ugh, just get me the scissors so I can pry this open!
They hand me the scissors and I slowly begin to pry out doorknob piece remnants-slowly but surely-progress-pieces start to fall out...just not the piece stuck in the door!
Them: You have got to be kidding me!
Me: What am I going to do?! I don't want to be in here!
Finally I have had enough and just start maneuvering the scissors in the piece until a spring pops out with other little screws to follow and then the door pushes open. I get up and hug Miji and tell him..."I never thought I'd see you again!" as Adri stood there smiling and they both asked if I was ok.
I took the screwdriver took off the final piece to the door and Miji started comtemplating when we would get another doorknob. I told him I was traumatized and for a few days there would be no doorknob. We sat there laughing about it for a few minutes before I had to leave for work. Thank goodness today is my Friday!
