Returns Are In

This is the sequel post. The next day, Tyke and I went back to the Hs' house to put the garbage barrels back in the garage. I went up to talk to Mr. H to apologize and find out what I could do. He was just in the process of showing Tyke what happened . . . and he locked up the door again!

I win! I screwed up the Hs' garage door lock so well that they were baffled the night before. Of course it was Mr. H who went into the garage through the house. That would have been fine . . . if only Mr. H could see. But, since he can't, he had no idea what was going on with the door.

They called the Overhead Door Company. The door company unlocked the door, and charged this ancient couple, Mr. H (96) and Mrs. H (80-something) $100!

$100 to unlock the door from inside. It probably took the guy five seconds to fix it.

I had an immediate, withering feeling. Mr. H added, "Oh, but the door guy said he could probably arrange a discount."

I told Mr. H whatever they charged him, that I would pay the bill because I had caused the problem in the first place and it wasn't fair for him to get stuck with the bill.

So now Mr. H was frustrated because, in showing Tyke what never to do, he had goofed it up again. I went inside and tried monkeying with the handle for a minute. Then I saw what Mr. H hadn't--a little twist button just above the handle. I flipped the button, and discovered that this is what regulates whether the handle locks or doesn't lock. Sheesh. I twisted it, and the handle went back to its horizontal unlocked position. (Whew! The need for a second visit by greedy Overhead Door was narrowly escaped.)

So I guided Mr. H's hand onto that twist button so that next time he can feel for it and release it himself without the help of a door specialist or locksmith.

I'm still on the hook for whatever Overhead Door decides to charge for that visit. Dumb bunny.

Sigh.