What?!!? I Can't Hear You! And this is why...

I think I might win a prize for "Roughest Start to a Workweek."

This morning, I went out to my car in the garage, only to find it locked (with the keys inside.) I've never locked my keys inside the car (well, not this one, anyway), so I tried to blame someone else (as is my habit under foolish circumstances) as I tried to figure out how to get in. Everyone else had left for the day, so I was kind of stuck.

Now, 20 years ago, I might have been able to stick a spindly arm through the 3-inch window space (who left that open?!), but I'm no longer a toothpick, so that was fruitless. I thought about calling AAA, but I didn't want to wait for them to get to my house; I needed to get to work.

Finally, I decided to call my friend Jacque (because who needs to sleep past 6:40 anyway, right?), and she graciously agreed to come over (she lives about five minutes away.) I figured I'd just get to work and worry about the car later. Of course, being the stubborn persistent person that I am, after I hung up the phone, I tried to figure out how to get into that car! I found a plastic coat hanger in the house and went about poking the door-lock button on the inside of the driver's control panel.

You know how annoying car alarms are when you hear them on the street from inside your house? And how annoying they are when you hear them across a parking lot? Well, I pray you never hear one at a bajillion decibels inside your garage! I'm noise-sensitive by nature, and when the car alarm went off, I about had a heart attack! Blood surged into my assaulted ears as the alarm launched its persistent bellowing. To say that it was obnoxious would be ridiculously inadequate; I was out of my mind with stress over trying to get that blasted thing to stop!

I began to hear the dog, inside the house, barking. Can you imagine what the neighbors were thinking?! Nearly insane from the noise now, I rushed inside and grabbed some earplugs (thank you, Mr.4444, for having a supply on-hand) and reluctantly ran back out to try to get it to stop. Still, the alarm was beyond tolerable, so I was elated when I finally heard the "click" of the doors unlocking.

Did you know that when you try to "steal" a car and the alarm sounds, it does not stop, even when you put your own keys in the ignition?! I started the car (blaring continued) and backed it outside (sorry, neighbors, but I was ready to lose my mind), and still the ear-splitting alarm continued. I wish I had a reading of what my blood pressure was at that moment. I pushed every button known to Honda in the next couple of minutes. I called my BIL (who sold me the car and who I figured might be able to help); no answer. I called Molly (accidentally; didn't even realize I had dialed the wrong number until I hung up; I hadn't recognized her voice over all the yelling!) and she suggested...I don't remember. It was so danged LOUD. Just as my ears threatened to start bleeding, the alarm stopped. And Jacque pulled into the driveway.

So, mind you, this alarm had been bellowing for about 7-8 minutes altogether (and my ears, as I type this, are pounding again, just thinking about it), so even though it had stopped, my ears were still ringing. I loudly and apologetically thanked Jacque for coming over and headed to school. I was only about ten minutes late in the end, but the stress of that ear assault kept me on edge for at least another hour.

At home tonight, I finally got ahold of my BIL, who let me know that if this happens again, all I need to do is put the key in the driver's door and turn it to de-activate the alarm.

Now he tells me!