Windows, Take 2

So when I last blogged about windows, I was mostly being figurative. Today, I learned that, sometimes, God literally leaves a window open.

My day started out fantastic. I was in a great mood. I watched the last minutes of the sunrise over the bridge outside of my kitchen window. I ate breakfast and cupped my tea with both hands to keep my fingers warm. I posted my "out for a run; please leave the door unlocked" note on the door and went for a run and felt better than I have probably ever felt during a run. Five miles? No problem! Maybe I was just in too good of a mood. Karma is a bitch. Wait, that's not really how Karma works, right?

I said "Good morning!" cheerfully to every person that I passed. A lot didn't even acknowledge me, but who cares? That wasn't going to ruin my morning. Jamming to Coldplay, I walked backwards up the hill like I do everyday (don't look at me like that; it works different muscles!). I even ducked because the sun was shining just right so that I could see the spiderweb going across the sidewalk. Not this time, spider! I bounced up the stairs and opened the door. Not. I didn't open the door. Because it was locked. Because apparently, it's opposite day, and "Please leave the door unlocked" doesn't mean what it says.

An initial burst of rage ran threw me because most days, I feel like my patience in this house is zero. But I decided to give it a chance first. Deep breaths. Think. Think. I knew one of my roommates was inside sleeping, so I knocked on the door. Then I rang our terribly obnoxious doorbell about 9283479374 times. It's really bad; it makes an ERRRR!! sound and keeps going for as long as you hold in the button. No answer. Okay. I tried the other four doors to the house--all locked. I threw stones at the wall (I knew I would break a window if I tried throwing them at glass) to the room where one housemate was sleeping. No luck.

I didn't have my phone, but even if I did, I only have one housemate's number, and she was at work anyways. Aha. She works at the University cafeteria, two-ish blocks from our house. I walked to the cafeteria, but all of the doors were locked, and no one was in sight. I went to the other campus eatery and asked the lady behind the counter. She directed me to the place I had just come from. Great. I gave up and resolved to going home and waiting.

Frustrated, I tried to remind myself that it really wasn't a big deal. I won't cry over spilled milk. I won't cry over spilled milk. I won't cry over spilled milk. 

I got to the porch and decided to try the door again. I held in the doorbell this time. EERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. I watched the second-hand on the kitchen clock inside. Fifteen seconds. Still nothing. Hands cupped, peaking inside for any sign of life, I saw it---the window, propped open by a can of iced tea.

Seeing the open window from the outside, I rejoiced at two things: 1) that I opened a window last week, 2) that I ran the Rugged Maniac last month, and one of the obstacles was climbing a wall. You guessed it, from the ground, the window was on the second story.

There's a circle of plastic yard chairs by the firepit in the back. I thought I'd get one or two for a head start. Walking towards the backyard, I noticed an old ladder knotted to the cement foundation in ivy. In an excited fury, I grabbed the ladder, ripping apart its ivy bonds. I didn't even bother to do anything about the spiders. I set it against the wall. It leaned left. I tried to adjust it, but it still leaned left. It'll do.

I started climbing. The ladder still fell two or three feet shy of the window, but that was no problem. I stood on the top rungs and hoisted my torso to the windowsill. Are my hips really going to fit through this?! I nudged the window open more; the can fell, and the window stuck open by itself. Please stay open; please stay open. I kept imagining the window falling and my squirming legs knocking the ladder down and me being stuck in the window like the kitten that we found in our basement window at the first house I ever lived in when I was four years old. We named her Lucky.

There must have been some sort of luck with me today because--are you ready for this?--there was a chair on wheels just inside the window. I grabbed it with my hands and gave a jolt. Weee! I wheeled into the house; the chair literally dragged me in. This has to be quite a sight for the neighbors... Inside, I walked up to the front door--my Post-It was still there. I unlocked and opened the door. I couldn't help but laugh. Such a simple thing.

I put away the ladder, gathered up my iPod and water bottle, and collected up my iced tea can to put back in the window. Can in-place, I stared at the window. Laughing, I thought, how do I bring this up to my housemates? If I tell them about the window, they'll shut it, and I won't have a way in the next time they lock me out...

Thank you, God, for windows.