Door Prize

The latch on our security door was broken. With summer approaching - and our desire to 'open the place up' - this was a problem. So, we decided to get it fixed. Begin much frivolity.

The door guy arrived, fiddled with the latch and then decided we needed an entirely new mechanism. I already knew that. They build them as one piece and if something goes wrong you have to replace the lot. So he tells me that he's popping off to Bunnings to pick up a new system. He asks me if I want the old tumbler. I say yes. I'd prefer to keep my existing keys. So he toodles off and then comes back half-an-hour later.

After much noise and banging he tells me it's done. Asks me to test it. So, I whip out my key and try the lock. No dice. He's put in a new tumbler. I ask him to replace it. So he looks around for the old one in his van. He's out there for 15 minutes and I can hear him cursing. The Irish really know how to curse. Eventually he comes back and tells me he can't find it. He must have left it at Bunnings. He heads back to Bunnings. Comes back half-an-hour later. No old tumbler. He has no idea where it is. He'll have to leave it until he can find the old tumbler. He tries a new key in the new lock. It doesn't work. He disappears down to the van again and returns with a new key. This one doesn't work either. Another trip to the van and this time he has the right key. He leaves with promises to return when he's found the old tumbler.

Look, I don't know whether he's just incompetent or was running a scam. Fact is that I wasn't paying for his services. It gave me a good chuckle.