A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A LOCKSMITH:

It’s a unique and interesting time, and I hope to never see another one like it again: It seemed to me as though I’d entered a parallel universe, after the SECOND customer tried to trick me into “Breaking and Entering.” But, for today, I’ll just tell about the first episode.

The first of the two (who I will not name) called me midweek, and asked to meet up on Saturday morning, to work on a “house I’d been to, once before.” On Saturday morning, my client’s sibling met me, asking me to pick open the front door locks, and blah blah blah…while I was wondering why nothing about the house seemed familiar to me.

As I walked past the door, I noticed a small realtor-type lockbox at the left side of it, and I slowly circled the house, hoping something would jog my memory, but nothing did. I asked my customer’s brother, “Do you guys have the paperwork on this house?” And he responded that they were thinking about buying it, but wanted access in order to inspect the wiring, plumbing, and roof before committing!!

When asked about the ownership, he told me that the realtor was away for the weekend, and that they didn’t want to wait, blah, blah, blah… I COULD HAVE BEEN ARRESTED, AND THROWN IN JAIL, but do you think it caused them any concern? -– Nope.

I was told, since “I hadn’t done anything” after arriving, not to bother submitting an invoice. But, in my mind, it was worth the price of a sacrificed service call to remind myself that “doing what’s right” is its own reward.

I was later told, over the phone, they’d found another (crooked) “locksmith” to (allegedly) burglarize the house on their behalf, so I guess I should be happy it all worked out.

IF KEY DOESN’T WORK…

When you find your key sticking in your lock or giving you a hard time turning to lock or unlock, it could be a sign that you need lubrication. Many products are very popular, and used for lots of reasons — such as rust prevention, removing grease stains and other uses around the home.

But, although many products may seem to get the the job done temporarily, they may hurt your locks in the long run.

Be sure to speak with your lock professional with any questions you may have for her, while she is still on scene to help.