Middle of No where, Florida

I made Kristy take a long vacation this year. We started off by going to Atlanta and spending sometime with our Friend Courtney. Landon loved the Children's museum in Atlanta. We grilled out on Sat. night and just hung out in her condo. Sunday morning we got up to leave and head to South Florida. We were going to be catching up with my best friend from College Dr. Drew Dooley. He had been in NYC all weekend celebrating his anniversary. His plane was not landing until 9 or so. We had plenty of time to travel the entire state of Florida and most of Georgia or so we thought. We had been driving for about 6 or so hours and Landon was tired of being in the car. He does well until you get to 6 hour mark then he turns into another child. At this point in the trip we were on the Florida Turnpike, and were very reluctant to stop. Kristy was driving and she decided we could not keep going at this rate with Landon now hysterically crying. She informs me that she is getting off on the next exit. I tried to convince her to wait for the rest stop on the Turnpike, but she had other plans. We pull off at No where, Florida.

We pull Landon out of the car seat and change him. We decide to let him play in the front seat. He loves to pretend drive. Kristy was on the driver side sitting outside the car. I was in the passenger seat and both of us had the doors open. We had been stopped for about 10 minutes when I decided to go into the gas station and get a drink. I get money out of my wallet and shut my door. At this exact moment, Landon had the keys to the car and pushed his favorite button. Yep you guessed it the lock button. Oh did I mention that Kristy had shut the driver door a few minutes before this all happened. Landon was having a blast now, we were locked out, and he was driving in Florida. We tried to get him to unlock the door for about ten minutes. I swear he hit every button except the unlock. Finally we agreed we had to get a locksmith. I go into the gas station and get change from the clerk. This gas station was a real winner. I told her what had happened and she said what are you going to do. I said call a locksmith I guess. She said with what phone. The pay phone out front. She said it did not work. The phone book attached to it was a residential one for No where, Florida. I asked to borrow hers. She said they were not a very good gas station. They did not have one. I asked do you know a locksmith. She said yeah, but they don't work on Sundays. Finally I called 911. I figured that eventually it could be an emergency if he got to hot in the middle of the summer, locked in a car. The police came first and he did not have anything to get into a car. Next the fire department came. Landon was very excited to see the fire truck. He was also very helpful pulling on the unlocking device they used to get into the car. He also made faces at the firemen by sticking his tongue out at him. After about 30 minutes the big break came when Landon moved the car keys into the passenger seat. The fireman pressed the button on the remote. Finally Landon was free.

I go back into the gas station to get my drink and the people at the counter are talking about the incident. I hear them say what kind of parents lock their kid in the car. I said I do. It is not that hard to do. I was too happy to be mean to them at this point. Needless to say we were about an hour and half late getting to see my friend Drew.