We often get told that at the end of our lives it's the little things that we remember that make a difference. I have finally calmed down enough to relate a story I will no doubt look back on at the end of my life and laugh about … or at least I hope so.

So Wednesday was meant to be a really nice day. I got all dressed up and headed down to Exclusive Books at Gateway. We were hosting a really lovely Irish author that night (lets’ call him John) and while I was meant to be on duty, it was fine because I could mingle and be part of the crowd. Anyway the author was very lovely and he was very very funny. He stood for the longest time signing books for people which I think is very nice of any author who comes to visit us.

Anyway so that part of the evening went relatively well. Nobody fainted or screamed or caused general embarrassment to themselves or the general South African public. John and his team left after all the guests and the team for the evening were left behind with food and drink and tidy up chores. Well everything went according to plan … (we did what we needed to do)… and finally the shift was coming to an end. Everything that needed to be running for the night was running and everything that needed to be out away had found itself in its rightful place.

And I as I as putting my beautiful stiletto heeled boots back on I heard the words I will never forget for a long time.

“Where are the keys for the back gate?”

Now let me explain. There are two keys. 1 for the security gate at the back where we let ourselves out and the other set are the main stores keys that get dropped into a safe every night. I had already dropped the main set.
The other key is a single key that hangs on a hook attached to a key ring that is attached to a yellow telly tubby. (Is that how you spell it?) . There was a telly tubby but no key.

And so we were locked inside the store.

And it was really late and all I really wanted to do was go home and sleep. But there we were … locked inside the store.

At least the story has a happy ending. Somebody came to let us out. But well it’s Friday today and I am beginning to recover my ordeal.
It’s still not all that funny in a “Am I gonna get out of here?” way. It’s frightening. I never want to be locked in anywhere ever again