Tuesday 2 July 2013

The Key

Key. Such a small word and in most cases, a small object too but with so much history, meaning and  metaphoric innuendo.

When I was at boarding school, the request to the senior girls "Do you have the key to my heart?" referred to the key for the food cupboard that our oft over-refreshed matron hadn't noticed had been removed, copied and returned. The legacy of 'the key' was legendary and we all vied for custody in our final year.

Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, et al have all been searching for a key - or have the key and are searching for what it opens. It's a familiar theme in stories old and new.

We give a symbol of a key to someone turning 21 (or used to!) as a symbol of being adult enough to have a key to the family home's front door.

Tiffany have done a gorgeous range of keys as pendants over the last few years.



It represents the solution to a problem, the pointy bit of an argument, the critical part of an arch's construction is the keystone and a keynote speaker is particularly expert (yes, you Penny Burke!)

And yet, the humble key can cause so much consternation.

You may recall Eleanor's initial departure to boarding school earlier this year that involved a key.

And today....

I'm in a meeting and Eleanor has kindly taken Sass to the movies. I get a call.
Mum, where are you?
I'm in a meeting.
We're locked out of the house.
Use the rock key.  (You know, the outdoor spare key holder disguised as a rock in the garden.)
It's not there. And you can't blame me, I've been away and haven't used it.
Well, I'm not far away, best you walk down to my meeting and get it.

Lucky the production company is literally down the road. And no, I don't mind sharing that we have a rock key - no security issue there because it's NEVER there!!!!!

Down they trot and I hand them my key.

Forty minutes later and I'm rushing to my nail appointment.
Elle, where's my key??
I don't know. (Vague, pretend attempt on her behalf to look.... I'm in a hurry so I leave.)

An hour later and I arrive home. Geoff is at the supermarket, Sass is at a sleep over and Elle is at McDonald's with her mates - and I'm locked out of the house.

For f*&k's sake!!! How hard is a key???






4 comments:

Unknown said...

Sounds like the "key to success" when my kids are older is a keyless door lock!! ;)

JayBee said...

Lock up your daughter - is that a solution???????????????????

Mother Who Works said...

Yes, exactly Karen - I was thinking the same thing. But short of a thimb print or eye scan. all options have so much scope for error! MWWx

Mother Who Works said...

Lock her up or lock her out? Now there's an idea that might teach her a lesson.... I'm kidding!!!! MWWx

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