superhero for a moment

I was out with James today. We had gone out for some things and come back home laughing and talking about music. When we got out of the car, we saw some of the neighbors out and started talking which of course led to a discussion of the weather. He asked why we were out and we told him of our adventure in brief after which he stated that he had some things he wanted to do for valentine's day for his wife, but could not as he was locked out of the house.

We started talking a bit about the suckines of such a situation when it occurred to me to try to help by just climbing up to the window and trying to get into the house. I asked him if we could. It was possible; there was an open window upstairs. From here, we went into action.

[cue phonebooth]

First plan involved a step ladder as jumping to varying ledge points versus my upper body and grip strength was not working. This was a no-go. Second plan involved my couch. This couch has two reclining seats, a metal frame, and a small desk inside. Translation: not light. We dragged this out and over to the neighbor's house. Turning it on it's side, we propped it up against a door and just as I prepared to climb it, I heard someone yell from across the parking lot, "Would you like a ladder?"

I turned to the sound and a lady from an apartment that I hadn't even met before that moment was waving at us. Apparently, one of the other neighbors informed her of the situation and she was so utterly incredulous that she had to see for herself to believe it...

...and there I was doing that very thing.

So she got a ladder out of the basement which I used to climb to the upper window. Meanwhile, the poor man I am trying to help gets a phone call. His wife is freaking out about me climbing up to this window (what if he falls?! that's *our* insurance. screw that!!! if you are in that house when i get home, you are in so much trouble....) and he is trying to calm her down. He tries, after I finally get to the close end of getting there, to talk me down.

"No way, I already climbed up here..."

[cue transformation]

I figured out how to get the blinds out of the way without breaking them. That left me 6-8 inches of space to climb into which I did with what James described as annoying levels of ease, then came downstairs to unlock the front door. Cue celebration by all. I fold up the ladder and return it. The neighbor who is no longer locked out gets in and James, Renee (another neighbor) and I get our massive, heavy couch back into the house.

I don't think I've ever had anything that random happen to me in a while, but helping neighbors and meeting new ones can be fun.

Side note: I'm buying a ladder soon.