Paid my dues and joined the club

Monday afternoon the munchkin and I went to the pharmacy. After shopping, I opened the driver side rear door, tossed my keys into the front seat, and strapped in the kiddo. I shut the door and went to open mine, but it wouldn't open. I tried to re-open the back door to no avail. That's right...I locked my 13-month-old in the car with the keys in my seat.

I reached into my purse for my cell when I realized that it, too, was in the car in the cup holder. I frantically glanced around for a pay phone, and there was one close but not close enough for me to walk away from my trapped child. A lady walked by at that point, and she let me use her phone. I couldn't, however, get the hubs to answer his phone (I later found out he was in Home Depot). The lady suggested I call 911, so I did. I didn't cry until the operator answered the phone. The munchkin soon followed.

As soon as I got off the phone with the operator, I called the hubs again, and he answered. He told me he was by the mall, which isn't far but was TOO far at that very moment. I told the lady she didn't have to stay, but she reminded me that 911 had her phone number, and she also told me she has two grandkids and would want someone to help them. Very sweet. I couldn't thank her enough for staying.

The 911 operator called back to check on us (munchkin was pretty upset by now), and I told her the hubs was on the way and that she could cancel the dispatch. She did but told me to call right back if anything changed. The hubs called back after that to tell me, "DO NOT let the police bust your car window." Ok, whatever. I told sweet lady to go ahead and leave, so she did. About 15 seconds later, a canine unit pulls up (I can only assume he was closest and came even though the call was canceled). Another two minutes later, a second trooper pulls up. Both guys were so sweet and talked to the munchkin through the glass (who was still VERY upset). When they asked me if I was ok, all I could say was, "This kind of shit happens on TV." They reassured me that it happens in reality all the time.

Ten minutes later I hear my doors unlock, glance into the street to see the hubs about to pull into the parking lot, and pulled the munchkin out. She had calmed down some at this point and was doing that sniffle-and-gasp-for-air-borderline-hyperventilating thing.

All-in-all the whole ordeal lasted about 25 minutes, but I swear to sweet Jesus that it felt like an eternity. I can only thank God that it was like 57 degrees outside - pretty much perfect weather for being locked in a car, I say.