# Where is my key? (I'm an idiot) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 12, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072 "2011-09-12T16:53:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/21 "2011-09-12T21:38:50Z")
On my brother mobile home, I unscrewed the protective cover over the gap between door and the wall and just opened the deadbolt with a screwdriver. I don’t think my brother was pleased about how fast we opened the door. Also a thin piece of metal will work on a lot of cheap deadbolts. You might also want to google “key bumping”. If the door or wall isn’t thick, then a small prybry can often spread the door enough to open it. ---
**Author:** ![Sally\_Mander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Sally\_Mander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sally_Mander)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/22 "2011-09-12T23:25:01Z")
It fell out of your pocket and is in the bottom of the hamper. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/23 "2011-09-12T23:42:13Z")
I saw a Twilight Zone episode (I think…) that explained that we live in scenes that exist in one minute intervals. Sometimes, in the rush to get them done, the people who construct them forget to put in some items. So wait a minute and check again…they’ll be back. Sorry…I don’t have a useful serious answer. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/24 "2011-09-12T23:47:20Z")
You dropped them in the grass, didn’t hear them land and can’t see them because the grass is so tall. ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/25 "2011-09-12T23:49:02Z")
Your key is on a shelf in your garage or basement. Last time you cut the grass, you used it to unlock the shed to get your mower out, and then realized you needed some tool, some oil, or maybe the gasoline can, and set it there for a moment while you tended to your mower. You were sure you wouldn’t forget to fetch it later, but you got busy working in the yard and forgot about it. Or maybe that was me. ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/26 "2011-09-13T02:09:48Z")
Okay, Gesturing Mildly - be ready to make that donation… Take a glass of water to bed tonight. Right before you’re ready to go to sleep, drink half of it. While you’re doing so, say to yourself, “By the time I finish this glass of water, I’ll know exactly where the shed key is.” As soon as you open your eyes in the morning, drink the other half of the glass. At some point during the morning, the location of the key will pop into your head, or you’ll ‘absent-mindedly’ come across it. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/27 "2011-09-13T02:13:23Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > Before I stopped driving, D used to tell me, “Check in the fridge, Hon.”. > > So I guess it’s a good thing I stopped driving, huh? 🙂 > > Q Now that’s just silly. The car would never fit in the fridge. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/28 "2011-09-13T02:24:58Z")
You slipped it into your jacket pocket, the one you’ve hung by the back door. It was raining last time you were out there so you had your jacket on. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/29 "2011-09-13T03:34:47Z")
If it is a door handle not a door knob. And if the handle on the inside is movable. Get a piece of heavy gage wire that is straight. At one end bend the wire back about 4 to 6 inches on it’s self Making a U. At a distance matching the distance between the handle and the bottom of the door bend a 90 degree. Give it about 4 inches and bend the wire back up for a handle. Slide the wire under the door U end first. Turn the wire up and catch the handle on the inside. Pull the wire pulling fown on the handle as you gently push the door. If the handle is a cheap knob try channies on the knob. You will need a new lock. Or bust the door open or call a lock smith which ever will cost the least. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/30 "2011-09-13T03:35:58Z")
It’s by the outside faucett in the back yard. You put it down there to wash your hands after you were last in the shed. But you forgot about it. ---
**Author:** ![moejoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@moejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejoe)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/31 "2011-09-13T03:46:31Z")
It’s tucked into the bookshelf just inside the door, right in there on top of the books. Something distracted you when you came in from mowing last time, and that seemed like a good temporary place to set them down out of the way. Or it’s at the locksmith when you finally get this sorted out and go down to have a copy made so this doesn’t happen again 😃 ---
**Author:** ![nonacetone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonacetone/32/2819_2.png) [@nonacetone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonacetone)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/32 "2011-09-13T06:52:35Z")
You might check in that pile of stuff you’ve pulled out of pockets when you do the laundry. It’s probably on top the dryer, or wherever it is you deposit that sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/33 "2011-09-13T06:56:07Z")
If it had a green plastic thingy on it then it’s in the parking lot of Sweet Bay. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/34 "2011-09-13T07:49:56Z")
ok - now I want to know where the damn key is!! ---
**Author:** ![Gesturing\_Mildly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@Gesturing\_Mildly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gesturing_Mildly)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/35 "2011-09-13T16:17:14Z")
Thanks for all of your suggestions! I checked all of yesterday’s, to no avail, but I did manage to pop the shed window out of its frame and climb inside and karate-kick the door open. And yes, it felt pretty awesome. I’ll buy a new handle and lock tonight and install it this weekend. And I’ll update you in case it ever turns up. I’m pretty sure it’s no longer of this dimension. Seriously. I’ve looked everywhere. **codgerone** :, silly, I know that all of the real psychics are busy finding missing children. Still, a girl can hope. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/36 "2011-09-13T16:30:05Z")
You know those pants you keep in the garage to wear when you are doing dirty work? You put the key in the pocket last time you wore them. Then you hung them back up in the garage without removing the key. At least that’s what happened to my dad. Props on the karate kick! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/37 "2011-09-14T14:03:33Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > I saw a Twilight Zone episode… [A Matter of Minutes](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0734721/)–I really liked that episode and jokingly claim “the Time Builders” have messed up whenever I can’t find something I know I left _right there_ just a minute ago. ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/38 "2011-09-14T14:21:37Z")
Thanks for this thread, I just found mine on the top of bathroom towel cabinet behind some hair spray bottles. I think I took the key out of my pants when I took a shower and set it there thinking I’ll be able to spot it easy to put it where it belongs later, NOT. ---
**Author:** ![Sally\_Mander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Sally\_Mander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sally_Mander)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072/39 "2011-09-14T21:12:00Z")
> [@Gesturing\_Mildly](#): > > I’ll buy a new handle and lock tonight and install it this weekend. And I’ll update you in case it ever turns up. I’m pretty sure it’s no longer of this dimension. Seriously. I’ve looked everywhere. Well, now you’ve done it. The key will turn up as soon as you get that new lock on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-key-im-an-idiot/596072.md?page=1)