Thursday after soccer practice, we were tired.
I decided to just grab some Taco Bell on the way home. Then, since practice went longer than planned, we changed plans and went to the nearest location and ate there.
I sent all the boys to the restroom to wash their hands while I waited for the order to be ready. We sat down, but Evan was still gone. I figured he was still going potty. We waited and waited. It's #2, I thought.
It started out low, but started to grow....
Evan was screaming.
I asked Ryan to go check on him and help him climb under the stall to get out if he was locked. Ryan explained that there were no stalls...just one door to the one toilet. Evan was locked in.
I asked for help at the counter. The young worker sighed, "I TOLD THEM they needed to fix that door TWO MONTHS AGO!" He explained that I just needed to get the handle back on the bolt and turn. I needed help. We tried to explain the door solution to Evan, through the door. He was scared and crying. "I don't know what it is!! I don't see anything! Where is it? What does it look like? I can't find it!!!"
The manager, highly annoyed that they was happening during a rush, came trudging over to try every key on her ring, with no match. They have doors that have key holes, but NO KEY TO FIT THEM?!?
"So, is it time to call someone?" I asked.
"Maybe I can call my supervisor and see if he has a key."
As she left, I called my neighbor, a fire fighter. "Is this 911 worthy, or should I call a non-emergency number," I asked after explaining what was happening.
"Either way is fine. He's a child who's trapped. It's gonna end up the same way." he explained.
Soon after my call, my neighbor texted me back, letting me know the truck was on his way. (He'd heard the dispatch on his radio.)
In minutes, BCS's finest were through the door.
"Evan?" they called.
"WHAT!?!" he snapped back.
"Wow! He's a fiesty one!"
"Yes. Yes, he is."
The other boys, who I had asked to sit with my purse, couldn't hold back their excitement. They wanted to meet the heroes.
Of course the door's hinges were inside the bathroom, so they couldn't just pop those out. AND, the metal plate where the door opened was also on the inside. SAW, IT IS!
The young guy was excited. He couldn't wait to try out the new tool:
There was a conference of the best place to cut and a reminder to Evan to back away from the door.
I was both proud and disgusted that he hid behind the toilet, the only solid surface.
Evan shook the hands of the men who'd saved him.
We walked them out to the truck, and as quickly as they had come, they were gone.
Later, with a little time to think, Evan pondered, "I wonder if that thing
I flushed down the toilet threw in the trash was the door handle?"
OH, MEOW-MEOW!
