I guess I’ve always had that special touch of cluelessness. You can only hope to have it! I just dug up this short story I wrote in 2006. Clueless, mindless and totally freaky… read on!
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September 13, 2006 – Salida , CO
Today I arrived in this small mountain town to visit a friend. I had never been to her house but have had her address in my book for years. Jean told me where to locate the house key in case she wasn’t home. When I got to this remote town, I called to invite her to lunch with me. The house phone rang and rang.
As promised, she was out. I ate lunch by myself and was at her house by 1:30 p.m. but still she wasn’t home. There was no reason for me to locate the key, she’d be home soon. To pass the time, I took a walk, taking in the view, talking to the cemetery caretaker and then walked back to the h
ouse, through the backyard … and sat on the porch on one of the 4 wooden rocking chairs.
After 30 minutes, I decided to check the planter for the key and didn’t find it. Then I went to the front door and looked in another planter, no luck. Then I moved the life size wooden bear ornament and sure enough – the house key was there! I entered the house and it was clean and tidy and quite beautiful.
I decided to look at photographs to make sure it was the right house – though the address was the same as the one in my address book. Out of the house, back to my car (which was parked in the driveway) got my glasses and back inside the house again. There were some photographs here and there but was that Jean and her husband? What was I looking for? Was this her daughter getting married in the photos? I kept looking for some sort of identification that spelled out I was in the right place.
A huge banner hung over the loft upstairs with the name Murray. What was Jean’s maiden name anyhow? I kept looking for more proof that this was Jean’s house – and finally in one far corner of the house was an email printed out and at the top was To: Sue Murray. Oh my god! I was in the wrong house!!!
I hurried out of the house, locked it, put the key back under the bear and drove to the middle of town where I was able to get phone connection and called Jean. She was home, waiting patiently for me. My heart was still beating. She had moved 2 years earlier. Didn’t she already give me her new address? I could hardly hear her, my heart was still pumping blood into my ears. Oh my god!
Feel free to tease me about this if you want.
And feel free to share this with someone that’s been having a hard day.
Happily ... after retirement 
It’s brilliant and hilarious, if I thought it was true Id certainly tease you!
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Well – it’s been 8 years since this happened and I can be teased! What I appreciated (when I read the story again last week) was I wrote it very shortly after it happened so I was able to capture the immediacy of it (confusion, realization, fear, flight) and relive it all again.
Can you even imagine someone else walking around in your house? OMG!
And yet, I live to tell the story!
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I loved it!!!!
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Lucid Gypsy, I’m Marge’s eldest sister, and I’m here to tell ya, if you knew Marge,
she couldn’t make this up if she wanted too!! It’s sooooo her!!!
And Maggie, I’m still laughing!!! You made my day!!!
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have gone to the door…but, never actually inside…how funny…
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Thanks Sue Ellen (I think) for your endorsement of my cluelessness! But honestly, when I reread the story I was standing in that house all over again and it made me laugh out loud.
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Marilyn,
You have MY permission to step inside – why not?
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Dare I remember that this happened before, when was that in NZ or visiting England???? You have a little of Goldielocks in side you!
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I will not incriminate myself. Is there a time limit on cluelessness?
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I had a great laugh when you told me about this the other night. It was a great story. I’m glad you shared it with me. I’m sure it was unnerving at that time but funny to look back on now. Thank goodness no one walked in on you at the time.
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Great post! I needed that laugh! Sounds like something I might have done….. Thanks for the laugh.
http://www.dsgnmomonline.wordpress.com
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I laughed and laughed! Thanks for sharing with us….I have had my days!
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I think we all have these types of days! It’s what makes life so interesting!
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Thanks for writing! It’s good to see you back here again. Remember to write word by word when it feels right!
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That’s hilarious, thanks for sharing it with us. Hopefully, if they see this post, they will know not to leave their keys in an obvious place next time.
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Yes, hidden under a massive 5 ft wooden bear. What were they thinking?
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Maybe they like working out. Lifting that bear up and down must tone those muscles.
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