Love Thy Neighbor

Thursday was Ascension Day, a public holiday in Germany. With the exception of restaurants opening later in the day, everything was closed. The Crocketts ascended (get it?) to the castle, only to learn that it, too, was closed. 

Around the dinner hour, we walked to a Lebanese restaurant we like for take out. We finished our nice walk as the weather began to cool and Natey's bedtime upon us. 

At our front door, Kyle reached into his pocket, "Mother $%&^@*" 

We had the wrong set of keys. We were locked out. 

Locked out, I remind you, 'mit ein bissien Deutsch' (with a little German), several open but out-of-reach windows, an iphone, some shawarmas getting colder by the second and no diapers.

After Kyle scaled the house (seriously, I didn't record it with my phone because I was sure I was going to capture a severe injury on video, but it was impressive), got to the garage roof to jump down on the other side into our garden, he opened the garage and began to use whatever tools he could find to manipulate any opening he could reach. An hour passed, without success. 

Finally, I volunteered to go to the next door neighbor's house and ask for help. On a holiday. Past the dinner/visiting hour. 

We were sure we could get in the upstairs bathroom window with a tall enough ladder. I googled, "Do you have a ladder, please."  Actually, I knew the 'do you have' part...and the word for ladder is 'leiter.'

I was sure this little episode was going to solidify our standing in the neighborhood as the obnoxious Americans, but we were in need.  

Knock, knock. 

Our neighbor was not in the middle of preparing dinner. 
She was in the middle of preparing dinner and several special dishes for her husband's birthday the next day. 

Why didn't I google, "I am sorry. I am so, so, so sorry?'

If neighbors were a lottery, we won the jackpot. She was very understanding and spoke pretty good english. She revealed that they own the flower shop in the city center on the other side of the park (we walk by it nearly everyday) and promptly called her husband to bring home a tall ladder. 

'Neighbor'hood Store

While we waited for him to call back and confirm he had the ladder at the store, she invited me in, offered me a drink, and showed me their downstairs which they've converted into a little apartment they rent out, and offered it to me in case we had guests overflowing. 

I returned to Nathan and Kyle with my news that help was on the way. She insisted that we come back inside to keep the baby warm and offered us dinner. She chatted with Natey, who was thankfully all smiles.

All smiles (but in need of a hair cut)

She retreated behind a closed door and emerged with a little children's book and began to read to him and insisted we sit down. 

Her spouse arrived with said ladder and, viola, we were in our house! 

We thanked them and apologized a million times and they said, "Kein problem (no problem)." She even gave Nathan the little book as a gift. 

I am so thankful for our neighbors!

This little thank you note and gift is on its way next door...

:) sbc