Settlers & Car Alarms...

So last weekend we had an awesome time eating wings and playing Settlers of Catan with our friends the Merithews. The game was riveting and Melissa came away with the victory thanks to a victory point card! I think she has an advantage since she is really two people (being pregnant and all).

Besides all the good food and fun, we had one of those Beahm Ingenuity moments. We've had several of those moments over the past few years. Many of you are familiar with the "stain" that was really a fanblade shadow, and the possessed digital frame that had was on a timer....this weekend we had another one of those moment....

So Melissa and I pulled into a parking space at our friend's apartment complex. I grabbed the board game, got out of the car and lock the door as I shut the door. Melissa had not yet opened her car door as my door closes. Being locked inside the car, she manually unlocked her car door and opened the door......

So...can you guess what happened? You got it, the car alarm starts going off! The loud and obnoxious car alarm breaks the silence in the parking lot. Melissa and I stand looking bewildered that the alarm is going off. I put the game on the car roof and reach for the "beeper" to turn off the alarm. Do I have the beeper? No....I only carry the actual key. I ask Melissa if she has the beeper...."no, I only have the key."



Ok...so I figure if we hit the door unlock button, the alarm will turn off. Melissa toggle the door lock button. Nothing....the alarm continues to sound. GRR....so I think...it will stop if I start the car. Vroom...The car starts....does the alarm stop? Nope! Now I've got the car running AND the alarm sounding. WHAT?!?!?! What madness is this. Melissa and I look at each other bewildered. Melissa hits the flashers...doesn't help. I turn off and then back on the car....the alarm still sounds. At this point we are attracting attention.

I am wondering if the alarm is stuck and I am going to have to let it time out. But what if it takes 10 minutes before it stops?! I am waking this entire apartment complex up!! I figure I HAVE to get the car out of the apartment complex to somewhere less populated. Maybe the shopping center down the street....

So I start the car and pull out of the parking space....alarm still going. Melissa looks at me and says..."just drive...just drive home!!" I just wanted to get out of the apartment complex!! As I pull out of the complex, I hear something slide off the roof and hit the ground. THE BOARD GAME!! I pull over and jump out of the car to grab the game.

As I go to get back in the car (with the alarm still sounding)...it hits me. The outside door lock. I put the key in the door and turn and hold....and....beep...beep......the car unlocks again and the alarm stops. I stare at my reflection in my door window just shaking my head. As I open the door, Melissa and I just start laughing hysterically.



Cold, and a little dumbfounded, we pulled back into the complex and park. Our friends meet us laughing, and told us that their neighbors thought we stealing a car and were just about to call the cops.

You just can't make these these things up.