The time I locked you in the car with the engine running

I have a feeling this is one of those family stories I'll be repeating for the next few decades.

Sara, you and I went to Walmart yesterday. It was a pretty uneventful trip. I only picked up a couple of things, and of course we stopped to look at the fish before checking out.

We got out to the truck, and I put you on the backseat and told you to climb into your car seat, as I usually do these days. I shut the door behind you to make sure you didn't accidentally fall backward out of the car, which is a fear of mine. I went to the back hatch to pack my purchases; I went to the front to start the car and the AC and to put away my purse. I shut the front door and went to the back door so I could strap you into your car seat... and it was locked. All the doors were locked.

The sun was beating down, but I knew the air was on in the car, but I also knew it doesn't get very cool until the car starts to move. There I stood with no cell phone, nothing. A Walmart parking lot feels awfully lonely at a time like that. A kind Indian man nearby in the parking lot took out his AAA card for the number and let me use his phone (a fancy Blackberry-type one) to call. Did I ever feel panicky! My hands and my voice were shaking. While the customer service rep was expediting my service call, you played happily in the backseat--you never had climbed into your car seat, cheeky girl--and you started rolling down the window! I ran over to the truck and cheered you on as you pressed the button a few more times. You rolled down the window enough for me to reach my arm in and unlock the door and... voila! Crisis over--not that you were even remotely aware that there had been a crisis in the first place.

Those were five of the longest minutes of my life. And yes, I must have unconsciously locked the doors when I went in front to start the car. That makes no sense to me, because I never do that in the truck, but that appears to be what I did. Silly mommy. Oh well. A few deep breaths and extra hugs and kisses later, and we were on our way.