A thoroughly enjoyable drive east out of Phoenix leads Drakes to Winkleman, Arizona, where he meets up with Hymes, who has driven up from Tucson for this long-time-coming day. With the usual pleasantries out of the way, the two decide to pick up some supplies from the convenience store. Upon turning to lock their cars, Hymes discovers his keys are missing.
[Previously: ADITL.2 - The drive to Winkleman]
Quickly ruling out foul play of any sort, this was a potentially expensive error on Hymes’ part. Whatever reasoning stood behind allowing the alarm remote to travel independently of the keys was quickly rendered flawed with the discovery that the alarm on the Subaru was the sort which ignored signals from the remote once the key was turned to the ON position. The convenience of arriving first was overshadowed by the inconvenience of having to “think like a thief” in order to obtain access to the car.
Entering the convenience store in search of a metal coat hanger or something, the two were surprised to find a sizeable clothing department complete with multiple circular racks of Wrangler jeans in addition to the typical staples of potato chips and iridescent blue sunglasses. While waiting in line to speak with the cashier, there was a moment of doubt, as all the clothing hung from chunky plastic hangers. They decided that, should there not be a wire coat hanger or bailing wire available, they would have to see if the cashier knew of a locksmith in town.
“Hang on a sec,” said the friendly lady behind the counter as she disappeared through a door to the right. No exaggeration on the duration of her absence, the woman returned in a second with what was once a clothes hanger and a smile. “You’d be surprised how often this sort of thing happens here” she quipped as she handed over the well adjusted length of steel. The two men felt a renewed sense of hope as they headed back to the black Subaru.
Drakes fully believed in the dependability of his seventeen year old Mitsubishi, but brought along a sizeable toolbox for this trip – just in case. While none of the tools therein were of use previously, with this marvelous piece of steel, there was now more potential in his toolbox. He grabbed two slotted screwdrivers and rags from the backseat of the Galant and gently slipped them between the glass and frame on the driver’s door of the Impreza and the ballet of frustration began.
The two took turns trying to snake the hanger wire between the glass and downward to activate the power lock switch, but the distance proved too far for the wire to apply enough pressure to do so. They set their sights on trying to pull the door handle, in the odd chance that Subarus allow the driver’s door to be opened from the inside when locked. Again, they met with failure.
It was only when, half an hour later, fast approaching their wits’ end, and contemplating asking for a piece of cardboard and tape to seal up the window about to be broken, that they remembered that, with the key as it was, the power windows should work. A slight bend of the wire and a trip behind the glass on the back door, and the rear window dropped down. Hymes was back in and they could now concern themselves with heading back out.
Drakes ran the now thoroughly massaged length of wire back in to the cashier and sincerely thanked her for the presence of mind to hang onto such a thing before firing up the Mitsubishi and moving to the gas pumps to top off the tank. Hymes did the same and, while the cars were wetting their whistles with the good stuff, the Google maps came out for discussion.
Their route would take them around the bend some three miles, where they would find the old side road that lead to Christmas. The town of Christmas, Arizona saw it’s post office open in 1905, only to close thirty years later along with the rest of the town. Some of the buildings were said to remain, making for some interesting exploration, but Drakes and Hymes weren’t as interested in exploring decrepit architecture as they were about enjoying primitive roads with their turbocharged, all wheel drive vehicles. In a few minutes, they would be off the beaten path, likely very sideways.