The key to my heart

This is not a post about knitting or about the shop except very tangentially, so my apologies in advance.  Some time ago I had the locks changed in the La Plata shop.  I called and scheduled an appointment with Al of Al's Lockshop.  He was scheduled to come out and do the work one Thursday afternoon, but when he didn't show, I called him up.  Apparently he had to do some emergency lock work at the courthouse and couldn't come until the following evening.  I really wanted the work done that day, and he could tell from my voice that I was anxious about waiting.  He offered me an option.  He said, "Now, you don't know me, and I know you don't know anything about me, but if you leave the key to your shop in my van, which is parked over at the courthouse, I'll do the work and leave your new keys anywhere you like."  I thought about this for a second and decided that it sounded like a fine idea.  This guy is a locksmith after all, and his business depends on him being very trustworthy.  And really, if he wanted to get into my shop, or any shop for that matter, he could surely do it without my key.  So I took my key over and put it in his van and left him a note asking him to leave the new keys with Paula who lives near the courthouse.

When I got there the next day, the keys had been delivered, and they went through the new lock like a hot knife through butter.  I was so happy--only there was no invoice.  I thought maybe he'd left something in the drawer, but no. Then I thought maybe he'd sent it to the Leonardtown shop, but after two weeks, nothing.   I waited, and thought maybe he'd call, but no.  The next thing I knew, we were into the Christmas rush, and then inventory, and then pretty soon I'd forgotten all about it--until last night.  Last night after the Wednesday gathering, I realized that I didn't have my standard key set as I'd taken the shop keys off my ring while I was in Portland.  My mind considered all my options, one of which was to call a locksmith.  Then I remembered that I'd never paid the locksmith.  Oh my gosh.  So today first thing, I called Al.  I told him who I was and gushed on about how I was so sorry that I'd forgotten to pay him etc.  He said, that he felt so bad about the mix up that he just wasn't going to charge me.  I insisted, but he was just as insistent.  My goodness, what a nice man!  So, if you ever need a key, or a lock, or anykind of locksmith work please call Al - he' is really, really great.