A story about intention, part 1

In Wujifa, we talk a lot about cultivating intention. I had an interesting day today, and after the situation I was in passed, I felt that my practice in Wujifa was something that probably contributed greatly to the way things all went down.

It all started this morning when I went for a walk down at the beach. I left my house at about 9:30, trying to get out and see if I could find some cool crab shells and whatnot. When I got down to my favorite spot, I took my wallet and keys out from my pockets, and put them in the glove compartment. I had left my phone at home - I wasn't expecting any calls. I grabbed my spare key (Which is a $2.50 deal I got made up at the "Dock Shop" so that I wouldn't risk losing my real keys at the beach) put it in my pocket, and head out.

It was a great morning, I found some cool crab shells, a big mussel shell, and part of what I believe to be a skull. I went and put them in my car to free up my hands, locked the door up, and head back to the beach. At that point it was about 11 probably.

This time I was just walking and soaking in the sights, and I had made it a mile or so down the beach when I decided to turn around. I found a couple spots and laid down in the sand to watch the waves, because at the point I was doing this, it was probably about noon and I had been out for a couple hours already.

Now, about half way back to my car, I check my pocket. No key. Hmmm... I check my other side pocket... no key. Check all the pockets, and the news doesn't get any better. I'm officially locked out.

Crap... at this point, I'm reasonably calm. Back in Albuquerque I had locked my keys in my car when I was stressing about phone situation, hence the spare key for security's sake. At that point, I had to call up a locksmith, and it was about $60 for him to put this little pressure cuff thing in the door, inflate it, and then fish around for the unlock button with this pole until he got it to open. I was not going to blow another $60, especially since that money was earmarked for food, and even though I have a job now, it will be a week until I get paid. I could not afford another locksmith.

So what I did was I went along, gathering up: A- a wedge like item to try and get some space in the door, and B- a stick like item to push at the lock button. When I got back to my car I had 2 sticks, half a frisbee, a comb, a plastic monkey, a bit of rope, and an abandoned child's tank top shirt. My plan was to wedge the comb in the door, get the frisbee in there, stuff the shirt in to open the gap, and then hit the button with the stick. I don't know why I picked up the monkey... I just liked him.

Here's what I learned.... wedging open a door, though it looks easy when done with a pressure cuff, is not. Not at all. I'm happy to learn my car is so hard to break into, since there was no way I was going to force the door open even a sliver with the tools I could muster. Damn.

Well, I still had the long stick, and out of good fortune, my sunroof was open a bit under three quarters of an inch. First off, let me mention that there is a big old plastic overhang to prevent stuff from going in the sun roof, and to make it more aerodynamic. Now, the "stuff" that this thing was preventing from going in was my hands (in any comfortable way). I can just barely fit them under this thing, and even then, because of the small gap, only my fingers can fit in, up to my hand. It was not working with this stick either. There was no way to get it to touch the unlock button without the ability to warp space. Not going to happen.

This surfer dude sees me and says "Locked yourself out, huh? You oughta get a coat hanger and get that in there, so you could manipulate it a little more, maybe ask that lady on the balcony up there... she might have one"

Good advice from the surfer dude, but the lady on the balcony is deep in a phone conversation, and I feel uncomfortable going up to a beach house and knocking on the door. My assumption is that rich people live there, and probably don't want to be bothered. I guess if I lived in a beach house, I would look for a hanger for some dude who needed it though. Anyway, I end up going up to this plumber who has his truck open on the side of the road. He's got this awesome pipe wrench, which is about a head taller than the young kid who's standing next to him.

"Hey" I said, "You wouldn't happen to have a coat hanger, would you?"

"Well, actually I do... locked yourself out of your car, huh?"

I am amazed this guy has a coat hanger. This is a craftman's truck, and I'm asking him for closet supplies. I thank him, and head back to my car. This coat hanger turns out to be Key Item #1.

Now I'm armed and dangerous. I can bend this thing to the point where it will reach the button, but barely. I got the end of this thing in the tips of my fingers, not wanting to drop it in, because then I figured I would really be sunk. After a half hour or so of Jimmying this thing around, I get it where I need it, and set it on the button, and move it over to push it, and it just bends like crazy... not nearly enough force gets to the button to effect a change in the lockedness of the door. Poop. Also, this sunroof guard thing is really getting in my way, and adding another element of challenge to the whole ordeal.

I got this hanger, but it's no good. The bendiness allows me to reach the button, but that same bendiness is what does not allow me to push said button. I even try wrapping some roots around it for stability... nope, not happening. After another half hour, I head back out to the beach... maybe I can find the two spots I laid down, and dig around until I locate the key. I take my coat hanger with... because at this point, it's basically "the precious" and without it, I feel I would be totally lost...

Stay posted for Part Deux!