What Was In the Locked Box

Going through my late mother-in-law Marie's belongings we occasionally come across things that takes us by suprise.

One of things we have come across is a little strong box with a lock with a keyhole, a small safe, probably fireproof.   We could not find a key.

It was heavy.  We wondered what was inside - collectable rare coins?  Saving bonds?

We haven't dealt with a locksmith a long time.  We went to the one  we last used, about 20 years ago.  His locksmith shop was in a small little building behind the Dairy Queen on Canton Road.   The last time I was in his shop it was a hoarders disorganized junk from locks, keys, and all lock accessories and also all Harley accessories.  He was a biker wannabe.   He and his mama was buddies.  She sat in his squalor of junk and watch soap operas and other day time TV while he went on house calls.

Another time, I remember he paid us a house call for a lock on our house.  After he finished and I paid him I walked him to his van he looked next door and told me my neighbor Bob was no good, he still owed him a lot of money.

I did not know it then, but found out later that  Bob's father-in-law probably owned the building behind Dairy Queen that he worked out of.   I know he owned some land within feet of the hose that he got rent from. 

I went back to the little shop to see if the guy is still there.  Surely his mother was dead by now.  I knocked on the door and someone told me to come on in.  I opened the door and saw that the insides of the little building is very  neat and  orderly.  A very neat middle age was studiously working on something at a work bench.

I asked him was this still a locksmith.  He said no, the man that was a locksmith retired years ago.

Anna and I goggled locksmiths in Marietta, Woodstock, and Smyrna area.  There was a lot of locksmiths but only one with an address.

Anna called him.  He said if we would bring him the safe he could find the right key to use.    He also told us several scenarios that according to what he did it would either cost us much more or much less.

He said there is only one problem catching him in the shop.  Are you there now?  We asked.  He said he was right then, but after he hangs up somebody may call requesting his services and off he would go.

We tried a calling a few more local locksmiths and never got a good address or answer.

HOWEVER!!  Today we did.  While in Marietta I went to a hardware store that I grew up with one of their clerks, I thought he might know.  He wasn't there but I asked another clerk.  The clerk and a customer both knew of one just about three or four blocks away.  They kept interrupting  each other telling of landmarks and street names and store names next  door.  Thank you I said.

We went there, a hop, skip, and a jump away.

It was a busy little locksmith store.   Three or four customers were there or came and go during our stay.  It was named something Brothers.  One of the brothers picked out the right key and said that would be $12.50 please.

We gladly paid him.

Then, we couldn't wait any longer to open it to see what was inside.

Anna slid the key into the slot, moved the lever and WALA!  It opened!

And it was empty.

We all, including the locksmith, had a good laugh.