LOCKSMITHS COME IN ALL SIZES

Yesterday I witnessed something special that I wish I had photographed.

It would have been the picture of 11-year old Logan wearing a tool-belt, standing beside his father when I opened my front door. 

His father is a locksmith and I was having my doors re-keyed…a benefit that came with the home warranty. The re-keying was done not so much as a security measure as my home had only one owner for 22 years and the seller’s daughter did not indicate that keys had been distributed to housekeepers, handymen, etc. 

I did it because there were so many locks on the door with different keys for each lock. I thought it would be nice to have one key for all.  (No comments here on how often I lose things or confuse keys). Just sayin….an effort to simplify my life.)

So back to Logan with the tool belt that actually held tools. Real tools, not playschool wooden ones.  I said, “Well, hello, and I see you bought your little helper today.”

The father smiled and said “Yes.”  

I thought maybe this was one of those “bring your child to work days” so I said, 

“Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”

Shy smile from Logan. “Yes, but it’s my birthday.”

“How old are you today?”

“Eleven.”

“I have a granddaughter who will  be 11 in a few months. Are you in 5^th grade?”

“4^th”

Then Logan and his father proceeded to examine the locks in the storm door, front door, and door leading from garage to laundry room.  They discussed the locks between themselves and and Logan had quite a bit to say in the discussion, identifying which type of lock was required. They determined that I couldn’t have one key because the storm and garage door were one kind and the front door with 2 locks was another kind.  But they were able to eliminate a few keys so I only had 2 instead of 4.

While the father worked on the storm door, Logan worked on the laundry room door.  

He removed the thing a ma chig that the key goes into and went to the truck where evidently they had the equipment to change it and make new keys.

While they both worked, I could hear bits of their conversation which sounded like two co-workers of equal rank rather than a man and a child.

When they were done with both doors, they showed me which keys went where and Logan once again was quite verbal and involved.  He took my old keys to recycle.   It was obvious he had done this many times with his Dad.

I found out that Logan was one of six children, in the middle of the pack. The fact that on his birthday he was probably made to feel like an only child…a very special only child…made me smile.  

It seems many kids today are overly absorbed with technology, their heads often bent over an I-Pad in pursuit of a villain in a video game or their thumbs rapidly texting.  How refreshing to see  a child learning a hands-on trade.

It speaks volumes that Logan wanted to spend his birthday working with his Dad and spoke volumes for a Dad who had taught his young son valuable skills. An apprentice of sorts.

I wish I had taken his photo so you too could see the real-life tool belt around his waist.

Logan re-keyed my door, but he also opened my heart a bit.