Bits N’ Pieces: Of Our Lives

By Colleen Chapman

This book briefly covers my early life up to present, age eighty-four. I started this project several years ago, just me, for my kids. Then I decided it would be fun to ask my family and friends to contribute. Just one rule: No one could say anything negative about another person. It is mostly fond memories and funny stories or incidents. It is a little bit of family history, such as a story by my oldest sister about leaving Oklahoma during the Depression, about picking cotton and working in other crops. I was about eighteen months old when we left and about seven when we reached California. Included also are some true stories about strange things that have happened to myself and some family members.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9781546260813

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Copyright © 2018 Colleen Chapman. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse    09/27/2018

ISBN: 978-1-5462-6082-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-6081-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018911127

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Foreword

W ithout my family and friends, there would be no stories for this book. Here is a cast of characters.

My husband Howard

Me, Colleen. My children: Dave, Diane, Steven, Vincent, Robert, Susan, Debra, Rusty and Loren.

My siblings: Ruby, Pearl, Dorothy, Betty, Fred, Jerry, Donny, David, Linda and Skipper.

At first, I was writing this for my kids, about my kids. Then I decided it would be more fun if other family members and friends joined in.

I thank all of you for your material for Bits N’ Pieces. I LOVE YOU ALL.

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED

A Trip to Bonita Creek

Camping Out

Elkhorn Slough

Get Your Hand Ready

Help! Police!

Hobo Hot Springs

Hot Fudge Sundae

Just One of those Days

Listen!

Locked Out

A Lesson Learnes

Picking Up Figs

The Easiest Way

Rejuvination

From The Family Site

Ooops!

Imposter

Who Was She?

A Mouse in the House

Shopping

Susan Saves the Day

Big Ocean, Little Boat

Man Overboard!

It’s Raining

A TRIP TO BONITA CREEK

DARVEL GREEN

I t was in July or August 1970 I think. Uncle Walter and Aunt Jesse Phillips came to visit. I worked for Safford Municipal Utilities as an Engineer Aide. One of my duties was to measure the wells at Bonita Creek monthly. I asked Walter if he would go to Bonita Creek with me. He said he would go. Bonita Creek is northeast of the Gila River in eastern Arizona. The creek is the water supply for Safford, Arizona. The water collection pipes are under the creek. The system is gravity flow from Bonita Creek to Safford. There are two sand traps in the creek. The water flows from the second sand trap into a 24 pipeline. The pipeline is suspended on the canyon wall for a few miles. The canyon is really a pleasant place. On the one side is the pipeline. On the other side are some Indian ruins. There had been a flood in the creek just before Walter and I went. The road was washed out so we took a war wagon. The war wagon was an old short Dodge four-wheel drive pickup. You know the kind, they used in the war. It would go anyplace I could drive it. Part way up the creek is a big concrete block in the road. It is about 15’ square and about 5’ thick. It is right next to the canyon wall. To get up the canyon you drive over the block. The day Walter and I went there was a lot of muddy water in the creek. The water was running about 1’ above the block of concrete. I drove across the block and there was no road on the other side. So we fell down into the creek. The war wagon was on about a 45-degree angle in the creek. Most of the back end was under water. The water level inside the cab was above the seat on Walters’s side. The water level was just below the gas pedal on the floor board. So as you can see the war wagon was really on an angle. Walter and I climbed out of the war wagon to look it over. We took a look, scratched our heads and said O NO" among other choice words.

CAMPING OUT

COLLEEN CHAPMAN

I t was too hot to go outside, so Wayne and I were playing camp-out in the house. He was about 4 years old and was in the cowboy stage. He had on his boots and hat and had a bandanna around his neck. We sat on the living room floor and went fishing in the stream which ran across the room. We made a campfire close to the stream. While I cooked the fish and made cowboy coffee, Wayne fought off some rustlers who were trying to steal our cattle that were grazing in the kitchen. We had just started to eat our fish when Sierra, my sister-in-law who lived next door, came in. She had very poor eyesight because of cataracts. She almost stepped in the stream. I said, Watch out. You are almost in the water! She leaned over, and squinting her eyes, looked at the floor. Seeing no water, she straightened up and watched us as we sat on the floor, holding imaginary plates and went through the motions of eating and drinking from our imaginary cups. She shrugged her shoulders and started toward a chair. Wayne said, Look out! You almost stepped in the campfire! She turned and left the house. Just then the rustlers returned and we had to fight them off again. We were about to lose the battle because we were outnumbered and running low on ammunition. We were saved just in time by—that’s right! The Cavalry!

ELKHORN SLOUGH

COLLEEN CHAPMAN

O ur normal routine on Saturday was to have a cup of hot cocoa with marshmallows and then the kids changed their sheets, the older ones helping the little ones. While they did that I fixed breakfast. After breakfast they cleaned their rooms. Unless there was a job that needed to be done, they had the rest of the day off.

One Saturday morning they took longer to finish the cocoa than usual. I told them it was time to get busy and reminded them we were going fishing and picnicking. They didn’t budge except to look at Dave. Dave looked at the floor and kind of shriveled up. Then he stood up as straight and tall as he could. He took a deep breath and looked at me and said, well, ya see Mom, we don’t want to do our rooms today. We don’t think we’re going to. Ah ha, I thought. So that’s what the huddles and whispering was all about. What do you think you are going to do instead? I asked. Whatever we want to. He replied, obviously feeling nervous and trying hard not to show it. You think everyone should do as they please today? Have you given this a lot of thought? All of you agree? They had and they did. I thought this over, or pretended to. Then I said, OK, sounds good to me. It’s a nice sunny day. Go on outside and do whatever you want to.

Very surprised and a little apprehensive, they went out but didn’t go far. I made myself comfortable with a book and a cup of tea. I could see the kids through our glass front door. They stood in a circle talking and looked toward the house often. After about half an hour, they came to the door and were very surprised to find it locked. They had never before been locked out! They went to the other doors and found them locked also. They came back to the front door. Dave knocked on the plate glass door.

Mom, it’s past breakfast time.

It sure is. I said, not looking up.

Mom, we’re hungry.

Of course you are. That’s what happens when you miss a meal.

When will breakfast be ready?

Gosh, I don’t know. Who do you suppose wants to fix it?

Mom, aren’t you gonna fix breakfast?

Ya know Dave, you kids are right. We should all do as we please on Saturdays. I’m enjoying this book, and I would rather read than cook. I don’t want to fix breakfast. I don’t think I’m going to.

The kids walked a few yards away from the door and conferred, then came back to the door.

Mom, if you let us in we’ll go do our rooms. Then will you feed us?

I don’t think so. This story is just getting to the good part!

Mom, we have reconsidered. Will you please let us in so we can do what we are suppose to?

Oh well, if you really want to. Are you sure? Do you all agree? They were and they did.

As they came in and went to their bedrooms, they didn’t look at me. I could hear then talking as they worked.

Steven, who’s bright idea was that, anyway.

Diane, yeah, just because some other kids get away with telling their Moms they aren’t gonna do something it doesn’t mean we can!

Robert, we didn’t say we arent gonna, we just said we don’t want to. The only reason I went along with it, well, ya know fwhat Mom always says, don’t say you can’t if you haven’t given it your best shot.

Dave, yeah, well, we tried and now we know.

Vincent, I knew we wouldn’t get away with it.

Diane, I think we all did

Sue, Ya think we are still going fishing

I spite of the delay we were ready to load the car about 11. We always took a change of cloths, wash cloths, towels, a big jug of water, and a sheet that had a hole cut in the middle of it. That was slipped over the head to afford privacy when we were someplace where facilities were not available for changing cloths. What is now known as Kirby park was just Elkhorn Slough then. Except for Dave and Steve, the kids had not fished before. I was very busy teaching them to bait and cast and keeping an eye on the two little ones, Debra and Rusty, in the playpen. A game warden appeared and asked for my license. The only license the kids knew anything about was drivers license, and wanted to know why he wanted to see it, since I was not driving right then. He said he wanted to see my fishing license. I wanted to say I didn’t want to drive the fish, wanted to eat them but instead I explained that although I was holding a pole right then, I was not fishing. I was teaching the kids to fish. He watched for a few minutes. After hearing Mom! My hook is stuck! Mom, my line is tangled. Mom, I think I’ve got somthin. What do I do now? He said he was convinced. I couldn’t fish if I wanted to.

One of the boys cast out and lost his grip on the pole, and it went sailing into the water. It was a few feet from shore, so I pulled off my shoes and went in after it. After retrieving the pole, I slipped on the muddy bank and fell. Got up, took two steps up and fell again. The kids found this very entertaining and were enjoying it immensely. Dave came to my rescue. Grabbing his outstretched hand, I gave a yank and pulled him in. After changing our cloths, we had lunch. The fish were not biting, so I turned on the car radio and danced to the music. Some of the kids joined in. We had the place to ourselves and made the most of it.

The next day my Dad came to visit. Susan climbed up on his lap and said, hey Grampa! Guess what! Mom locked us out yesterday and we almost starved to death before she let us in and fed us! And then we went to Elkhorn Sloooon. We stayed a long time. Oh and ya know what? Mom danced. And Grampa, she got downright dirty and then ya know what, she pulled off her cloths. And Grampa, a cop came and… Just then Robert passed by and yanked one of her braids. She wasn’t going to let him get away with that and took off after him. Daddy asked, is that true? What she said? Well, kinda, but That’s as far as I got. Daddy rammed his fists into his pockets and started pacing the floor. Oh no! I knew what he was thinking! Daddy was a mild mannered man but when he was mad or upset he could really cuss. Or rather, my siblings and I thought he was cussing when we were kids. It didn’t happen very often, but when it did, it scared us half to death and I think kind of broke our hearts. Sure enough, he let loose those words I had not heard for a long time. Still pacing, there they came "DAD BLAMED THE DAD BLAMED LUCK TO THE DAD BLAMED DEVIL ANYHOW. DAD BLAME IT! I would never have believed it of you. The very idea. It’s bad enough, you going to a bar! But taking the kids! And doing a STRIP TEASE? What the Sam Hill has gotten into you! Dad blame it!"

I rounded up the kids and told them to get in the car. Daddy too. Don’t ask questions. Just hush and get in, NOW! We rode in silence the 2 1/2 miles to where we had been the day before. Susan, tell Grampa where we are. Grampa, this is Elkhorn Sloooon. Now tell him how I got downright dirty. She did. Now tell him where I was when I pulled off my cloths, and where we danced. She did. Dave, tell him who the cop was, and then tell him why you were locked out. He did. Daddy listened, then softly said, Humph! Well I’ll be dad blamed. Robert said, Huh? He looked at me and said, What are you blaming him for? I’m not blaming him for anything. "Well, he’s your dad, and he said……

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My watercolor of Elkhorn Slough. It won a second-place ribbon at the Santa Cruz County fair

GET YOUR HAND READY

COLLEEN CHAPMAN

P earl and I met in Moro Bay for a fun week-end together. Really gonna live it up. Neither of us was familiar with that part of the country. We drove around sightseeing for about an hour and then decided to go to a movie. We drove to Paso Robles and checked into a motel. The first thing we needed to do was get a newspaper to see what was playing, and the name and address of the theater of our choice. If we didn’t spot the theatre, we could ask directions from one of the many students in the area. From the pedestrian traffic, there must be a collage near-by. It was about three in the afternoon, lots of traffic, both pedestrians and vehicles. Pearl was driving slowly and I was looking for a newspaper rack.

We got honked at a lot. Pearl said, Well darn those guys! If Sandra was here she would flip them off for me. One time when she was little someone honked at me and she said, ‘don’t worry Mom; I flipped them off for you’. I want you to get your hand ready, and if we get honked at again, you flip them off. I haven’t ever done that. I’m not sure I know how to do it properly. I said. We stopped for a red light. Look, I’ll show you. Put these three fingers and your thumb down like this. Keep this finger up. Now keep it like that. Have it ready, and the next time some jerk honks at us, you flip them off. I think doing that’s also called giving them the bird or rooster or something. I wonder why.

I got my hand ready, and a few more blocks up the street, I spotted a newspaper rack on a corner, on the other side of the street. As we approached the intersection, the light turned red. Pearl asked me if I wanted to hop out and get a paper, and she would go on up the street, find a place to turn around, or go around the block and pick me up. NO WAY! She gets lost so easy, we joke about her getting lost going from the kitchen to the bathroom. As we sat there waiting for the light to change, I told her I could see a service station about the middle of the next block on our side of the street. She could pull into the station, go around the back of the station and out the other side, make a left turn, and come back. There were several parking places close to the rack. Just then the light turned green and we were on our way.

Pearl said, Did you notice a lot of those people back there looking at us funny? No. "Some of them were laughing and pointing, some looked confused, some looked surprised and some looked mad.’’

I didn’t notice. I was trying to show you how to get turned around and back to the rack.

I know why, want me to tell you? Look at your hand. I looked at my hand. It was still at the ready, as Pearl had instructed. As I had told Pearl about the service station, etc., I had pointed it all out to her as I talked and had flipped off a whole bunch of college students!

We went to see The Poltergeist. On the way in I got some popcorn and coke. Pearl said she didn’t want popcorn, just a coke. I didn’t know it was possible to see a movie without popcorn! The scarier the movie got, the faster she ate my popcorn that she didn’t want any of. I had a lot of fun watching the people around me. On my right, in the next row in front of us were a man and his very pregnant wife. He had his arm around her shoulders to start with. When the movie got suspenseful or scary, he would ask, Are you OK, Honey? The movie got scarier. His arm was around her neck, his forearm across her throat, his left knee in her lap. Again he asked, Are you OK Honey? I will be just fine if you will stop choking me and trying to get in my lap! At one point in the movie, the kid on the bed was looking for the clown doll that was doing strange things. After panning the room very slowly, the camera was at floor level as the kid pulled the bedspread up veeerrry slooolllly. Everyone thought the clown would be under the bed and were ready to scream. I knew the clown wouldn’t be there, and everyone would scream anyway. It wasn’t and they did. I really enjoyed the movie. The people around me were so entertaining. Every time Pearl screamed, I laughed and she hit me. She also ate most of my popcorn that she didn’t want any of.

HELP! POLICE!

DOROTHY PATTON

Y esterday Kim took Naomi and the two boys to spend the night in Walnut Creek with her sister Sarah and help celebrate Hava’s birthday. Geoff stayed home because he had to work and Abby stayed because she wanted to go to a friend’s birthday party here on the beach today. I went to bed here in my little cottage about 10:0’clock and for once went right to sleep. But about 10:30 Abby came knocking on my door. Dad went out, she said, And there’s a strange car in the driveway with two weird looking guys in it.

I went out and peeped around the house and there was a car there that I didn’t recognize and I could see there was someone in it. We came back to my house and she tried to call Geoff on his cell phone but it was turned off so she left him a message about the two men. Maybe it’s someone waiting for Dad to come home, she said. It makes no difference, I said. Nobody has any right to pull up in the driveway and sit there without letting us know what’s going on. I called the police station and asked if they could send someone to check them out. The woman said she would send someone and if they got out of the car to call 911. Well, the police were here in a few minutes. They made the weird looking guys put their hands behind their heads and get out of the car.

It turned out to be Geoff and his friend; they had just been sitting there talking. Abby didn’t know that the friend had picked Geoff up, and Geoff had left his pickup parked and we couldn’t see it so we thought he had left in the pickup. I felt really stupid and apologized but the policeman said we had done the right thing. Kim called this morning and Abby told her about it and she thought it was funny. Geoff was not amused but he also agreed, somewhat grudgingly, that we had done the right thing.

HOBO HOT SPRINGS

COLLEEN CHAPMAN

H oward’s family had a cabin on the Kern River. We went there for a couple of weeks in the summer. We didn’t always stay in the cabin. It was the only cabin on the far side of the river. It was more fun to stay in the campground. We had some inner tubes and air mattresses and tied them to tree trunks so the kids could play with them and we didn’t have to worry about them floating down river. The river was calm and safe where we were, but I had heard some scary stories about how dangerous the river was down stream from us. One afternoon Vincent was laying on an air mattress. It came untied, probably with some help from him, and away he went down stream. He was just 9 years old, and could swim, but there was no way he could swim well enough to get out of the fix he was in. I panicked. I had not yet learned to swim. There was no one in the river close enough to help him. I didn’t know where Howard was so I started into the water. Suddenly Howard was walking along the edge of the river, talking calmly to Vincent. He told Vince to scoot back until his legs were in the water from the knees on down so he could paddle with his feet. Then to use his arms and hands like oars and get himself to shore. He was safe in no time at all.

Not all of the things I’m telling about happened during one summer. Thank goodness! We did have some summers with no upsetting events. The summer Rusty was about 8 months old I laid him on an air mattress. He lay there holding his bottle with one hand, the other arm resting on his forhead. One leg was reating on the upraised knee of the other leg. I sat in the water beside him, my right arm resting on the mattress. I looked to the left to check on Diane and Sue who were playing a few feet away. They facing the river and suddenly looked surprised. Diane said, Mom! and pointed. There was Rusty in the same position he had been in on the mattress, floating in the water.

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There was a café near the campground. One day we decided to take the kids there for lunch. Sierra, Howard sister and her daughter Lynn, who was working in a little town nearby, were with us. His mother was there also. Howard, his mother, sister, niece and I sat in a booth with Debra and Rusty in high chairs by the table. Dave, 11, Diane, 10, Steven, 9, Vince, 7, Robert, 6, and Susan, 4, sat in the next booth. I could see them in a mirror on the wall. I knew I didn’t have to worry about the kids behavior or manners. Dave would see to that. When I couldn’t be at the table at home or anywhere else, Dave took over. I never asked him to, he started this when he was only six or seven years old. He was never loud, just quietly kept an eye on the rest of the kids and corrected them if they did something wrong. None of the kids questioned his authority.

We ordered salad, chili beans, crackers and milk for everyone. Ruby, the waitress and owner, took care of the kids first. We had coffee while we waited. Ruby brought the silverware and napkins. As she placed them in front of the kids we could hear each one say thank you. Ruby said you’re welcome to each thank you. Then came the milk. Again, six times we heard thank you and six times, you’re welcome. Then Ruby brought the salads. After the third thank you with no response from Ruby, Robert said, it’s too bad your Mom didn’t teach you very good manners. Ruby had just placed the last salad on the table. She stepped back, put her hands on her hips and said, what? You mean because I didn’t say thank you? Robert nodded his head yes Ma’am. Ruby said, I have to make several more trips to this table. I tell you what. Don’t say thank you any more until I’m all through. Then you can all say it one time, and that will be for everything. I will say you’re welcome one time, and that will be for all of you. OK? Is it a deal? The kids looked at each other and then they all nodded in agreement. Robert said, it’s a deal. and stuck out his hand. Ruby looked at his hand and said, what! We made a deal. We have to shake on it. Robert said. As Ruby shook his hand she said, I don’t need to shake hands with all of you, do I?

We had all just about finished eating when the cook came out of the kitchen. She said, there’s a little girl in the kitchen. She came in carrying her dishes and asked ‘where’s the sink, please?’ I told her I would take the dishes but she won’t give them to me. She said it’s her job to put them in the sink. I checked the kid booth. Susan was missing. The other kids were getting their dishes ready to take to the kitchen too. I had not thought to tell them not to do that. This was their first time in a restaurant other than fast food places. As we were leaving Ruby said, the kids are so well behaved and have such nice manners, you are welcome to come back any time. As a matter of fact, if you want to come back tomorrow afternoon I would like to give you all a treat on the house.

On the way back to the campground Susan, Vince and Robert looked back at the cafe several times. Then they stopped and stood looking at the roof. I stoped and waited. The three of them talked, their heads together. They came to me and Vince said, it’s real nice of that lady to give us a treat. What do you think it is? I said, I don’t know, maybe some ice cream. The kids looked back at the cafe again. Then Vince said, but Mom, why does she want to give it to us on the house? Robert said, yeah! And how are we suppose ta get up there? Susan, with trembling chin said, "I don’t want anything on the house!"

When Debra was about two years old she ended up in the deep water some how. I didn’t know how to swim, and no one else was close enough to get to her in time to keep her from being carried down stream. I went in after her. After we had both gone under a couple of times, I managed to turn on my back, put her on my chest, and paddle with my feet. I wasn’t getting anywhere, but we were not going down river. Another camper rescued us. We went home the next day as planned. A few days later we went to Chuck’s. (Howard’s ex-brother-inlaw) I got in their pool and did not come out until I could swim!

Daddy went with us the summer the kids learned to swim. We found a place where the water was shallow enough, and ran very slow. Howard showed them how to swim, then standing up, he demonstrated how to do strokes with his arms. He explained the position and movements of the feet and legs. They caught on pretty quick. When they tired of swimming they rested a short while and began to play…I think it’s called chicken fight. You stand, with someone on your back, and the ones on backs try to push or pull another back rider into the water….or something like that. Steven got in some water over his head and went under. Daddy stood up and took a few steps. Steven came up, sputtering, then went under again. Daddy looked at Howard and said, Aren’t you going after him? Howard said, He hasn’t gone down the third time yet. Steven came up and swam to safety.

We were staying in the cabin. The older kids were on the other side of the river with Howard, Sierra and Lynn. The little kids were playing around the cabin. Sierra’s son Jim was visiting, and had gone for a walk. I saw Jim, holding Debra, run down to the river. He stopped at the edge, bending down to the water. When he came back, he was rather pale. Three year old Debra wasn’t very happy. She told me Jim had let her new pet go. Jim explained that just as he came around the corner of the cabin, a rattlesnake about eight inches long had struck at Debra, who was sitting on the ground. She had somehow grabbed it just below it’s head. Jim put his hand over hers, and holding tightly, rushed to the river and held the snake under the water until it drowned. Debra was very mad at Jim for letting her new pet go, but I was very grateful!

HOT FUDGE SUNDAE

COLLEEN CHAPMAN

D orothy, Susan and I went to Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey. After walking the length of the wharf, watching the Pelicans, Sea Lions, browsing the shops, etc., we stopped to get ice cream. As we stood in line, Dorothy read the menu on the wall. She laughed and said, you know, sodas always make me hiccup. I guess I’m not the only one. Look. That sign says Coke, 7UP, Sprite, HIC, Coffee and Tea. When Dorothy read hic, she made a hiccup sound. I looked at the menu. HIC was at an angle above the rest of the list of drinks. I said, Dorothy, that says Hi C. A drink. We had a good laugh. We finally got up to the Counter. Susan ordered for the three of us. Three Hot Fudge Sundays in a Waffle cone please. The young man stood and stared at her, so she repeated the order. He said, uh-it-uh-I don’t uh… I told Sue, he thinks you want all three Sundays in one cone, and he doesn’t think he can do that! Sue sighed, and very slowly and patiently said, We three are together. We each want a hot fudge sundae in a waffle cone. One for her, one for her and one for me." The young man blushed and made the sundaes very fast and extra good. The first time I had a hot fudge Sundae I was living with Ruby and her family. We were on our way to Phoenix and stopped for ice cream. Carl ordered, then Ruby ordered for the kids. She said she thought she would have an ice cream Sunday. She asked if I wanted to too. Before we stopped she and Carl had been discussing their budget. I thought she didn’t have enough money for all of us to have ice cream now, so she and I were going to wait until Sunday for ours. Trying to be a good sport and hide my disappointment, I said yes. What a pleasant surprise!

JUST ONE OF THOSE DAYS

COLLEEN CHAPMAN

P earl, Sandra and I had a date to meet in Salinas for lunch. I took a bath, soaking in our huge bathtub for a long time. It was very relaxing, and it felt good to take my time instead of being in a hurry as I usually am. Just as I started to get dressed, I noticed a spot on my pants. I finished getting ready, intending to get another pair of pants from the bedroom when I went in there to get my shoes. I stopped at the Drug store to pick up some prescriptions before going on to Salinas. I was wearing black pants and looked at them as I got out of the car, checking for white hairs from my dog. (I keep a cloths brush in my car.) Then the cool air hit my legs. It felt cooler than it should have. Then I realized the black I was seeing was my pantyhose! I went back home and finished getting dressed. In the past I have left home without my purse, or my shoes, and a couple of times without my bridge, but never without my pants! I was a little late getting to Salinas. We had a nice lunch, did a little shopping, sat and talked for a while, then went our separate ways. I went to Costco’s. After parking the car, I did not put the gear in park as I usually do. As I slid the seat back, the car rolled forward, bumping the car in front of me. I got out to see if any damage had been done. There was no damage, so I continued to the store. Just as I got to the door, I realized my purse was in the car. Back to the car I went. The door was locked. The keys were in the car. Out of habit, I had slid the lock with my thumb as I got out of the car. The window was down just an inch or two. I went to the tire shop to get a clothes hanger. They send their uniforms to the cleaners, so I knew they would have hangers. After explaining what I wanted it for, the nice man straightened it out, and bent it so it made a good tool to