Just call me Lucy...

Boy, did I have a comedy of errors one morning. I was inspecting a foreclosed property for the bank. It was a warm, sunny, dry day in South Los Angeles. And I was in a pretty good mood. Here are the events that unfolded:

• Deadbolt key fits, but won't turn. All other front door locks working. Will try the back door. Is behind iron gate with mesh panel and block wall sides. Deadbolt on gate opens fine, hand over top to raise latch, check. Gate won't move.
  
• Realize something is holding gate in place at bottom. Can't raise myself over top of fence, I would have though that was easy. I apparently have less upper body strength than I thought. Ripped my latex gloves on the cinder blocks. I'm OK with it, could have been my hands.
  
• Thought about driving my car up to stand on it…but don't want to damage the car. So, I look around for something else to stand on. I find a huge tire in the front yard – not a junky yard, just a yard with a huge tire in it.
  
• I lay the tire down, it is not tall enough. I sit it on end and think I can balance myself. I can! I am not high enough to lift myself over without the tire rolling, but I can see there is a lever at the bottom of the gate on the other side. I look around and remember the sprinkler stick leaning against the front of the house. I jump down from the tire. Ouch - my ankle hurts.
• I get the sprinkler thingy and get back on the tire. In doing so, don't know how this happened…my keys are magically lifted out of the pocket of my tight jeans and over the fence. Now I have to get in or I will be marooned in South Central. I check and make sure I at least still have my phone in the other pocket.
• I am sweating like a whore in church. Must…get…in. I use the handle of the sprinkler stick to lift the lever. I tell myself "you go, girl" and at the same time realize my legs are too close together and I am not balanced on the tire…which is now rolling away, leaving me with one sleeve stuck on the iron arrows at the top of the gate…which I am hanging onto for dear life but trying not to move it and drop the lever down again.
  
• OK, I got a little banged up trying not to rip my shirt, but no blood and no tow truck. And thank God for padded bras. I haven't done the splits since 1969.
  

Tomorrow I will probably be sore. Right now I am laughing so hard I have tears. The house is great and worth the trouble. But had I taken in the whole picture on arrival, I would have noticed that the narrow gate on the other side of the house was unlocked.

All in a day's work. Everyone thinks Realtors make tons of money and drive fancy cars. But they don't see how hard we work and the crazy things we are called upon to do for our clients. I can't tell you how many times I've encountered a dead rat, a cabinet infested with bugs or a not so friendly doggie. My family and friends think I'm a princess. My clients think I'm the cat's pajamas. I think I've got the most fun job on the planet, bruises and all!