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Monday, January 10, 2011

Remembering Codes

        Recently our daughter and family went on a family trip. She had set her alarm for instant response.
When you do this, you have to cancel it before entering via the remote. It may not be the only way, but it is the safest. Otherwise, you will have the phone ringing and the police arriving.

        They had driven all day, were tired, grumpy and ready for a night in their own house and a good night's sleep in their own beds.

         When they got ready for staying in daughter set the alarm.

         And punched the wrong button.

         Seconds later her phone rang.

         "Hello?"

         " Mrs. M?"
        
          "Yes?"

          " This is the alarm company. Is everything okay? Are you in a hostage situation?"

          "What???????????

          " No,no, no.  I just pushed the wrong button." said Mrs. M with a laugh.

           " What is your clear code word, ma'am?" the voice asked.

           " Sorry? What code word? Crap. Code word. What is the code word?"
    
           " Ma'am, you have a four letter code word that gives us the all clear. I need to know that word."

           " Well, crap, so do I. The only four letter I can think of right now is crap. There are others, but pretty sure you don't want to hear them."

           " Is there someone else who knows the code word? Shall I call the next person on your list?'

          " Okay. And I will try to find the word." Mrs. M now calls her mom, who was there when the alarm system was installed and is the back-up contact.

           " Mom? You are going to get a call from the alarm people wanting to know the all clear code word. I hit the wrong button and if I don't tell them the word, the police will make a trek to my house with guns pulled, because they think it may be a hostage situation.
           " Please tell me you know the word. Crap. I looked everywhere and the only four letter word that comes out of my mouth right now, is crap. Pretty sure that isn't it."

           Mom with cell phone in her ear, saying, " Code word. What is the code word" and daughter on phone is saying," I DON"T KNOW".

           This conversation goes on for a bit and the house phone rings.

           Dad picks it up. It is the alarm people.

            He walks into room and says, "Honey, ?"

           Mom looks at him and says it is the alarm people, right? He says yes.

           " They want to know what the all clear code is. I don't know what they are talking about. What is the code?" He asks with a puzzled look.

           Mom is still on the phone with daughter and is saying," Code. What is the code?" and daughter is yelling,"I don't know. I don't know."

          Mom is trying to think of the word, when, miraculously, the word comes to her.

          She tells dad. Dad tells the alarm people. They are happy. Police do not show up at daughter's door. She is very happy.

          Code word is NOT changed to crap. She figured that if she was ever in a situation to need help and the alarm people called that would be all she could think of to say, and they would clear the call and the police would not come.

          It is always nice when your back-up comes through for you.