Bathroom Tragedy

OK we just had our scariest experience in Georgia! We were both in the bathroom at the same time, a rare occurrence. Sister Reese was doing makeup and I was just out of the shower dressed in only my underwear. (My clothes were in the other room where I get dressed.) I went to try the door handle only to find it didn’t work. “Sister Reese, why did you lock the door?” First thing, oh it must just be stuck a little. Several hard yanks proved that it was not just stuck but it was locked! I fiddled with the handle, pulled, tugged and started to panic. We are stuck in the bathroom! We have no phone! We are in an apartment that is locked and cannot be opened from the outside. How long would it take before anybody would wonder why we don’t answer the phone, don’t answer the door? We have no food. I’m standing in my underwear! ! We do have water and heat. OK try to remain calm. I examined the door handle and realized although the handle was turning the bolt was not moving. Further examination showed that all the screws on the handle were star hex type. Hmm? Hinges! Nope they are not like US not even anything can be done there. Tools? Ok Sister Reese was working on that. What do we have to work with? Here is what she came up with; bobby pin, large plastic hair clip, small metal hair clip, metal hair band, hair brush, and tweezers. I tried everything on the door handle screws, nothing worked. Little more panic and claustrophobic thoughts are coming on and I’m trying to push them back. OK what next? At this point Sister Reese is sitting on the toilet praying. One thing about doors in Georgia is that they are made very safe and very secure in construction. We are in a concrete block room. OK the glass in the door. If we can break it can we get through? I put my head up and realize maybe, but it would be very tight, but hips are not going through. Could Sister Reese fit? What about glass shards and edges, we would be cut to shreds. But maybe someone could at least hear us at that point. What do we have to even break the glass? I look around and see the metal bath scales. OK that will work. Think. Think. Think! OK, what about trying to remove the glass intact? The glass is held in place by a wood frame. Can I get the frame off and then remove the glass? I started working on the frame using the hair band, tweezers, and the brush and was finally able to remove all four pieces. The glass is not imbedded in the solid wood door but is now held in place by silicone glue to the frame on the other side. Luckily only in about six places! That was a blessing! I scraped the glue around the glass with the small metal hair clip and was able to push the glass a little to one side and with the now bent hair pin was able to slide it under the glass and pull it toward me enough that I could get the hair brush behind and carefully pull it out. Yea! This was somehow a tremendous relief and the thought was maybe we have hope now, at least someone might be able to hear us yell. Sister Reese was going to try to fit through but I reached around to see if the other handle would work…FREE! Oh what a feeling that was when that door opened. Just another day in the life of a Senior Missionary?