Reply to thread

So, picture this: It’s 5:05 PM, the job is done, the gear is back in the van and I’m ready to roll to the last job of my day. I stroll confidently to the electronic gate, push the button… and nothing. No movement, no reassuring hum of mechanics, just cold, stubborn silence.

No big deal. I push it again. And again. And again. Still nothing!

I know the owners are out, but they’ve got a Ring doorbell, so I give that a go. No answer.

Time for the phone. Three calls to the lady of the house—straight to voicemail. Either she’s in a bunker or she’s seen my name pop up and thought, Not my problem!

Desperation kicks in. I start knocking on neighbors’ doors like a stranded hitchhiker. “Excuse me, do you have a magic key to the fortress next door?” No luck.

Finally, I get through to the owners, and that’s when I learn the punchline: The gate automatically locks after 5 PM. No code, no override—just a cold, mechanical you shall not pass. And the only way out? A fob. That is, of course, safely tucked away in the house. And the customers are in London for the night.

I never thought I’d be commuting from work by train as a window cleaner, but it appears there is a first time for everything!! Ha ha!