In an episode of the show Breaking Bad, the drama starring Bryan Cranston as Walter White, a teacher turned drug lord (that was set in Albuquerque) , White’s wife, Skylar, needs to get into his house. She’s locked out and decides to call an Albuquerque locksmith.
The locksmith arrives, but of course (since she’s actually breaking in) she has no ID – or any proof – that she actually lives in the house. She claims her purse was stolen.
The locksmith (quite realistically) states that he can’t just open the door for her without proof she lives there. She has her baby with her, and in a ruse (most of the characters in the show have a keen sense of deception) she goes into a panic, even handing her baby to the locksmith as she’s about to faint.
The locksmith, confused and feeling panic, finally just opens the door for her – gratis. He just gets out of there.
This scene brings up an interesting question. What are your options when you’re locked out of your house? What if you’ve lost all your IDs, so you don’t have any proof you actually live there?
What if it’s the middle of summer in Albuquerque and you’re about to pass out (for real) from the heat?
Here are some suggestions from Bill’s Lock and Key.