Let me tell you, Thursday — especially Thursday night — was one wild ride for me.
I came into work early that morning as usual. I put in several decent hours before leaving to do a photo shoot/interview early in the afternoon.
I left there and went to my apartment before heading to the Tharptown-Colbert Heights basketball games.
I know none of this seems unusual yet. Trust me, I’m getting there.
I left my car parked in the rain at Tharptown’s gym. I had to put a plastic bag over my camera to keep it from getting wet — and breaking.
I sat in the gym watching the B-team girls play for awhile before noticing that my car keys were not in my pocket. I searched the surrounding area to no avail.
I searched outside on the ground before looking in my car to see if I had locked them in.
I couldn’t see anything in the dark with only my phone for light, so I went inside to request assistance.
I was told to speak to Gary Odom, the Tharptown principal. I found him working the concession stand.
He asked another employee where a flashlight was before walking to the school in the rain to go get it.
After giving me the flashlight, I finally found my keys — on the console of my locked car. At least I knew where they were.
As I went inside to find a phone book to call a locksmith, a man from Colbert Heights overheard me. He said that a buddy of his he worked with was already on the way to help unlock the door.
How could he have known about this already?
Turns out, I was not the only person to lock my keys in my car AT THARPTOWN on THAT night.
After spending several minutes — in the rain — unlocking the first vehicle, my door was open in less than five minutes.
I would like to thank Mr. Odom, the nice gentleman who spoke with me at the gym door during my wait, and the two good Samaritans — who wished to remain anonymous — who got me into my car, which subsequently allowed me to get home.

J.R. Tidwell is sports editor for The Franklin County Times. He can be reached at (256) 332-1881, ext. 31.