Locked Out & Down (Mini Tour of Princeton)

Leave it to me to get locked out of my rental car. I've been so careful this entire trip. On my way home from a business trip I decided to stop in Princeton, NJ for a late lunch. Princeton has a super quaint downtown. I ate lunch at The Yankee Doodle Tap Room, a historic establishment with famous Princeton alum pics hanging on its walls.

After I finish lunch, I get dressed back in my winter gear, reach into my pocket, and find only a glove. Uh oh. There should be keys and a glove. I look all around my seat and table. No keys. I leave my phone number with the restaurant host just in case. I head back to my car. Yep there they are! Plainly in sight in the passenger seat. I've locked myself out of my car before so I keep a spare key in my purse. It's in my purse right now. But darn de darn darn darn this is a rental car with no spare keys. 

My keys hanging out with my gps dock.

I headed to the nearest coffee & ice cream shop, Halo Pub. The plan was to buy a latte and hang out there. But dang it CASH ONLY. Ok I'll make my call to roadside service and find another cafe. I call Avis' roadside service and after going through 5 menus finally reach an operator. Bless her heart the woman was nice enough but had no empathy. First thing I needed to do was get the MVA # from the keys. "Keys are locked in the car," I say. I'm told I need to get the # from the tag sticker on the car window. Pile the winter gear back on and head to my car in the parking garage. Bad phone reception so she doesn't hear what I say. Back out into the freezing cold to give her the number. 

Now she needs the place and location. Let's play the fortune cookie [in bed] game. "Please spell the garage name" [in the freezing cold]. "Tell me the address" [in the freezing cold]. "Oh you don't know the exact address? Well let me list random places that may be near you" [while you stand in the freezing cold]. I try to be as nice as possible but it is freaking cold so I half yell half speak. "I don't know any of the places you're listing. I'm standing in the middle of an outdoor shopping center and it's freezing!" Unfortunately, she doesn't get the hint. "Ok I'm just trying to determine your exact location. Is the Princeton Soup Company near you..." "YES YES," I shout. "...Is this [insert shop/restaurant name] near you?" [repeat 5 times] "The soup company is right across the street ok?!?" I screech... say it with me... in the freezing cold. "I'm just trying to determine what's near you" she says patiently. You'd think she's trying to talk me off a ledge. I'm freezing to death and she doesn't pick up the pace of her speech even one iota of a second. 

We finally finish and I head to Infini-T cafe across the street. Credit cards accepted yay! Order a hazelnut latte and wait. Get a call and answer but I hear nothing on the other end. Grrr one bar of reception. Head back outside and call back. "Did you call me?" I ask. "Yeah I did. I was just there but since you didn't answer the phone I left," says the guy at the other end of the line. Ugh SERIOUSLY?! "I'll be back in 45 minutes. Make sure you answer the phone, " he continues. "I'll try," I say. WRONG REPLY. "You'll try???" Ok time to backtrack. "Sorry it's just I have one bar of reception. Reception in Princeton is horrible." He finally has a little empathy, we agree to text, and hang up. Now where do I go? Can't stay at Infini-T. I'm not hungry or thirsty so can't go to another cafe or food shop. Back to Nassau Inn! The Yankee Doodle Tap Room is the restaurant in Nassau Inn so I kinda was there earlier.

I head over and plop myself down in a chair on the first floor. Check my phone and it indicates one bar of reception. Ugh. Head to the second floor where there's a nicer sitting area. Two/three bars hooray! My phone is dying so I charge it through my computer. Oh did I mention I've been carrying a laptop throughout this adventure? It's not even in a bag. I'm literally carrying the laptop in my arms. After 45 min, I get a text he's coming in 15 min so I head back out. I wait outside of the garage but after a few minutes, I realize that is a crazy idea and take refuge at Halo Pub. After 15 min the guy calls me. "What is your exact address?" Oh no, not this again. "I have cross streets but I need an exact address." I'm slightly stressed so I start to talk fast to explain why I don't have an address which is met by the following response: "No I don't know Palmer Square. And I'll ask the questions ok??" Poop. I ask a guy working at the store for the address and I relay the info the service guy. Finally he arrives... in a Honda Civic. Uh.. ok. And finally, finally!, he gets my car unlocked so I can retrieve my keys.

Hope you enjoyed your mini tour of Princeton! Shop local!