Most Embarrassing Moment to Date

Saturday was a warm, sunny day in Bern. After doing a few things, we all wandered down to the Saturday open market so that the kids could have some tacos from the "taco guy" (as we lovingly refer to him).

Izzi and Xavier sat on the edge of one of Bern's many fountains, with Todd and I standing near. I reached into my backpack to retrieve Izzi's water bottle, and decided that I should move my house key to a safer pocket. I grab the key and it slips out of my hands. Little did I know, I was standing on top of a grate-covered street drain. Down my key went.

This may seem like a small tragedy, but Todd warned me on my arrival, "The Swiss are mad about their keys. Do not lose your key!". The key for our flat is a sort of master key, opening our mailbox, the main door, our cellar door and our storage room door. So, if someone loses a key, all the locks in our building need to be refitted and we pay the bill.

So, I ask a nice Swiss man next to us if he has any idea if there is street worker around, or if he knows where I could report the "dropping down the drain of my key". I end up walking to the nearby Police building and talking with the receptionist. She calls a car nearby and two police officers show after about 20 minutes and walk back to the fountain with me. They are unable to remove the grate on the drain. They make a couple of phone calls and 30-40 minutes later 3 firefighters arrive with a crowbar, a pick-ax and a magnet on a rope. After about 10minutes they retrieve my key. This all takes place in the very busy central market in Bern with many Swiss watching and stopping by to enquire why such a force of public servants is standing around a fountain in Barenplatz. (Helping a foreigner of all things!!)

I thanked the crew and quickly disappeared. A friend here shared a story after hearing my tale. A colleague of her husband lost a key for the hospital they work at. All the locks were replaced and the doctor had to cover the bill...40,0000chf.

I am supposed to be getting a bill from the Fire Department for their service. I'm nervous to see what the amount will be, but with the timing of billing in CH, it might be six months or so before it arrives.