Locked Out!

This just happened this evening and is one of those "Only in China" moments. 

Earlier this evening the building management sent over a repair person to fix a few things in my apartment - a broken toilet, some special lightbulbs and the door handle on the front door.  Basically the door handle from the inside was loose and needed to be adjusted.  All in all it took the guy about 20 minutes and he charged me 60rmb (under $10).  Pretty nice value.  So I went out to dinner.  Upon coming back, my key went in the lock but nothing turned.  I tried again and again but no luck. 

I then had to go the management office to explain it to someone who only spoke ok English.  At first his reply was "someone would come tomorrow."  When I explained I can't get it at all to my apartment and showed him my key, he proceeded to go into the cabinets and give me my spare key.  So back I went knowing it wouldn't work and guess what?  It didn't.

So back to the office at this point.  He then realizes this issue isn't going away on his clock.  So he calls no less than 30 locksmiths, none of whom answer the phone.  He keeps telling me "wait a minute."  Finally someone calls and says they will be over in 10 minutes.  So back over to my apartment we go. 

The locksmith arrives...in his pajamas with no socks on and looking dead asleep still.  But he is friendly.  We get to my unit and I pull out the key and he looks at me like I'm crazy.  I guess he thought I simply locked myself out.  He then realizes the problem.  Basically when it was "fixed" earlier in the evening the repair man reversed the lock on the inside making it impossible to use the key.

He tries all sorts of tools but nothing is working.  He is making plenty of noise too using a hammer at one point.  Finally he pulls out a metallic sheet a little bigger than a credit card.  After another 15 minutes or so with that, the door pops open and I'm back inside.  He spends a few more minutes fixing the "fixed" lock and then...they bill me 200rmb ($32).  Really?  Now I have no problem with him being paid and so I gladly gave him the money.  But the idea that the building management guy thinks I should pay for this is absurd! 

Ahh life in China!