The next day we decided to go out and walk the Atlanta Belt Line. I had never been there before and from the way that R talked about it, it sounded pretty damn amazing. It’s this area in Atlanta where people can walk their dogs, go out for a run, or just chill and have some fun while they are all surrounded by art pieces that they pay artists to put up. So we decided to go ahead and go out and do that for the day. The weather was perfect, we had a nice breeze and I generally love getting out and seeing new places. I’ve been to Atlanta a lot in the past year but I hadn’t really had the chance to explore and really see what was around. 

So we packed up, got Ataneq ready and went to the belt line. After we had found a parking spot we went ahead and started out on this wonderful journey. It was about a half mile to the belt line we took our time and enjoyed the graffiti and murals. It was quite the site and I enjoyed the idea that the area was given to the artists themselves. Once we got through this tunnel we made our way to this restaurant that looked and sounded absolutely delicious. It was this cool little Mexican restaurant that had a outdoor patio. I went inside while R took care of Ataneq and asked if they allowed dogs on the patio. They said yes and I gave them my name and number. It was a thirty minute. To pass the time we walked around a little bit and I got to check out the inside of this little indoor mall. Very quick and brief but still fun to see. 

Once the thirty minutes was up we got our table and made ourselves comfortable. It was a wonderful day out and really I wanted to enjoy myself and the just be in the presence of my friend. The nice thing about R (besides the fact that he always has something going on and is never boring) is that he and I can sit in comfortable silence and it’s not awkward in the slightest. Sometimes you meet people that get lost in their technology or cut off conversations or just in general make you feel like you’re never interesting but with R that's something that I haven’t experienced yet. So we sat, lightly chatted, had some laughs, and I got to learn about his friends and all the drama that comes with it. In general it felt good to just have some time together and to get to know more about this guy’s life. 

After we had some food, a drink, and some delicious desert we got up and started the trek down the Belt line. Let me just say that I understand why it's a popular spot. Its right in the middle of everything and the art is amazing. They had murals; graffiti, statues, sculptures, and just little random areas of spray-paint. They had places you could shop and areas where you could walk and play in the grass. We even went by a bunch of houses and apartments. All along the way I took some photos and enjoyed the nice weather. Soon it’s going to be blazing hot and doing something like the Belt line will be a chore. 

When we reached the end of the belt line we went inside this cute little dog store and had Ataneq pick out a treat for being so awesome and for putting up with our adventures. We could tell that he was tired and that he had definitely had his fill. 

Once we got that for him we started back on the belt line and really just walked in silence. It was a little over five miles so we both were pretty tired. Good food, nice weather, Ataneq to keep us on our toes, and some time alone was really quite the adventure. So we decided that once we got back to the car that we would go and get some bubble tea as a reward. 

And of course something always happens with R so the adventure doesn’t stop there. We get to the car, he unlocks the car, opens the door, is helping Ataneq out and suddenly there is this clanging sound. At first I thought that it was his phone that dropped and I was feeling the pain of his screen possibly cracking. Yet it was worse than that. I turn around and I hear him as he curses. Right underneath him is a drain and he just so happened to drop....-dramatic drum roll-....his key! Yes the key to the car is in the storm drain. He looks at me, looks at the drain, and curses. He takes a moment, turns on his flashlight on his phone and looks down into the drain. I don’t know how he got so damn lucky but the key was in sight and it was reachable if he had a long stick and some tape. So without a moment’s notice he decides to move the car back so that he can see if he can lift the grate. He takes of the emergency brake and the car moves back (it was on a slight hill) and once it stops he gets out and moves it back further until he tells me to pull the brake up. 

Once that is done and the car is out of the way he tries to lift the grate. Its sealed into the ground. Fantastic. He looks at me and we start trying to figure out what we can do. We can go to a CVS but it’s a 20 minute walk and we would have to take Ataneq with us. We think that we can take an ober but I already was tired as it was. We would have to get the ober, get the spare, get another ober and come back. Jesus, it was a lot. After a minute of thinking he realizes that he has an umbrella in the back of his car. He tests the length in the storm drain and it can reach the key but he needs tape to make a sticky surface. Once that is established he decides to make his way to the church nearby so that he can ask for tape. Luckily though he didn’t get far before he ran into some people who were walking by. They had groceries so he asked where they got them from and behold, they know people who live in the neighborhood who can help us. 

So they come over to the car, we tell them what happened and they head off to the house of a friend they know. After a few minutes they come out with some supplies to help reach the key and of course a roll of tape. These guys had tongs, a spatula that was long but not long enough, and a wire. R takes the tape and makes a wide surface on the end of the umbrella. Then very carefully he makes his move. The key sticks to the tape and with patience and slow movements we get the key out of drain. I literally have never felt so much relief. No extra walking, no extra spending, just luck. 

We thanked the people who helped us and after some laughs, a photo, and a smile we all departed our ways. I can say that after that we definitely deserved some bubble tea and the wait was so worth it. 

So next time your key is in a storm drain just remember. If you have a long stick and something stick to put on the end of it, you may be able to save it and get it back.