Argentina Story: 60 Keys

After a few years living in Argentina I wanted to buy a condo.

I was doing some research online (another post coming on that process) and found one that appeared to be nice so we setup a showing with the real estate agent.

When I get there he’s waiting out front and we start talking. Eventually the conversation dies down and we’re still just standing there awkwardly so I ask - Entramos? - Should we go in?

No tengo las llaves. Ah, ok so we wait for the maintenance guy who has the keys.

The building maintenance shows up – he couldn’t have been taller than 5’4” - and we head inside the building. When we get to the door the little maintenance guy pulls out a key ring with about 60 keys on it - one for every unit in the place.

Good time to mention that Argentina uses the skeleton key which make a key ring full of 60 of these babies quite the site.

He starts trying the keys in the door … one by one! Haha no way, I'm thinking.

We wait. 30 keys in, nothing. 50 keys in, nothing.

Gets to the last key on the ring … moment of truth, right? … it doesn’t work.

Y ahora? What now? I said.

Well I have another apartment available in this same building on a higher floor. Do you want to check that one out? Sure, I'm already here.

We go upstairs and out come the keys again. Luckily, this time about 15 keys in – success! The door opens.

The little maintenance guy goes in 1st followed by me, then the real estate agent. As I walk I'm thinking, that’s odd this one comes fully furnished?

Then the little maintenance turns around in a panic and says “che, está ocupado” - dude, this place is occupied - and he starts sprinting out of the apartment like George Costanza:

We quickly leave and close the door.

We go back outside and the real estate agent says “ok, so we’ll be in touch”.

Haha yeah right. I'm still renting.