We live in a high-tech world, full of computers, gadgets, cell phones and pagers. But isn’t is amazing how a low-tech item, such as a set of keys, can have a profound effect on our lives?
Keys have a long history. References to them can be found in the Bible. Even in colonial America, historical documents make references to stagecoach drivers calling the AAA because they locked their keys inside their carriage.
In modern times, keys often reflect our personality and our loyalties. Someone invented key rings just for this purpose. They do not seem to serve any tangible purpose, other than a means of expressing yourself. How many of us have driven 50 miles out of our way to get a free key ring that a radio station was giving out? We often show loyalty to our employer by carrying an official company key ring. Do you have a favorite sports team? Next time you’re at a game, buy an officially licensed key ring so you can show your support for the home team. And if you can’t decide which of your many key rings to use, simply attach them all together.
Keys can also be a way to symbolize status. If you’ve spent many years climbing the corporate ladder, you’ll be rewarded with the key to the executive washroom. For many, this is much more significant than a substantial raise or a new corner office. You now have your own private entry into an elite club, and you can hobnob with the movers and shakers of your company while you dry your hands together. With that substantial raise, you can finally buy that expensive Yugoslavian sports car that you’ve been dreaming about ever since you were 16 years old. Of course, the fancier that car, the more elaborate the ignition key will be. This is so that when you unlock the door to the executive washroom, your colleagues will look at your key ring, and will immediately know that you’re the owner of a luxury eastern European automobile.
Your key ring can also show the level of responsibility that you’ve been given at your job. The more keys that a person has, the more areas that they will have access to. You can often tell who the senior employee is by the number of keys on their key ring. After many years of service, it may be possible to gain possession of a coveted master key, with access to everywhere. And if you work in a retail store, becoming a keyholder shows that you’re moving up through the ranks, and have achieved a level of responsibility that is not granted to all associates.
Keys can also be used as symbols for milestones that you’ve achieved in life or in an important relationship. If a local government is honoring you, they may give you the “key to the city”. This is a symbolic way of recognizing one’s contribution to the community. But in early times, imagine leaving the safety of a walled city-state to go hunting and gathering. If you left your key to the city at home, you could not get back in, and would have to aimlessly wander throughout the country, at least until you called the AAA to unlock the main gate for you.
And if you’ve found that special someone, you may want to give her the key to your heart. Of course, it’s not as romantic if it’s your company’s magnetic card-key, with photo identification that shows you wearing your pocket protector and an ugly tie.