The Key to Never Going Anywhere

Back when I was a teen, one day my mother and I were planning to go out somewhere. I think we were going shopping, I don't recall exactly.

Anyway, there was a major hindrance to our plan: we couldn't find the car keys. They had vanished, and we couldn't find them anywhere. Mom and I were combing the house, trying to locate the missing objects, for what seemed like ages.

Finally, we found them in some random, nonsensical spot. With the infernal pieces of metal located, we headed outside to the van. We got in, Mom put the key in the ignition... and it wouldn't start.

 

Oh, did you want to go somewhere today?

 

Needless to say, we didn't get things done that day. It seemed we weren't fated to go anywhere, despite all our efforts.