Alibi Encyclopedia · absurd

A Ghost Took My Keys

Sometimes the supernatural is the only honest explanation for where your keys go.

For entertainment purposes only

The scenario

You put your keys on the counter. You walked into the next room. You came back. The keys were gone. The dog looked nervous. The lights were, briefly, weird.

You've ruled out everything else. They aren't in your bag, your pocket, your jacket, the freezer, the laundry basket, or the front door. They're not under the couch. You checked the couch four times. At this point, the most rational remaining explanation is a polite poltergeist with a sense of humor and an opinion about your schedule.

You eventually found the keys in the bathroom sink, which you had not been in. The ghost has, at minimum, a sense of comedic timing. You will be late.

Why it works

Universal frustration energy. Anyone who has ever lost their keys for ninety unhinged minutes will sympathize, and the ghost framing gives the story a tidy beginning, middle, and end.

How to deliver it

  • Sound genuinely shaken.
  • Describe the bathroom-sink moment in hushed tones.
  • Refuse to make eye contact with mirrors for the rest of the day.
  • Offer to bring sage to the next meeting.

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