Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes

Keys fascinate me. A bolted door piques my curiosity, and my imagination runs wild creating untold treasures. I concoct amazing stories about the object’s origins, imbue it with symbolism and lore, and develop a seemingly impossible history for how it came to be in the current owner’s possession. I don’t understand the logic of hiding cherished pieces from prying eyes. Shrouded in darkness, sealed tight, the owner prohibits even themselves from enjoying the beauty of their hoarded cache.

People hold deep-seated feelings and valid reasons for bolting their homes or leaving them unlocked. Ironclad defenses prevent theft, some say, while others profess criminals will find an entry by picking a lock or breaking a window. Locks only deter the honest.

Contrary to popular belief, having wide-open doors is not a brazen phenomenon unique to rural homeowners. One thirty-year New York City resident admitted never locking her apartment. Another individual stated…