We are told that St. Peter has the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and that he stands in front of a wrought iron gate only allowing in certain people who have lived exemplary lives. I suspect that he has only one large key (maybe a skeleton key—heh, heh), unlike the millions of Americans who every day lug around circular metal rings containing multiple keys, laminated family pictures, a Swiss army knife, and access cards with a bar code from various department stores, coffee shops, and supermarkets.

In that regard, I am always amazed at the number of keys and artifacts some people carry around in their pockets, jackets, and purses. Some are reminiscent of what a dungeon guard might be carrying. To get a good sampling of key rings, look no further than a parking valet’s board. There you will see key fobs with a couple of keys and of course a wad of keys that must weigh several pounds.

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