“Did you have to call someone in order to be able to leave?”
It was pre-cellphone days. I called Hubby from the front desk to let him know. Then I was able to get out the front door and to the car, but if I’d forgotten anything, it would’ve been a problem. In California, so not bitter cold, but definitely dark.
I'm glad you didn't need a code to use the front desk phone to call your husband. Yours is the first time I've ever heard of that happening to someone, but I'm sure there are plenty of other horror stories like it. I hope they didn't bill you for the visit you never got.