One October many years ago, I locked myself out of my car twice inside of a month because I was preoccupied with a school Hallowe'en party for 500. I couldn't guarantee that I would never be that preoccupied again, so I cultivated the habit of never, ever closing a door (even an unlocked one) without looking at the key in my hand while I do so.

It's not a phobia. It's a learned behavior based on past experience. Just like taking an aggressively defensive posture is for left-wing posters here.

If you want to look at the reason, look at the conditioning.

If you want us to get over it, you all will have to maintain the level of civility that I have seen here over the last several days. It takes a while to undo a learned behavior. Don't reinforce the training, OK?

Regards--
Mary Anne