Joshua Lyman's Keys (missing in S1E14 — Take This Sabbath Day)

A compact cluster of metal keys on a small ring — the script does not list precise appearance — implied to be everyday house and/or car keys carried in a pocket. The keys exist primarily as a reported absence: Josh tells others he cannot find them, and their loss rattles him. Other characters react to the missing keys (Donna scolds and mobilizes him), using the absence as proof of his disorientation after the party.

1 appearances

Purpose

To lock and unlock doors and to operate vehicle ignition — practical objects that grant access to Josh's home and transportation.

Significance

Serves as a plot obstacle and character marker: the missing keys explain why Josh did not go home, dramatize his personal chaos and impaired judgment, and trigger Donna's intervention to restore order before a crucial meeting.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

1 moments

S1E14 · Take This Sabbath Day

Morning After: Donna Drags Hungover Josh to the Meeting

Josh reports he "couldn't find my keys," making the keys a narrative absence that explains why he didn't go home and underlines his disorientation. The missing keys operate as a practical obstacle and shorthand for his impaired memory from the party.

Before: Presumed in Josh's possession but unlocated; effectively missing.

After: Still missing/unretrieved by the end of the beat; their absence remains an unresolved practical problem.

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