'It was like being locked out of my house...'

If you've ever been shut out of an online account because you forgot your password, you can probably relate to the vexing frustration that ensues.

But that's usually quickly solved by requesting an email from the service that lets you change your password.

But what if you're truly shut out.

And what if that account contains personal and emotional parts of your life?

That's what writer and comedian Denis Grignon experienced.

And it wasn't funny.

An excerpt from Denis Grignon's audio essay:

I was locked out, because I had what's called a Legacy account - set up BEFORE the Google overlords took over YouTube.

Turns out, this is a "thing.''

I did a search - okay, a GOOGLE search - and found all kinds of message boards.

And - yes, on YouTube - I found a whole bunch of fruitless tutorials on how to retrieve your old YouTube account.

I tried navigating these virtual rabbit holes. But got nowhere.

It was like...being locked out of my house.

Worse, actually.

Because everyone could still see the stuff  inside my house, even if I didn't want them to anymore.

I couldn't even draw the curtains.

And they could post comments about my stuff, my life - comments I couldn't regulate or delete. Ever.

There was nothing I could do.

If I'd paid for this YouTube account, I can't help but think I could, you know, call someone at YouTube, give them the credit card number they had on file and quicker than you can say viral video, I'd be back...controlling my life.

Instead, I felt alone and vulnerable on this bumpy, dusty, unpaved road to nowhere.