What on Earth!???

I had to run into town for some errands today and when I got back home I put the key in my door lock and it turned like normal but when I went to pull the key out the whole inside of the lock came out with it!! Little tiny pieces fell everywhere. I tried to put it back in because my door was still locked but it didn't work. I had lost my back door key awhile back and never gotten it replaced so I was completely locked out! I called my husband on my cell phone and he would be able to get home for about and hour so I sat in my car to wait. After I few minutes I decided I would try messing with the lock again and I tried sticking my car key in the hole and poking around. I felt a little click and viola! the door was unlocked! I called my husband back and asked him to pick up a new door lock on his way home. Has anyone else ever had this happen to them?