2009 MacBook Pro does not respond to the Option/Command keys on boot up
If you have a USB keyboard and have tried each port in a row, then the USB / logic board are the problem.
Even a PC keyboard will work to option boot - so even a PS/2 keyboard will work.

Using CMD on Very Old PC Keyboard During Boot

As above, only a quite rare keyboard won’t work with modifier keys that don’t work on Mac firmware.