My new ice-breaker story

Today was another whirlwind day at the office. It’s funny how sometimes something happens that forces me to slow down. Like today. The elevator broke down. While I was in it. That’s right folks, I was stuck in an elevator while I supposed to be conducting a meeting.

A large group of people exited the elevator on the 6th floor and the doors closed to continue up to the 7th floor. Just as the doors shut, the computerized female voice came over the intercom to announce, “There has been an electrical failure. Please press the alarm button.” And then the keypad went dark. I was obedient though and pressed the alarm button. Sure enough, an alarm-sounding high-pitched ring reverberated outside the elevator to announce to the world that someone was being held hostage inside the elevator. Must have scared the living daylight out of anyone remotely near the elevator. But it did nothing to really help me.

I pulled out my cell phone and called my office to tell them of my predicament. I could hear the secretary on another phone talking to the electric office: “Yes, that’s right, she’s stuck in the elevator. On the 6th floor. Yes, she tried pushing the alarm button. No, it didn’t contact anyone from the elevator company. Uh, yes, I know what the alarm button is SUPPOSED to do but it didn’t work. You don’t know how to fix the elevator?” Click. I lost connection.

Having nothing else to do, I sat on the ground and took in the details of the elevator. Six dim lights overhead. Seven buttons affiliated with each floor of the building. One alarm button that didn’t work. Decent ventilation system. Metal railing located about 1/3 of the way up the wall, just close enough to the ground that my head hits it if I try to lean against the wall while seated. Huh, relaxing against the wall is out.

Oh, my phone is ringing. “Hello? Oh, the people from the electric office are coming to take a look? Great! Also, can you please go to the meeting room and let them know I will be late because I am stuck in the elevator? Thank you. Bye”

About twenty minutes passed and I heard someone outside the elevator. The elevator door pinged and suddenly opened. I felt like an idiot sitting on the floor and I smirked at the two students who had exited the elevator early and were now returning. They looked down at me and proceeded to enter the elevator. I scrambled to my feet and told them they might want to reconsider since the elevator hadn’t moved since they exited. I mean, really, were they thinking that I just liked to hang out in the elevator? That maybe they caught me in the middle of a little afternoon siesta?

We tested some of the buttons on the keypad but nothing worked so they decided to wait. I hurried on to my meeting but was amused by the turn of events that forced me to pause in the middle of a busy day.