We have 3 elevators in our building. Coming through the lobby I found a line about 20 people waiting for the elevator. Turns out, 1 was in service for someone moving out and the other had broken down. Leaving one – albeit high-speed – elevator for a building with 43 floors. Our building is very secure, many of the floors cannot be accessed by the stairs. I live on the 41st floor and I can access my floor from the stairs.
The longer I stood in line waiting the elevator, the more I felt guilty for not taking the opportunity for a workout. But I had been out and about all day already probably walked 15 kms. I didn’t want to take the stairs – and the shower that I’d need afterwards.
So I stood there. And listened to each new person who joined the queue to ask what was going on. The poor concierge was beside himself trying to appear like he was doing something, but of course, there was nothing for him to do, other than opening the door for the stairs for those of us who were not lazy (and could access their floor).
One of the residents was standing in the lobby with his Dominos pizza order – including cheese bread – and the smell wafted out to hungry people who were just trying to get home. The elevator arrived and a bunch of people piled on to it. When the elevator left without taking everyone in the lobby, the mood shifted suddenly and what was truly only a minor inconvenience began to stretch into a major problem. People had places to go, things to get to and they wanted to go home.
At one point, the in service elevator stopped on the ground floor by accident. The poor sap who was moving – with an elevator of his things – had to stand and stare at us for 10 seconds while the door remained open. He smiled, half shrugged and then casually hammered on the close door button.
Another 10 minutes of waiting and finally the elevator returned to the lobby level – but this time carrying one man destined for the parking garage – it was going down. But nobody was willing to let the elevator journey on without them and jumped on. I was about 5th in line and as I saw people filling it up, decided that I too needed to get on this elevator.
In a span of about 5 seconds, 15 different floors were pressed and the system couldn’t handle the inputs and reset. But it started moving and we were on the 5th floor before anyone noticed what had happened. For those of us on the upper floors, it didn’t matter, we just simply repressed our buttons.
But for the girl who lived on the second floor, the gentleman (I used that term loosely) who was trying to get to the basement and a visitor who didn’t have scan access to get where we was going.. . . . They started to lose their minds.
Second Floor Girl says “I hate everything and everyone”
Garage Guy says “All you people f*cked me!!”
Visitor Girl says “Please press 18! 18? Anyone on the 18th floor?? TRY 18!!”
And it went downhill from there. Second floor girl starts telling off garage guy. And everyone in a full elevator is trying to help out need hysterical visitor girl, but none of us have access to that floor.
Garage Guy “All of you people need to consider your actions on others. You f*cked me. All of you”
Second Floor Girl “None of us did it on purpose!! Do you think we wanted this to happen? I’m trying to get to the 2nd floor!”
Garage guy “Whatever. You need to wait. This is crap. You need to consider your actions.”
Visitor Girl “Oh my god! What am I going to do? Can I get off somewhere?”
The rest of us: Do not make eye contact, do not speak.
Hurry, hurry, elevator.
November 23rd, 2012 Extra-Ordinary: We are only 30 minutes away from Lord of the Flies, people. Lord of the Flies with only 1 large pizza and cheesy bread to share amongst.
The Daily EO 