My Daunting Experience

Ever think that today is just another day until something unusual happens. Monday was that way for me. I was having a very busy, but good day at work. Lissa was helping with a baby shower that night and had forgotten the sonogram game. Luckily Jennifer was home that morning and was able to get the game ready for her and bring it to me so that Lissa could pick it up from me. So at about 5:00 Lissa calls and says she is down in the turn around. I go down to meet her and give her the game and then, of course, have to go back to work. I get in the elevator to go to the 22nd floor and push the button. The elevator moves up and down a couple of times and then stops and a nice female voice says, "Do not be alarmed, the elevator is experiencing difficulty", then nothing. I don't know about you, but when someone tells me not to be alarmed, that is the first feeling that I have. But I tried to stay calm thinking it would only take a moment for the elevator to restart. After a few moments that seemed much longer I decided nothing was happening. I was hestitant because of the way the elevator shifted to let go of the rod across the back of the elevator, so holding firmly onto the rod, I stretched forward and tried pushing the 22nd floor button again. Nothing happened. I tried the open door button. Nothing. I tried the Main floor button. Nothing. Then I saw the alarm button. I rang it...and rang it...and rang it. Then waited...and rang it again. I couldn't hear anyone outside the doors and no other noise. Then, I finally remembered I had my cell phone. I called the operator at the church office building and told her I was in Elevator #4 and it wasn't moving, I was stuck. "Oh, dear," she said, "let me call the elevator people for you. Now don't panic." (of course, I was) Then she came back on and said, "well, it's after hours, so no one is answering." "I am still stuck" I replied. "Well, let me try another number...no, they are not answering either. It is after hours." "I am still stuck." "Oh, here's an after hours elevator assistance, let me try them...no they are not answering either. It is after hours." "I am still stuck." "Maybe I should call security..." I decided to sit down. Then a man came on the line. "Which elevator are you in?" "#4" "Which one is that?" I don't know about you, but I don't really check which of the six elevator I am getting into and its location... After a few more minutes. He came back on and said, "now don't panic...we are working on it." Twenty minutes later, the elevator finally started up, went directly to the 22nd floor and when the doors opened I hopped right out. The morale of this story is don't get stuck in an elevator "after hours."