My Elevator Pitch

Morning rush is an extreme event. Especially if you are staying in a tall multistoreyed apartment.

Matters get complicated when everyone on every floor is chasing the same set of elevators to stop at their floor. And nobody has time, everybody is running late.

This morning, I got into the elevator on the 15th floor.

Like everyone of the 5 other people inside already, we all wanted to reach the ground floor, and we wanted the elevator to zip through.

The doors closed.

We felt like falling under gravity, when it stopped on the 8th floor.

2 guys walked in. They both had black coats.

The doors closed.

The elevator went down further. When it stopped on the 6th floor.

A blonde American lady walked in. She was wearing large spectacles. She was wearing a leopard skin coat. I felt like calling up PETA. She stood a picture of calm amidst a bunch of mostly agitated co-passengers.

The doors closed.

The 6 of us who had been on tour a few minutes longer than the latest guests had just one thing in our minds: "God! Show us the ground floor fast!"
And the elevator stopped again. This time on the 3th floor.

There was nobody there.

Some folks were getting impatient.

One lady scorned in anger, "Oh come on!!"

The doors closed.

But wait. As soon as they were closing, a hand flew in and just obstructed its path.

The way elevators are made today: they open up again.

"Sorry!!", said the guy as he stopped the door for his room-mate to come in too.

15 seconds more.

People were now crammed.

If there were no rules for civility, I think this guy and his room-mate would be made prisoners of war.

Actually we were all prisoners in this elevator.

The doors closed.

Ok now, we just wanted 'Ground floor'. Nothing else would do!!!

One of the guys was trying to shake the floor of the elevator with this feet hoping that the shining hair of the blonde in front would fall on his face. It didnt work though.

The elevator zoomed further down.

And stopped again.

This time at the 2nd floor.

One Indian lost it and began abusing to himself in chaste Tamil.

This time, a small little girl of about 8 years came in with her dog.

Aww! Everyone was confused in their emotions.

Small little girl? how cute

The dog?...Really?

One gentleman took off his spectacles in resignation. I think he had decided not to go to office now.

I think another fellow almost started crying.

The women (3 of them excluding the little girl) were quiet. I think they were anxious and praying that none of the men in the lift break open the elevator walls in anger.

The doors closed.

And finally it reached the ground floor.

We let the little girl go out first. Then her dog.

Then there was a stampede!!