THE ELEVATOR

ONE:  THE BOX

   “Love your BEATLES shirt!”

   “Thanks.”

   “Wow, seems such a long time ago.”

   “I know.  How did we ever survive growing up with no seatbelts or GPS?”

   “Yep, the world has changed that’s for sure.”

   “Right, remember when they use to play music in these things?”

   “Is it even moving?”

   “Don’t think so.”

   “They have cameras in here these days, I’m sure if something was wrong they’d figure it out soon.”

   “I’ll just hit the fourth floor again, and you?”

   “Fifth, thanks.”

   “Sure.  No problem.  Ugh, my cell phone just died!”

   “It’s two-sixteen.”

   “Ah.”

   “My daughter just had her second child.”

   “Well, congratulations, grandma!”

   “Thank you, sir.”

   “Nice flowers.”

   “Ah, thanks, for the church secretary.  She was in a car wreck.”

   “Oh my goodness I’m so sorry to hear that.  I hope she is alright.”

   “Yeah, she’s fine actually.  She stopped short for a red light and was rear ended by a Cop.”

   “A Cop, WOW, that’s a new one.”

   “He wrote her a ticket anyway, saying the light was green.”

   “That figures.”

   “She was late for her last chemo treatment, which was the real reason she’s here. –Got a name?”

   “Oh! Uhm, Sandra.”

   “Maybe that’s too cute of a name for a new grandson?”

   “Yeah, Oh I thought you meant mine, sorry.  Steven Joshua Michaels.”

   “Good solid name.”

   “Yours?”

   “Lydia, she’s nine, Marcy eleven, and Lisa is fourteen by now.  They’re all growing up so fast.”

   “I bet.  I mean what is your name.”

   “Ah, right – Randal Mathers.”

   “Very nice.”

   “Why thank you, Sandra.  Time?”

   “Two-nineteen, I know this thing still isn’t moving is it?”

   “Nope.”

      “I wouldn’t be too concerned.  Sure we’re more worried about being stuck in here than the poor sap who’s still pecking at the buttons above us.”

   “Well, wish they’d stop.  I’m out of bars, and my charger is in my daughter’s room.  I would love to see the baby before he graduates college.”

   “Sorry.”

   “Sorry, I went to go get some coffee down stairs in the cafeteria but they were out.”

   “Don’t ya hate that?”

   “Don’t they usually have a phone in there?”

   “Um, looks like the Firefighters have to have a specialized kind of key to open it up.”

   “Guess I’m not the patient sort, cooped up in steel boxes.  Really hate small spaces.  A few years ago a thunderstorm caused a blackout up at the mall, and I was stuck in an elevator for nearly four hours.  At least we could somewhat see out of the glass, thanks to the skylight.”

   “We?”

   “Seven of us altogether, three of which were very rowdy and scared kids.”

   “Goodness sounds like fun.”

   “Anything but.”

   “I bet.  Doubt we’ll be stuck in here that long today Sandra.  Hospitals are a little more up on things – I hope.”

   “We’ll see, right?”

   “What church do you go to, Randal?”

   “I don’t.”

   “The – church secretary?”

   “Oh, she’s just a neighbor, and Catholic I think.”  

   “Well, it was nice of you to bring her flowers.”

   “She watches my dog from time to time and no one likes being in the hospital alone.”

   “That’s true.”

   “What church do you go to, Sandra?”

   “Oh, now my phone died.  Uhm, Second Fellowship Baptist on Ruth Street.  You’re more than welcome to come anytime ya like.”

   “Thanks, but I probably won’t, Atheist.”

   “Oh.”

   “Sorry about the dead phone it’ll start feeling a lot longer in here now that we are both out of luck.”

   “Did you feel that?”

   “Yeah and I noticed the lights flicker a second there too.”

   “Ah, here’s my off.  Good luck with the new baby grandma.”

   “Thanks, Mr. Mathers.  Hope I don’t get stranded in here alone now.”

   “Hope not.”

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