Not quite as extreme as a phobia, maybe more like an OCD tick. When I was young, I saw a tv show where some people got stuck on an elevator. They were trapped inside between floors, and the only person around to help was in a wheelchair and couldn't reach the emergency button. I think at that point in my life, it had never occurred to me that one could get stuck in an elevator. I'm not sure what made this show particularly horrifying for me, but for some reason, it stuck.
I generally take the stairs when faced with the option (yay trading bits of "exercise" for time at the gym) and for years, I would obsessively check the expiration date of the inspection of every elevator I stepped foot on. Over the past year living and working in the city, I've grown accustomed elevator rides, and don't give it too much thought anymore.
So today, up in my 31st floor office, I was falling asleep sitting up and desperately needed a cappuccino to keep me going. I got in the elevator w/ 2 gentlemen, and proceeded down. Somewhere between the 25th and 1st floor (it's an express elevator) we suddenly dropped quickly and then came to a stop. I tried frantically to collect myself, and the elevator started moving again. After charging out of the elevator and swearing to walk up all 31 flights of stairs on my way back, one single thought crossed my mind:
I don't really need that cappuccino anymore...
So scary! I actually got stuck on the 35th floor of the Treasure Island hotel in Vegas. It jolted and we stayed there for over an hour! I was normally neber claustrophobic, but certainly felt that way when i realized we weren't going anywhere for awhile!
ReplyDeleteI am from the Boston area too by the way, and I follow you on Twitter :)
Eek! That. Is. Horrifying. I'd be the one having a panic attack in the corner.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment :) Perhaps I'll see you around town!