STRANDED: The first time i got stuck in an elevator

I recently watched an episode of a TV Sitcom called 'Men at work' where one guy called 'Milo' got stuck in an elevator for what he described to be "the longest 45 minutes of his life", he recalled the experience as horrific and I could identify with that feeling as I recalled my own experience.

 

 

I was a final year student at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and staying at a Student accommodation(whose name I won't mention) in the CBD of Port Elizabeth. One fateful morning I was going to write a test and I was running late, rushed out of my room and ran for the elevator, it was so quiet that day at res that when I pressed the button to request the elevator to come to my floor, voila! in less than few seconds the elevator was open.....I was the only person in the elevator which was very weird because I stayed in a Student accommodation that was busier than Marabastaad in Pretoria, But it didn't occur to me that something might have been up with the elevator.

 

Few seconds into the lift ride the elevator came to a halt. It was now jammed between 7th and 8th floor of the building, the lights inside soon started flickering. I suspected the electricity in the building shut down.

It looked like a scene from a horror movies, you know; those predictable movies where a light flickers until the monster/serial killer appears behind the victim. At this time I was starting to feel agitated because;

1. What if nobody ever rescues me?

2. What if I need to use the loo?

3. I get claustrophobic when i'm in closed spaces, what if I suffocate to death? Is this how i'm gonna go?

4. My phone lost network so I couldn't call for help!

 

 

Many other thoughts ran through my mind, I knelt to pray

Tried going over my study notes but nothing could distract me; I was trapped with no way out. so I started chanting "Help!" softly. When I realised nobody could hear me I started screaming while trying to beat down the door but my attempts failed.

I had to accept that the elevator is my new home, I had missed human interaction to an extent where i was so worried that by the time I get rescued I would have forgotten human language and will be looking like a hermit.

 

Here I am safe and sound!

I guess its true what they say "Every cloud has a silver lining". The elevator maintenance guy came to my rescue. He did the things that made the elevator to move to ground floor. I emerged from the ground floor with my clothes damp from sweating and boy did I feel the shame- finding more than 20 students waiting to see who was in the elevator. I only discovered after I got out that I was in there for less that 10 minutes, not 45! But boy did it feel more like hours.

 

before my experience, I always laughed and ridiculed others for making a big deal out of getting stuck..."its just an elevator!", I would say. Its funny until it happens to you. 

 

PS* This blog might serve as a reminder to anyone reading to always take the stairs for the reason that electronics will inevitably fail at the least convenient times

and its important to say goodbye to your loved ones before you board an elevator because you never know how long you'll be trapped in there, could be a minute, a year or two.