What+A+Ride

What A Ride By Abby Olson

I was in a rush to get to my meeting that had started five minutes ago. "Move" I yelled to the people surrounding me, they were looking at me in disgust. I hopped on a full elevator and quickly pressed floor eleven. I heard a voice behind me from an old man "Hello, my name is Jim". "Hi, I am Theo" I replied, I didn't usually talk in elevators they were more of a thinking and observing spot for me. The small elevator started to reek as the doors slowly shut. Jim was blushing, he had big wrinkles, a white beard, and a black tie. "Where do you work in this building Theo?" he asked in a shy calming voice. "Olson and Nelson Tax Industries. Where do you work?" I replied. "Credit and More a bank management company." In mid sentence I got interrupted. "Who tooted?!" yelled a little girl, her mother scolded her. Jim turned bright red, everyone in the elevator was laughing except for him. I wanted to cover my nose but knew that it would be impolite. Just then the elevator came to a sudden halt, the lights went out but then started to flicker. All that i could think about was how late i was for my meeting. I quickly got out my cell phone but there was no signal. I calmly asked "Does anybody have a cell phone signal?" "No" replied everyone in unison. The little girls eyes watered up,"Are we going to be stuck here forever?" "No,no of course not sweety" her mother said kindly. Jim's gas potently lingered. I was concerned that I might be fired for missing my meeting. I felt like I could cry but knew that I wouldn't dare in front of all these strangers. The elevator soon filled with commotion. I pressed the emergency button but nothing happened. I tried to look on the bright side of things and hoped that the fire department or a mechanic would come to the rescue. Fifteen minutes passed when finally a siren came on but after ten seconds it went to a high pitched ring. The doors flew open in between two floors, I could see the pitch black pipes and wires. The elevator slowly went up to floor nine. Everyone quickly rushed out of the crammed, hot elevator. Everybody was relieved and on there way! "Bye yelled the old man. I gave a small wave back. I didn't want to go to my meeting late but I knew that I had to. In the long boring hallway I practiced what I would say to my manager;"I am so sorry that I was late to the meeting, the elevator broke down. It was really hot and full. An old man kept on passing gas and I am just very sorry." It wasn't very thought out but that is the truth.