ELEVATOR TALES

Elevators beside being a mode of transporation from floor to floor in high rise and low rise buildings, one cannot fail but notice a number of funny, interesting and even strange events associated with the elevators.

In the building where I stay, travelling in the elevator floor to floor, blocking the elevator at various floors is a fascinating game for a group of kids when perhaps they are bored of all other games or are in a mood for what seems to them an exciting adventure. Their pleasure trips come to an abrupt end each time an adult would suspect them of misusing the elevator and remind them to play outside the building, much to the caretaker’s relief as he becomes a victim to their merciless teasing to which actually he holds no complaints for he comforts himself that ‘they are children’.

Maid servants who are new to the building contemplate seriously whether to be safe than sorry by taking the good old stairs or take the elevator despite their phobia of the elevator that may take them to unknown floors and their virtual fear of then being lost. ‘I want to go to the 11th floor, could you press the right button for me’. ‘Iam so scared, maybe I should take the stairs…’ they go. Once they know their way about and around, they travel confidently to the respective floor with a special pride on their face to be working for what they believe to be a special or important person in the building. Some of them will have ‘Iam proud and fortunate to be working for Mamooty’ or ‘Maharaja of Travancore’ look on their face.

Then there are faces you will meet in the elevator that makes you absolutely cheerful, a familiar face, a face of a happy-go-lucky neighbour, a friend, a chattering neighbour or even a neighbour with a sweet disposition. A warm smile or a hello or a few pleasantaries can be the birth of a new friendship or make you feel exuberant. Cheerfulness is contagious.

Then you meet certain people in the lift who are amusingly self absorbed in their outer appearance, concentrating on the large mirror in the lift, until he or she reaches his destination, arranging their hair, looking closely at their faces and attire as if they were going for a photo shoot. And you wonder, what exactly is he or she admiring about although it really isn’t anyone’s business.

Some people upon entering the lift are preoccupied with their mobile asif all of a sudden they received a flurry of messages on their mobile, the moment they stepped in.

I cannot help wonder at people who keep grim faced and seem overburdened with life’s problems thus prohibiting them from smiling or interacting. If they can’t manage something as simple and uncomplicated as a smile, how do they manage their life?

One also cannot avoid the hoity-poity or those who imagine to be too elite to smile or talk to those who donot belong in their delusionary circle of the affluent. Perhaps they are unware of the saying ‘Here today, gone tomorrow’ or is it ‘Hair today, gone tomorrow’. Reminds me how I was blessed with thick tresses of healthy hair once upon a time, and now they are gone.

Sometimes you get to share the lift with very rugged looking person(s), who is perhaps not a visitor or relative, tenant or Owner, but could be a labourer or worker, and you are relieved when you reach your floor, only to realize, he is getting off there to join other labourers in some wood work or some repair in a flat next to yours. Then you are totally relieved.

One should be careful while entering the lift, you would enter greeting this known face in the lift, only to be jolted when the lift door bangs into you from either side while the other person looks on perplexed unable to extend a helping hand. ‘Are you alright? you are asked. ‘Iam alright, but not my box of cakes.’