I recently read a news report about people getting stuck in an elevator for an hour. And I wish I had been there. Crazy, aren’t I? 
Well, dang, the people who were stuck in the elevator included three of my fave actors from my fave TV show “Modern Family”. Julie Bowen, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet. Can you IMAGINE what that would have been like? If you’re going to get stuck, get stuck with entertaining people! Right?
I actually stuck a hero and heroine in an elevator (with screaming babies) in one of my books. The Doctor Takes A Princess. I especially loved the heroine in this book. She was so ill-suited to deal with little babies and yet she stepped up.
There are actually some real-life suggestions for you should you get stuck in an elevator and here they are:
1. Do not panic.
2. Press the alarm button. (which seems to be the opposite of panic to me).
3. Dial 911 on your cell phone. (again which seems the opposite of panic to me).
4. Wait it out.
5. Play an icebreaker game with your fellow trapped humans.
I’m still liking the James Bond images of crawling out of the top of the elevator, but apparently this is not the best choice for us amateurs.
Have you ever been stuck anywhere? Elevator? Plane? How did you handle it?
xo,
Leanne
Does being stuck in the classroom with 34 6th graders count?
Nikki!lololol YES, that totally counts!!!
Leanne:
My family once live in an old house that had an elevator in it. It went from the first floor to my bedroom. Spooked me ever single night, but my folks thought it was funny that I was so certain there were ghosts in there. Haha, they didn’t have to live in that bedroom.
Anyway, one time as they were showing our house to sell it, they had me get in the elevator to show the potential buyers how cool it was to go from floor one to floor to two in that elevator. The elevator got stuck between floors. I cried and cried wanting to know how I’d ever get breakfast in the morning. (Have I mentioned I’m a foody?)
Anyway, the problem was that the cleaning lady used the elevator to take the vacuum cleaner up and down, and its arm stuck and fell between the screen part and the metal part, and stopped the elevator. But I was too young to understand the complexities. So there I was, stuck, desperately wondering how I’d ever get my next breakfast. Have I mentioned foodie? Finally the cleaning lady arrived and said, “Trishie, honey, is the gate completely closed?” After I stopped sobbing, I said no, the vacuum cleaner handle thingee was sticking in there. She told me to open the gate enough, pull out the vacuum cleaner handle, then completely close the gate and push up or down.
I pushed down because I didn’t want to end up in my scary bedroom. Ran out straight into my mom’s arms. She said, “Oh, baby I’m so sorry!” “May I have pancakes tomorrow, Mama?”
Trish, no matter how frightened, never passed up an opportunity
Trish, what a story! And I’m so glad you got pancakes out of it. I’m wondering how the potential buyers felt! You poor thing! <3
We actually were in an elevator that broke on Thursday. But the doors didn’t get stuck, so the worst thing that happened was that we had to get out and carry our suitcases to the top floor of the building via the fire stairs.
I did get a bit worried about using the elevator later in the day, not so sure I believed them that it was fixed!
I’d better not try calling 911 here – our emergency number is 000.
Sonya! ack! I’m glad you got out and thanks for the reference on your emergency number! Excellent point!
I always think it’s strange that they make us sit on the plane on tarmacs when they can’t taxi up. I would much prefer to lug my baggage across the tundra than to sit claustrophobic in an oversized sardine can.
Lois, I’ve been stuck for a couple hours on a plane. Not fun, but I feel worse for the folks who’ve been stuck for 8 hours! Ack!
I’d have loved to get stuck on an elevator with the Modern Family cast too!! What a fun bunch.
_)
Years ago I was stuck in an elevator at work. No one had a cell phone on them. There was, however, a phone in the elevator to call in case of emergency. I called. I reached someone in Philadelphia (I was in Cedar Rapids, Iowa). Needless to say, I figured the situation was hopeless. After about an hour, we finally got out. I was very brave. I didn’t panic one bit – but then, we were stuck on the ground floor so that probably doesn’t count, does it
Cindy, being stuck ANY where counts! Besides… there could have been a basement! I may have freaked out if I was talking to a person in Philly when I needed help in Iowa! xo
Ah, great new table talk topic–with whom would you most like to be stuck in an elevator? Better than the desert island question. It could actually happen!
I’ve had the stuck on the tarmac experience. It’s really bad when you have kids along. Worse when you have the husband along too. He’s great in a crisis until he starts feeling claustrophobic. I don’t even want to imagine what it would be like with him in a stalled crowded elevator. Yeesh!
It’s hard enough keeping the kids calm, let alone the husband! I bet your husband hates it when he is stuck doing nothing in that kind of situation. Mine does too!
Saturday we were stuck on the tarmac in St. Louis for 55 minutes. Not fun! Then when we were finally allowed into US Customs we discovered they had one agent to handle 175 people. So stuck in line for two hours. They’re lucky the crowd didn’t revolt
Kylie, NO! The extra sad part is that you were returning from vacation and THIS is how you were greeted! ACK!
I got stuck in an elevator for more than hour in college. It was in winter so we all had warm coats on, it was a Friday after class. Maximum occupancy 10, we were 15. It was so hot and no place to move and then somebody mention there was no oxygen. Don’t panic, hmm, that’s a hard one. My friend start playing in my hair and I tried to focus on her playing in my hair. I don’t want to repeat that experience even if the people inside would be people I would like to meet.
Nicole, I don’t blame you for not wanting to experience it again! Ack. Did you take off your coat? I would have. Scary that your ride was over the maximum occupancy, but I think that happens in cases that involve college students and others! Glad you haven’t been trapped again!!
Years ago, my mom and I were stuck in a glass elevator in the outlot building at Ridgedale Shopping center that used to hold Leean Chin’s restaurant and Borders. I’m trying to remember now, is that considered the suburb of Golden Valley? At that time, the elevator looked out into a center courtyard, so people walking by could see us there–stuck. Which upset my mother a lot, since she was claustrophobic and feeling edgy anyway!
Kylie, I have a nightmare where I am stuck in an endless line for customs, with a place to catch, time is getting short, AND I desperately need to find a bathroom. Which means losing my place in line and having to get in line behind the latest four planes of people who have joined the line.