You lift me up

I think I've mentioned before that we live quite high up. All the way to the 28th floor.

For me, it's the first time I've ever lived somewhere with a lift.

Lift Dwelling certainly has it's drawbacks.

1. If you are running late you are bound to get in the lift that stops at every single floor from 27 down to Ground.

2. Nobody understands the word 'lift' here.

3.There are mirrors every where so when you climb in after a long day and a chilly walk home you are greeted with the unpleasant sighting of your own haggard face, doesn't do much to lift one's spirits!

4. Once you open the lines of conversation with your fellow passengers e.g. 'cold outside isn't it?' you are then obligated to continue drawing out a dull, relatively awkward conversation with your neighbour/complete stranger.

5. You become unfit due to lack of having to climb stairs.

The benefits however include;
1. Never having to climb stairs!

2. A chance to chat to your neighbours.

3. Opportunity for the observation of people at close proximity without seeming like a weirdo.
For some reason it is perfectly acceptable to stare at someone, what they are wearing, carrying in their shopping bags, whatever you like, inside the lift. I suppose you've nothing else to look at.
I certainly got a few queer looks the other morning as I finished my toast on the way down!

There was one drawback on using lifts that we hadn't given much consideration prior to last night's events.....
The possibility of getting stuck!

Well we were taking it easy enough last night. Booked the theatre room and relocated our wine and popcorn down to watch a few movies in the comfort of our own private cinema. Unfortunately, the toilets on that floor were locked so (breaking the rules) we left the movie room unattended and hopped in the lift a mere 26 storeys up to use the loo.

My friend Jerome who knows every thing about lifts, since he installs them, often likes to jump up and down inside lifts as they are moving. It freaks people out but he always advised that it could never actually do anything because they are designed to with stand a lot.

So safe in the knowledge that jumping in a lift is not hazardous I began a little bounce of my own for the descent back down. Amid Bobbi and Breff's keen calls to desist, I was just about to explain it wouldn't do anything when the lift ground to a halt and a horrifically loud emergency alarm went off.

Emmmmmm..............

So we pressed the call for help button ( a secret long life ambition fulfilled) and explained our emergency to the man on the other end of the line. Turns out it was our own concierge. So he came up and shouted through the doors to confirm we were in fact now stuck between 2 floors.

His first question...
'were you guys jumping?'

No! No! Of course not.....

'Are you sure?'

Ye we're sure......

Then Bobbi pipes up with..''Caoimhe was tickling Breffni!'

Anyway I'm sure he didn't buy it but he had a worryingly defeated tone when he said
'You guys might be waiting a while'

It was Saturday night after all.
So we took a seat, luckily Breffni had the paper so we pulled that out and amid hysterical laughter we read a few articles. We were desperately trying to; A. figure out if there was a camera and B. if there was anyway for the lift guys to discover why the lift had stopped. i.e my jumping!!

The best bit about the whole event was that we had all just used the bathroom so the age-old debate on what would you do if you were stuck in a lift and needed to pee was not a pressing issue for us.

The most disappointing bit was the lack of burly firemen, we just had a solitary technician (boo!) who we never even met since once it got moving we went straight down and never got to thank our rescuer! Who did at one point enquire if we interested in climbing out the top, we declined!

We were actually only waiting a little under half an hour, but the piercing emergency alarm added the equivalent of 3 days in my mind. When we were finally rescued the concierge told us we were really lucky, since people have been stuck for up to 3 hours!! He also cheerfully informed us that the lifts can drop, but we would have been nicely compensated if we had been injured. I'll take my chances with a salary and a 9-5 thanks as my means of living!

Well, what can I say...lesson learnt.
And Mr J O'B can expect a phone call very shortly to discuss his lift installation qualifications in greater detail.