Stuck in an Elevator

No, the elevator didn't break down. And there wasn't an emergency that necessitated stopping the elevator, either. But I somehow still managed to get stuck in the elevator when I left work this evening.

I was working on a project and lost track of time. Suddenly I realized I needed to be at the pool with Jason to pick up Marcie in 15 minutes' time. But the drive is 35 minutes from work. So I packed up my things, and booked out. As I rode the elevator down to the lobby, I dug through my bag for my car keys, but I couldn't find them. When I got the bottom floor, I still hadn't found them, so I figured I must have left them in one of my desk drawers.

By the time I came to this conclusion, the elevator door had closed and I was alone. I pushed the button to my floor, but the elevator didn't move. Unconcerned, I realized it must be after hours. So I pulled out my key card and followed the directions on it. There's a slot in the elevator below the floor buttons with an arrow. And the key card says "This side up" and has a directional arrow as well. So I inserted the card, slid it through the slot, and then pushed the button to my floor. Nothing happened.

I tried a couple more times. Then I tried flipping the card around, sticking it in the long way, sliding it the other direction. Nothing worked. Sometime during all this, Jason called and asked where I was. I explained I was stuck and that I'd call him back. I also noted that I had reception in the elevator. From my cell phone provider which has a terrible network. Next thing I knew, the elevator was moving. Up. I had no idea why.

It stopped two floors above my floor, but the doors didn't open. I guess some of the elevators hang out by the higher floors so they come more quickly when they are called. Frustrated, I finally pushed L for lobby, and the elevator took me back down to the bottom floor.

I exited, made my way to the guard area, and explained I needed to get back up to my office where I'd left my keys. I showed the gentlemen by key card and asked if they would show me how to use it. One of the guys sighed but agreed to follow me.

And as luck would have it, just as he was showing me how to use it, someone else actually got on the elevator. And used his card. I felt seriously dumb.

Once I got back up to the office, I discovered that my keys were, in fact, with me the entire time. I'd apparently torn the lining of my purse and the keys had slipped into the space between the purse exterior and the lining.

Needless to say, I didn't make it to Casey's last swim lesson before it ended. And I didn't get there in time to save Marcie from hanging out in the men's locker room while Casey showered. I don't know, though, the thought of my daughter in the men's locker room, even if she's not quite two yet, sounds a little more disturbing than my son in the woman's locker room. I know, it's sexist of me. But what do you want from a law school grad who gets stuck in an elevator her first week on the job?