Ships passing in the night elevator lobby

At 12:45 today I decided to get out and get some air. I grabbed my jacket and headed out to the 13th floor elevators. As soon as I hit *G* I realized I'd left my cell phone on my desk. Too late to stop the car, I hit the button for the next floor down, 12.

The car stopped, I got off, hit the up arrow, and waited.

When the light went off I stepped up to the elevator, just as Mary, our 13th floor receptionist, stepped out, lunch in one hand, cell phone against her ear, jacket draped over her arm. Inside the elevator, now, I looked around and 13 was already pressed. I rode back up, got my phone, and rode back down.

When I came back to the floor I stuck my head into Mary's cube "Were you visiting somebody down on 12?" I asked, innocently.

"Oh my God, no!" she replied, "I just got off the elevator and walked over to the door and walked around 12, twice and I was like, 'well, this isn't my floor!' and then I came back up here.

"I do that all the time, but this time it was really confusing, beause I saw you when I got off the elevator."

Of course, I sympathize. The elevators in this building can be awfullying confusing. The elevator lobbies are located in the middle of each floor, with two exits. It's a fifty-fifty chance you turn the correct way getting off, and there are no clues to help, everything's totally symmetrical. None of the lobbies are labeled with clearly visible and easy-to-read floor numbers, so it usually isn't until you've stepped off the elevator, guessed right or left, swiped your security card, gone through into cubeville, then gone at least half a circuit of the office before realizing this isn't where you wanted to go.

"So, you know, I'd gotten in on the ground floor, hit the button for my floor, I'm the only one on the elevator, the door opens, and I see someone from my floor waiting, shouldn't it be my floor?...but it wasn't. It was really confusing."

At least the fifth and seventh floors make it a little easier. They've each got distinct color schemes, though it actually doesn't help Mary: She's color blind.

-t

recommended download:
The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dani California
and
NOFX, The Brews