The Elevator Catastrophe

            I was on my way to work with my coffee and purse. When I got to my building, I saw a lot of people waiting in line to get on the elevator. I just twisted my ankle walking up the stairs yesterday, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to get up twenty flights of stairs. While I was waiting in line I noticed that a guy got in line behind me that has an office next to mine. I turned around and asked, “Hey, how are you?”

            “Oh, hi. I’m good except for this line. I have a meeting in an hour, and I still have to finish getting ready,” he replied. “I know I’ve seen you somewhere. Are you the one that has the office next to mine?”

            “Yeah, that’s me. I ran into you one time and spilled pop all over you,” I laughed. “This is a terrible line. At least it will probably be our turn in a couple of minutes.”

            “Oh, yeah. I remember that now. That was very unfortunate, but the stain did come out of the shirt,” he pointed out. Just then it was our turn to get on the elevator. I looked back and realized that everybody else took the stairs.

            “I guess we’re the only ones left,” I pointed out happily.

            “Yeah, I guess so. Ladies first,” he said as he gestured towards the elevator. When we got in the elevator he pressed the button for floor twenty. As the elevator started to move up, it all of the sudden jerked to a stop. We both screamed and fell onto the floor on top of each other. After we sat up the lights blacked out. We both got out our phones and turned on our flashlights.

            “You’ve got to be kidding me. Just another delay that gives me less time to get ready,” he yelled frustrated. “The one morning I actually need to be to work on time I get stuck in a elevator.”

            “Thanks a lot,” I muttered as I slid to the other side of the elevator. “It’s nice to know how people think of me.”

            “I didn’t mean it like that. I just thought this morning would go a little differently,” he responded apologetically. Just then the generator kicked in, and the lights came back on along with the music.

            “At least our elevator music isn’t really annoying,” he laughed as “Hello” started to play.

            “Yeah, no kidding,” I sighed. “Well while we are here we might as well get to know each other. My name is Roseanne Talmer, but everybody calls me Rosy, and I’m from New Hampshire. ” We shook hands.

            “My name is Al Copperten. I’m from Connecticut,” Al responded.

            “Nice to meet you Al,” I smiled. “How did you end up here?”

            “Oh, you know how it goes with your mom wanting you to go to college and have a nice wife and children. That’s what happened to me,” he explained. “I went to college and got a job offer to work here, and the pay was good so that was where I moved. I don’t have a wife and kids yet, though. I do have a girlfriend though.”

            “Oh really!” I said disappointed. “What is her name?”

            “Yeah, her name is Lana. She’s my dog,” he laughed. “If you consider that a girlfriend.”

I burst out laughing. I couldn’t help it. It was just so funny, and it was such a relief that he didn’t actually have a girlfriend.

            “I’m sorry. I just…” I said still laughing. “I just can’t get over how funny it is.”

            “It’s ok,” he smirked.

            “Ok,” I said as I recovered from laughing so hard. “What’s your favorite color?”

            “Hmmm…. I would probably say red,” he thought.

            “Mine’s yellow. Not bright yellow or plain yellow, but soft, pastel yellow,” I explained.

            “That is very nice. I don’t like plain red. I like dark, maroon red. Like the color of your jacket,” he said stepping closer to me.

            “That is a nice color, too,” I said as I took a step closer to him.

We were a foot apart now. Then all of the sudden the elevator started up again, and we fell to the floor into a pile screaming. The elevator dinged as it stopped at our floor. When the doors slid open there were people standing there waiting.

            As we stood up and straightened out our clothes, we apologized and started to walk to our offices. When I got to my office, I started walking in when Al grabbed my hand and turned me around.

            “So this is it,” he wondered. “Are you free this weekend?”

            “Ummm,” I said dazed. “Yeah, I am on Saturday.”

            “Ok then. It’s a date,” he declared. “I will pick you up at twelve.”

            “Ok,” I blushed. “See you then!”

            That Saturday I was dressed in a purple dress waiting for Al to pick me up. When I heard the doorbell ring, I jumped up and ran to the door. When I opened the door, he was standing there with a bouquet of daisies.

            “Well don’t you look lovely,” he smiled.

            “Why thank you,” I grinned.

            “Shall we?” he asked with his arm out.

I took it, and we started walking down the street. We went to a nice restaurant and took a walk in the park. The weather was perfect, and all the stars were out. When we got back to my place, I was regretting having to say goodbye.

            “I had a wonderful time tonight. Thank you,” I said. “I hope we can do it again soon.”

            “I agree,” he responded.

Just then he started to lean a little closer. His face was inches from mine now when…