i heard a knock knock...

Since it's nearing the end of the school year, the lower level of my school building was basically deserted at 4:45 when I packed up my things to head out. As I was walking down the hall by my classroom, I heard a knock knock on the elevator door.

Yes. Someone was stuck.

And not just one someone...two someones. Our cleaning crew...one of which happened to be working her first day on the job.

So I called the office and informed them of the situation. Several people rushed down to try to help (because pulling the alarm and having the firefighters come needed to be a last resort (that's a lot of money...we know from experience.)

I figured I should stick around and watch for two reasons:
1. The elevator is right outside my classroom.
2. When you're extremely claustrophobic and someone ELSE is stuck in the elevator, you need to take time to be appreciative that it's THEM and not YOU.

We called several people, including the Elevator Man, who walked us through several different options before we had to shut down the power to the elevator and find the key. The key took some time to be located, and was eventually found by the only child in a group of about 6 adults. The two victims made it out safely, albeit a little pale and sweaty. And bonus, we didn't have to call any firefighters.

I've always hated that elevator. I've only been on it once, when taking a load of things down to my classroom that couldn't go down the stairs. And I will probably never get on it again.

And now part of me wonders whether that poor, new cleaning woman will come back for her second day of work tomorrow. "Welcome to our school. Let us show you the elevator..."

xoxo, wife.