Ethel and I had been out to smoke (ok, ok...I know, blech..smoking is bad...so is murder...so I choose smoking at this point in my life for tension release...hate if you will, one day I will quit.) We were presented with this conundrum...we want to go "up", but the light shines "down" and the doors open...I do not hesitate one bit and step immediately in the elevator. We're on the 2nd to lowest level of a 7 floor building...where could we possibly go but down one then up? I see the sheer panic in Ethel's eyes! She's almost frozen with panic outside the elevator. She even says "Luce, that elevator is going 'down'. What are you doing??" So I simply say "get in and watch..." I push the 6 button, and direct Ethel's gaze to the interior direction lights of the elevator...low and behold, the "down" arrow magically disappears and the "up" arrow illuminates brilliantly and we begin to climb, upward...Ethel's comment: "Well, aren't you some kind of 'elevator whisperer'" Needless to say, this is followed by her contagious, ground shaking laughter, to which I can not help but laugh along with her.
Let me pause here to say, since I'm new to this building and 5 of the 7 floors are dedicated to another company, chances are I do not know my fellow riders. There are times when I soooo badly want to burst into "Grease is the word, is the word, is the word" song when I'm in a full occupancy ride...but I don't, out of respect.
Sorry, I just had to share...
Back to the magical elevator ride with Ethel. And it was magical, because we had such a soul-soothing laugh together and were able to say "I sure love our laughs together...at the stupidest shit....", "yeah, we have some good times, don't we! Remember that time when...." and we laughed all the way back to our desks. We had one more "elevator whisperer" moment after that, the whole, up but down light thing and we laughed so hard we almost peed ourselves.
Ethel died suddenly two weeks later, on Thursday, July 5th. I was sent home from work Friday, 7/6 when they told me she was gone. I don't know how, but I managed to drive the 36 mile trip from my office to my home. When I walked in the door and saw my husband, I lost it...I broke down, cried, screamed, basically spent the weekend in shock. I mustered up the courage to go to work Monday. I had taken this job after a month of harassment from Ethel, after all (another story I will tell at some point I'm sure.)
On this first day back, I get to the elevators, push the up button and the down arrow shines like the bulb is about to blow! I mean it's so bright I'm glad I hadn't taken my sunglasses off. I get on, fighting back tears, push 6 and the ride goes UP! Ethel was telling me, in true "elevator whisperer" style...she is and always will be with me! I shit you NOT - this truly happened! The very day I return to work! Some will say it's just semantics...it's going to happen with elevators. But I choose to see it as her way of showing me, in a way I WILL KNOW, she is with me, the "elevator whisperer"!
Ok, I know I said this wouldn't be a "boo-hoo" blog...and it's not! But, if you ever have the chance to go one, maybe two floors out of your way, take it! You might have a memorable, soul-soothing laugh...TAKE IT!! It's a ride that might make all the difference in the world! And if you are ever on an elevator and hear someone singing (horribly, I might add. I know this and accept it) "Grease is the word, is the word, is the wordddd" just know there is such a thing as an "elevator whisperer" so get used to it or take the stairs!!
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