STUCK IN THE ELEVATOR THEORY pt 1

Do you remember TV shows or movies from the “yesteryear” when two people got stuck in an elevator together pre-cellphone? After an awkward or even nerve wracking first few minutes, they settle down and give each other that uncomfortable smile. Eventually, one of them decides to break the silence by starting a neutral conversation about the weather or the economy.

As they remain stuck for more than a few minutes, one says, “I hope we are not stuck in the elevator too long because my family will start to worry about me.”

“Oh, that’s nice to have a family who cares about you? I am not sure mine would not miss me if I was gone very long,” he said with a smile.

“Well, I am sorry to hear that. My family is expecting me for dinner and they will get concerned if they don’t hear from me soon.”

“How many kids do you have?”

“Two.”

“Oh, that’s nice. Tell me about your family.”

Before you know it, and because there was no choice or interruption, they had a meaningful conversation about things that mattered. Imagine that!

As the time passes, each learns more and more about the other. A spark of interest grows in both people. With no place to go, they both listen intently to what the other person has to say. After awhile, they may even start to think it is an interesting and special person they are sharing this frightening event with. Perhaps one even wonders if they were supposed to meet in this way, to bring them together for reasons they are not yet aware of.

Two different worlds came together to have one experience, so rare in this world as we speed along on the Internet Freeway. We are traveling so fast and trying so hard to keep our mind and intellect stimulated or to meet the next person, we discount the very person who is before us at the moment. People looking to the computer for their main source of meeting someone have lost that tactile approach to slowly getting to know someone.