Elevator limits are NOT suggestions

People are always asking me to hear my stories. Well, here’s one!

After a few days of recovering from Spring Break, we hosted a dinner party at our apartment and gathered all of our closest friends together for a reunion. After two weeks apart, we had a lot to catch up on and we spent the night eating, chatting and watching videos and pictures from everyone’s various Spring Break trips.

We’d been enjoying a few drinks during the evening and around 10 p.m. we decided to head to the bars. All 17 of our guests hoarded out of the apartment at the same time and as we waited for the elevator, we all commented how absolutely hilarious it would be if the elevator broke while we were all inside of it. Thinking it would never happen, all 17 of us jammed into the elevator once it arrived. I should note that it was clearly stated that the maximum capacity for this certain elevator was 14 people. Apparently, we thought 14 was a suggestion. So, there we are – inside the elevator, shoulder to shoulder and without a steady flow of oxygen. Unexpectedly, yet predicted, the elevator breaks in mid-flight and we become stuck somewhere in between floors.

Now, I’m not one to panic when stuck in small spaces, but I think I had my first taste of claustrophobia. There were 17 people stuck in a 7 x 5 dimensional steel box. It was like taking the Subway during rush hour – a nightmare.

We tried ringing the elevator company but after no answer, we had to take matters into our own hands. Without my blessing, one of our friends pried open the elevator doors and started fumbling with the gears. By some act of God, we managed to manually maneuver ourselves a few feet down. About ten minutes later, we were stuck between the first floor and the ground floor. We could see that we were only a few feet from the ground floor so we pried open the doors all the way and jumped the few feet onto the ground floor.

Once we were all free, it took us about 20 minutes to stop laughing. Inside the elevator, it wasn’t very funny, but looking back … it was hilarious. I take full responsibility for my actions, of course. And, it came as no surprise when we received a phone call a week later informing us that the entire episode had been caught on security cameras and we owed $400 for late night elevator repairs. Luckily, we have great friends so we all split the bill. But, let it be known that passenger limits are not suggestions. Who knew!?

XOXO, Jennifer Lynn

Our mad dash out of the elevator!