I’ve got previous on the lift scene. I despise them, but love their work. Took the lift this morning. I was looking at the time thinking that the stairs would take too long, but I was kidding myself. I just wanted to get in the lift. I thought ‘What’s the big deal? It’s going to take a couple minutes tops. We’ll be in and out in no time’.
Prior to this, I hit the security gate, swipe in. I’m all over this. This stuff runs like clockwork – it’s like at the ticket gate at the station: everyone knows the deal. If you’ve been commuting for under six years, tickets and Oyster Cards are loaded up in hand and we’re all thinking about The Gate before we get there. I read this early in my commuter life. Early doors I was thinking about The Gate while I was getting off the train – you can’t be slow at The Gate. There’s no room for indecision at The Gate. No grace. It’s unforgiving. It’s do or die.
If you’ve been on the commuter circuit for more than six years you don’t even think about The Gate. It’s in you, it’s pumping through the veins. If you’re a plus-sixer you are The Gate.
I get through the work security gate.
I see a crowd – maybe 10 deep – in the lift waiting area. I know these lifts carry 15, but I also know that carrying more than 10 gets uncomfortable. There’s always at least one sweater. The guy who cycled in, the guy who ran in, the overweight guy who walked from the cab to the door. I’ve got one foot on the bottom step of the stairs – it’s 100 steps up to my floor. I’m hesitating.
I bottle the stairs and gun for the lift, but then I’m thinking ‘Hang on, this is going to be packed. These 10 – The Lift 10 – know this’. I scan the numbers above the other lifts’ doors to see if there are any heading down. I spot a ’3′, so instantly back off the doors to The Lift 10′s lift. Those doors begin to close, but one of the 10 has read it wrong. They’re still on the previous page – they think I want in. Must be an intern. Probably only been on the scene a matter of months. The Intern’s right index finger is gunning for the button board inside the lift. I’m guessing they’re wanting the open door button. The only person in the lift who wants it I bet. I mean, The Sweater has already lost half a stone in there.
The doors open again, the ’3′ above the other lift’s doors is now a ’1′. It’s coming, but I’m the only one who knows this. Though I feel like I should be in with The Lift 10 now. This is new ground. I’ve never been here – making these people late, if nothing else. I’ve been among The Lift 10 before, but have never been the 11th man.
I drop my head, look at the floor, desperately trying to not catch any of those sets of eyes, shake my head and walk away. No words came from my mouth. I had nothing. Just the shake of the head. The lift doors eventually close and off they go. The ’3′ has arrived, I end up in there on my own (the best way to ride a lift), and I’m out of there, thinking that the whole episode is finished.
The lift lands at my floor, and by now I’m completely over what had gone before. But The Lift 10′s lift has arrived at my floor, too, and for some reason I look in the lift as the doors open. There were maybe seven of them left. They all knew what had just happened, and from the looks on their faces were not looking to forget too soon.
