Musical Elevators

By Rob Watson

The following is from my collection of older stories.

The other day I was at a business show. That night our rep takes us out for a large Mexican dinner and lots of Mexican drinks. Afterwards, one of the other drunks wants to take us to a rotating bar on the top of a hotel to buy more drinks. This bar was on the 24th floor. I had not been there before. I do not go up with everyone else, I am delayed in the little boys room.

I come to the elevators. There are three in a semicircle facing me, They are the glass enclosed type that are in some hotels with atriums. I mash the button for "up" and the light comes on. After a minute or so the bell dings and the light goes out. None of the doors open. After a minute or so I mash the "up" button again. The light comes on and I wait. The bell goes "ding". The light goes out but none of the doors open. A third time I press the button, light comes on, the bell dings, light goes out, no door opens. This time I hear a sound behind me. It is two more elevators. (The regular box type with no view). The noise I heard was the door closing.

I press the button again, "ding" and the other door behind me opens. I walk in and start to press the button, but it only goes to the 21st floor. I get off. "Fine" I say to myself. "They're gone, I'll get one of the three I'm faceing." So, I press the "up" button again, the bell dings and one of the elevators behind me opens. I walk in, press the button for the 21st floor and step off again. I press the "up" button and the other elevator behind me opens. I walk in, press the button for the 21st floor and step off again.

For the eighth time I press the "up" button. The door in front of me opens immediately. It apparently sat there the whole time I was playing with the elevators behind me.

I was wondering, do you suppose a sober man would have done all that?