Elevator Conversations

I live in a rather tall building. I'm on the 20th floor and there are still a few above me. As such, I routinely ride in an elevator. Sometimes I'm alone, often there are other people. Sometimes nothing is said but other times there is a conversation. At times I am part of the conversation but often I am not. The conversation may have started before the participants entered the elevator or may only be in the elevator.

Elevator conversations give us a snippet of society. A small window into what is happening around us or even a barometer on how things are out there.

You hear a cross section of everything in elevator conversations and oftem they can be very interesting.

In the last few months there have been two converstations that have stuck in my head. One I cannot seem to forget and one prompted me to write this entry.

The first one took place last fall. I believe it was in November but I can't say for sure.

It was a typical day. I had arrived home from work in my uniform to find a group of a few people already waiting for the elevator in the basement. I joined them in waiting. It eventually arrived and we started loading up. There was a woman who arrived just after everyone else had already got on the elevator. She was obviously in a hurry and was having what appeared to be an important converstation on her cell phone.

I understand I have been there.

She only wanted to go up to the main floor. When we arrived on the main floor she paused her cell phone conversation and turned to me (remember I was still in my uniform) and said, "Thank you for everything you do for our country."

She didn't have to say anything. She didn't have to interrupt her cell phone conversation. For whatever reason she was compelled to thank me, and the rest of the CF, for what we do.

Although very brief and completely one sided this elevator conversation had an impact on me. I'm sure it had some kink of impact on others in the elevator.

The second conversation was very different but made me think as well.

I was headed downstairs on a Saturday around 7pm. The elevator made a couple of stops along the way and picked some people up. One of the stops There was a man and a woman that I would estmate were in their early twenties and were dressed to go out for the evening, quite possibly to a party or to meet friends.

Their conversation had started before they entered the elevator an continued as we headed down. They were discussing music. The young lady indicated she only enjoyed some parts of the the artist in questions music while the young gentleman replied inidcating that he had not really thought about the significance of Flo Rider and his place in popular culture.

I found this conversation interesting because it was being held on two different levels. There was obviously some debate going on and I don't know everything that was being said however, it was a window, not necesarily clear, into the conciousness around me.

I was one of those moments that makes you go hmmm.

An elevator conversation is an interesting thing. It is brief. It is incomplete. It lets us into the world around us just a wee, wee bit. It can be entertaining, interesting, scary, or moving.

It is unique, and I see so much to learn from it.