Waiting on the elevator.

Have you ever been in a tall building and stood there waiting on the elevator only to find out after a long wait that it wasn’t working? Or sometimes the elevator does arrive but it is full so you let it go and wait on another one? I know I have many times and I end up scolding myself for not taking the stairs in the first place. Truth is I am capable of walking up stairs and could use the exercise but I still find myself pushing the elevator button just because it's the easy way out or should I say “up”.




When I was very young, we visited NYC and one of the places we went was the Empire State Building. At the time it was one of the tallest buildings in the world and we wanted to go to the top just to take in the view.



When we got there however there was a very long line waiting to get into the elevator and the sign said that the wait was about an hour long. My father was very impatient and didn’t want to wait that long even though we had no place else to go. After seeing how many people were crammed into the elevator, my mother decided that she couldn’t possibly get in with that many people so she said she didn’t want to go either. She was claustrophobic.


Being a math whiz, I did some basic calculations of 2 steps per second, and 1860 total steps and figured that it should take less than 16 minutes to reach the top. I convinced my father that we could take the stairs and make it in a fraction of the time. So we started up the stairs at the two steps per second pace. However I forgot to figure in fatigue and the two steps per second turned into one per second and then less than one per second. Soon we had to rest every few floors but in the end we made it to the top in about 40 minutes. That was still an improvement and we didn’t have to get into the crowded elevator.


Metaphorically speaking, I have been taking the stairs for most of my life while I watch other people hopping on the elevator. They push that little button and the elevator just happens to show up but when I push it I just stand there waiting and it either doesn’t come or when it does come, it is already full. When I think about all the time I have wasted waiting I makes me ill. I have come to the realization that in most cases I am going to end up taking the stairs so I might as well just go ahead and do it as long as I am capable. I am not destined to ride the elevator but taking the stars isn’t that bad. Just think, when that fire breaks out, I will be ready:




Have a great day,
Greg

PS. How many people can say they "climbed" the Empire State Building? Well other than me and that big monkey.

Comments

Bardouble29 said…
Wow thats alot of stairs...

I agree all to often we chose to take the "elevator" in our lives when sometimes the easier choice is to take the stairs. We get to comfortable and forget there are other options for us to take.
Carmen said…
You climbed stairs for 40 minutes?? That's got to be some kind of record! It seems I end up climbing the stairs a lot in life too...there must be a reason I figure. It's all good! Good post Greg! Have a wonderful day.
Scarlet said…
Wow! You went UP the stairs of the Empire state Bldg...and I went DOWN. Hmm...maybe we passed each other and didn't know it. I was there in 1971.

I'm with you, while we're willing and able we should go for those stairs. :)

Have a wonderful weekend, Greg!
And we're so fortunate that taking the stairs is an option for us. There could come a day when we wished for the mobility to take the stairs!
Terri Tiffany said…
We took the elevator up to the top! :) But how many people can say they climbed the Eiffel Tower? Not me but my daughter did when she was sixteen. Scary!
Skoots1moM said…
i climbed half of it...when i was in 7th grade we took a patrol trip and it was awesome!
my legs got numb...
i wouldn't be able to do it today

i worked for BellSouth downtown in their 47-story tower and my ofc was on 46...i've waited on many an elevator and had to learn early not to get queezy...although it was definitely an adventure working up there during tornadoes ;)
Kelly said…
That is really cool! I've never even been there, but it's on my list of places to go. Very nice.
Great post Greg. I usually take the elevator, but now may have to think twice. We went to the Empire State Bldg, but never went to the top due to it being so crowded.
sandy said…
Nope, never climbed it although I was there one time.

whew that's a lot of steps.
Edie said…
I used to always take the stairs over the elevator. Now my knees don't like it so well. It's great exercise if you're able. Would love to be able to climb the Empire State building. That's a lot of stairs. Of course that big monkey cheated, he didn't climb the stairs. lol.
Edie said…
(off topic) I just read your comment on one of adhd-jos posts. Bamm Bamm was adopted, didn't you know!? For real. There was an episode on the adoption. Barney and Betty couldn't have children. Bamm Bamm was left on their doorstep. Then the welfare dept almost took him away due to the Rubbles not having filed adoption papers.

Who knew the Flintstones could be so deep! lol. This might be one for those Tuesday special guests.
Lori said…
Way to go GREG!! I don't know if I would still be here if I had tried to climb that many stairs.
Always tempting to take the easier way rather than the better/healthier way...

You climbed the Empire State Building! Wow - you and King Kong are my heros.
You are awesome, my friend.
Debbie said…
I had to stop and catch my breath just trying to follow along with your math! I don't think I would make it to the top.
Kim said…
You are too funny! "me and that big monkey" hahaha

Kudos to you for climbing all the way to the top!

Popular posts from this blog

Hey Grandpa, What's for Supper

My plans have changed.

My new blog