Trapped

Most every day is a learning experience. I guess that is a good thing because life might get a little boring if there are never any new introductions. A lesson I have recently learned is that American things are sometimes exaggerated while French things usually are not. (Food portions, car sizes, drinks, weight limits, etc) I've also learned that the average American probably weighs more than the average French person.

So, one day I was trying to get 13 people up to my apartment on the 10th floor (European 11th American). No problem. We can split up on the two elevators. One group can go on the even elevator directly to my floor and the other can go on the odd one and take the stairs one flight. The girls made it on and up while I waited back with the boys. The elevator came and my American efficiency mindset as well as my naive "that won't happen to me" attitude set in and I encouraged 7 American men to get in the elevator and I joined them.

No problem...we're only one person over the limit.



Then, we started moving. Down. About three feet. The number remained at RC (ground floor) and there we were. Trapped.



Fortunately for the claustrophobics (and those of us who need H2O for survival!) we could open the doors just a little and get some cool, fresh air. The man with the key arrived from the other side of Paris 45 minutes later. I bolted for the stairs so not to be seen by any of my neighbors. :)

I will think twice before loading up an elevator...