The Elevator

I have always wondered what magical powers does the elevator or lifts have which prompts people to behave irrationally, mostly, without even entering it. This isn't a singular incident. I have experienced several of almost similar type.

I was waiting for the elevator when a guy staying in my building arrives. He too wanted to use the elevator. He sees that I've already pressed the button but he presses it once again. The elevator is taking a while coming. So he starts hitting the button. Furiously. Agitatedly. Repeatedly.

My guess is he had this feeling that in some mysterious way the speed of the elevator was controlled by or was dependent on the number of times the button was pressed. May be even the intensity with which it is pressed. The pressure that is exerted on the button may be. Number of swear words used could be another possible factor on which the velocity, acceleration and momentum of the elevator car could depend.

Then the lift stops at some other floor on it's way down. The music that keeps playing when the lift door opens up starts humming out it's rather irritating tune. I have heard just one more application which rings a tune which can compete with the elevator music in terms of irritability- Car reverse music. Anyways...

He remarks... "What kind of people are these... absolutely no consideration for others. There are others in the building who want to use the lift!!"

I fail to understand what he was trying to say. Did he want them to get in or get out of the lift without using the door? Or did he want them to not use the lift at all when he was around or what!

Finally the lift arrived. We got in. We keyed in our respective floors. I was lucky that I stayed in the upper floor and was gonna get out of the lift after him, else I would be accused of using it for my selfish gains! I kept wondering would he now keep banging the button for the lift to reach his floor faster? Thankfully he didn't. The lift stopped at his floor, he got out and I shut the cage to carry on my vertical ascent.

May be some day some eccentric scientist will come up with an elevator which will respond to repetitive, unnecessary, illogical hard-hitting of buttons. May be some day people like this gentleman will be happy even if it means completely freaking out those inside the elevator due to sudden fluctuations in speed! Until that day... Let's enjoy our mundane life!

Cheers!