Everyone has been inside a crowded elevator at some point. Everyone has experienced the pre-holiday department store buzz as well. Today I took it one step further and got involved (sorta) in a pre-holiday department store elevator fight.
I got into the elevator on the 9th floor at Macy’s Herald Square. A completely brainless move, but I needed to go down.
The doors opened on the 7th floor and a short woman in the back tried to get out. Her voice was too timid and slow to bring about action. No one let her off. Instead, three broad-shouldered women rammed their way in.
On the 6th floor a few people got off, but not before a mild shouting match broke out in the elevator entryway. Old yeller and the alleged victim ran into the elevator…together. Screaming. We stood patiently while the two shouting shopgoers boxed each other out for prime positioning. “Hey it’s Christmas, stop pushing!” someone yelled from the back corner of the elevator. Between the oversized scarves and now-loose down feathers, I couldn’t see anything. Both pusher and pushee wedged themselves in the door jam so that it wouldn’t shut. “You cut, this is my spot, get out!” I looked down and saw a small crack in the floor, which presumably lead to a dangerous elevator shaft. I considered it.
“I’m done here,” I shouted and pushed my way out. I was not interested in discovering how the fight in the 100+ year-old elevator ended.
