Ups and Downs!

   Let's face it.
   Most of us live in a 'ground floor
world.
   We shop at Malls and big box
stores that are usually laid out on
a single floor. If there is a second
story we probably use an
escalator to go up or down.
    My home is a one floor model
too. And those of you who have an
'upstairs' undoubtedly use stairs to
go there.
    One of the neat things about
shopping downtown in 'the old
days' was the thrill of riding an
elevator.
   Back then, of course, a lot of
buildings even had elevator
operators who acted as your
chauffeur  from one floor to
another.
   Somewhere along the line, or
between floors, automation took
over. Kids love it! They like to
push the buttons themselves
whether it's to send for the
car or to select the floor once
inside.
   A fellow broadcaster got me
into the habit of checking that
little compartment in most
elevators that is marked
"Telephone."  You'd be
surprised at the number we
found that were empty or,
in some cases, had two wires
sticking out where a phone used
to be.
   Maybe some passengers
started making long distance calls
so they ripped them out?
   Even if there isn't a phone there's
probably a button that rings a
bell......somewhere.
   You just have to hope there's
somebody around someplace that's
listening for the bell just in case.
   I got suck in an elevator (the
British call them 'Lifts.') at a
hotel near Disneyworld one
time. It wasn't a big deal to most
of us. But one woman on board
was claustrophobic and it took a
bit of doing to force the doors
open and lift and pull her out
before she 'lost it' completely.
   I though about that a little
last night while waiting for
the elevator on the 5th floor
of the Scranton Electric Building.
  The dial above the elevator
door was shaped like an arch
with 'B' for basement at the
far left and '8 for the top floor
on the right.
  The pointer, which is
suppose to show you where
the elevator is...was pointed
STRAIGHT DOWN!!!!!!
   As the door opened I sort
of longed for those days                                                                          
when an operator might have
welcomed me inside and
assured me that the dial was                                                           
simply broken.
   Alas it was not to be so I,
and two other brave riders,
stepped inside, pressed the
button for the first floor, and
were relieved to find the
automation, if not the dial,
was working just fine.
   Of course a little
'Elevator Music' would have
been nice!
   Hope you're on the right
floor and that all your NEWS is
good!