Murphy Madness

I hesitate to use the expression “Murphy’s Law” because our next-door neighbor dog is named Murphy and he is too cute to represent anything bad. But, since it’s the most fitting expression, I’ll say Murphy’s Law was at work today.

Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

When my phone was going off this morning, it took me a moment to realize it was actually the phone ringing, not my alarm sounding. When I saw the time – 7:02 a.m. – I realized the 6:30 a.m. alarm must not have sounded. At all.

Nothing jerks you awake like oversleeping! Thank goodness a friend called before work. Or who knows when I would have gotten up. As it was, I had a hard time making my 7:20 a.m. departure time. But I was close. Really close.

I figured today would be the day I’d get stopped for speeding, so I really couldn’t put the pedal to the metal. I had to drive a reasonable 9 mph over the limit.

Got to work just a few minutes late and hopped in the elevator. Wasn’t even in it 5 seconds and it jerked – really jerked – to a stop.

I thought maybe someone the next parking level up had hit their button to get on. But the door didn’t open. The friendly voice just kept saying, “Level 3 going up, going up, going up.” Well my anxiety level was going up, alright.

Since I was by myself, I had to gauge how long was reasonable to sit there – after pressing every button a few times – before I sounded some sort of alarm. I didn’t want to seem impatient if it was just slow. But the friendly voice was getting annoying. So I pressed the phone button and got our building services folks on the line. I told him where I was at and he assured me help was on the way. He also made sure I was doing OK. Surprisingly, I wasn’t having a panic attack. The one time I had both chocolate and Xanax on hand, I didn’t need it.

I took a picture of the O.S. sign – "Out of Service" or "Oh Shucks"?

When the guys finally pried open the doors, I was stuck between floors – like one of those action movies where the floor is level with your head and you have to leap up to save someone. The rescue team didn’t feel right getting me a ladder so they closed the door and promised to be back. Meanwhile, I am trying to text my boss that I am in the building and stuck. But there was no cell reception 3 stories underground. Finally, after powering everything down, my heroes got me up half a floor and out the elevator doors.

At that point, I really didn’t want to step into another elevator. But I also didn’t want to climb 6 floors of stairs, lugging the fake Christmas tree I brought for my desk. So I pushed my luck, and pressed “up.”

I texted hubby and he said with my luck, I should probably buy a lottery ticket today. Is that how “luck” works. It switches from bad luck to good luck after a few hours?

I'd be fine if it just returns while I'm sleeping.