Its been three years and 3 months since this incident happened. I couldn't blog about it even though I so wanted to because the person involved in this incident was still working along with me. Now that the person has moved on from Bosch, I guess it wouldn't be a problem if I wrote about it. So, flash back to November 2006...
Work load has become too much. Its been more than a week since I spoke to Karun or Pavan. I can't remember the last time I talked to Preetham! All this effort being put to good use I think, coz the initial year or two at the office is where one learns stuff. I say this to myself every time I look at my watch and realise its half past 8 and I m still in office. The day was Friday and I had stopped caring about the dates. To have some coffee, I took my cup and headed towards ground floor where there is a 24hr pantry. As it was a Friday evening the 5th floor looked empty with only a couple of heads popping out of the cubed walls. I got on the elevator alone and pressed "G." I stood there thinking about what my friends would be doing when the elevator stopped at 4th floor. Doors opened, there she was! This girl that joined about the same time as I did. We attended all those initial trainings together. She had an interesting face. The kinda face that could bring a smile on you. Many a time I wanted to introduce myself and in general keep in touch (although I didn't have anything serious on my mind.) I had a huge, huge crush on this person - and now she was standing along with me in the elevator.
As she entered we exchanged smiles and then the doors shut. I thought I'll introduce myself, have a little chit chat until the elevator hits ground floor. As I turned, the power went off. Elevator stopped. Emergency light on. The emergency light was directly above us and the intensity of the light made her look even more pretty! I felt that she was a little uneasy in there - slightly scared if I may say. I stood there thinking - "What an opportunity! Now I get to be the pacifier." I can say something that can relieve her a little of the tension. I thought something like: "Don't worry, these elevators are designed so that when the power goes off, they lower themselves slowly the the below floor and open the doors automatically. We'll be fine in just about 5 minutes." After that when eventually the doors would open, I let her exit first and she might turn back and smile at me almost saying thank you. I then say "Take care!" and I speak to her on a daily basis from next day on, may be have lunch together, I'll introduce her to my friends, we'll all (5+1 of us) go visit our joints around Jayanagar ... and I could go on and on building a skyscraper of dreams in that poorly lit immobile elevator.
I tried to hide these thoughts from being shown on my face by turning away and smiling. I concealed a few giggles through some panting, and just couldn't stop my fingers from drawing circles around my watch. Finally, I came back from "Neverland" into reality. Slowly turned toward her. What was this! she was looking at me. I swallowed a gulp or two which made a "glug" noise and prepared to say "Its..." I was cut off by the sound of her sweet voice. She said: "Don't panic, the power goes off at 8:30 daily. I got stuck like this yesterday too. This elevator is designed to go the the immediate below floor and open its doors." There was this tiny sinking feeling - as though someone has taken my finger and poked it in my own eye! She finished talking and was still looking at me. Perhaps expecting me to say "O is it. Thanks for the info. That was nice." and believe, my exact reply was "umm .. aa ... uh,, huh. ok." She was right the elevator doors did open on the 2nd floor. She walked out. I stayed there and started laughing. I couldn't stop laughing for the next 20 minutes. The security gaurd on night duty asked "Sir, kya hua" and in my mind I was like "kuch nahi hua, kya karen!"
May be those few minutes were the only ones when I thanked BESCOM for cutting power supply. Now when I look back, I still laugh at it!
