51 Minutes in a Revolving Door

[LiberalArkie]

http://www.theawl.com/2014/12/51-minutes-in-a-revolving-door

Mid-turn, and the whole thing stopped moving. With a sighhhhh. And a click. The person in front of me (hair scraped into a bun and brown coat) was able to squeeze out. As was the person behind me (heavy boots and red scarf). But I was trapped. By three walls of glass. After much pushing and shrugging on my part, the security guard approached holding up a note written on the back of a ticket stub. Are you ok? Door stuck? His name tag said “Bill” and he could not have been older than 19. “I can hear you,” I said. “Yes it is. And yes, I’m fine.” Good, Bill wrote on his hand before, subsequently, transforming these words into a thumbs up. He turned to another security guard: “I think the door’s stuck,” he said. Bill’s Friend looks at the door. And then at me: “Christ.”

10:15 AM: Bill and his Friend start to pull the door. And like any self-respecting young woman living in a post-Liam-Neeson-Taken era, I decided to call… my father. “Dad. I’m trapped in a revolving door.” There followed a crunch of cornflakes. “Is this a metaphor?” My father asked. “Did you want to speak to your mother? You know I’m no good at these sorts of problems.” I tell him it’s real. I tell him it’s happening. I tell him to feed my fish if I don’t make it out. “Honey, [cornflake crunch/ swallow] have you actually tried pushing the door. Push the door. See what happens.” This whole time, museum patrons are trying to use the revolving door/my new glass prison. Puzzled when nothing happens, they look at me. And then exit through the side door to the left. Some of them shake their heads or roll their eyes. I have, they presume, broken the door. Children are crying: they wanted to go through “the spinning” door: “What did the lady do?” A small girl asks her mother. “I can hear you,” I say.

Snip

[F4lconF16]

1. A well told story.

I enjoyed reading this, thanks.

[PumpkinAle]

2. That was a good little read

thanks for posting.

[monmouth4]

3. Very good read, glad she has a good sense of humor...n/t

[DawgHouse]

4. Ahhh... tights that I thought were black but are navy. Been there! nt

[deurbano]

15. Me, too! Most recently had to do with my younger daughter when she was still in elementary school.

Navy blue uniform... but not always navy blue tights. (I would realize later.)

[cally]

5. Never using revolving door again!!

I've always hated those doors and now I know why!

[starroute]

6. She writes "shopping trollies" -- so she must be British -- explains a lot

Think of the whole episode with a slightly Monty Pythoneseque air of the ridiculous and it all makes sense.

[secondvariety]

7. Nice.

[RedCappedBandit]

8. That's pretty scary to me honestly

I might have broken it myself to get out..

[KingCharlemagne]

9. Good find. Thanks for posting. Always a pleasure to read

gracious and witty writing! (The art of a well-told narrative is not yet quite dead, even in this age of 140-character Tweets and "status updates&quot

[NJCher]

10. that is funny

Of course, she's a good writer because she teaches writing. I laughed at what she put her students through.

Well, I'm just happy she didn't have this predicament:




Cher

[appalachiablue]

11. Good story. Didn't name the Museum. Could have been real bad for a person with

phobias, anxiety or other medical problems. When my brother casually said the elevator in his NY apt. bldg. got stuck sometimes, I took note. His place was only 6 floors up though.

[DeadLetterOffice]

12. Like me, lol

I do NOT cope with being trapped -- panic attack central, that's me. I'd probably lasted about 5 minutes before I hyperventilated and passed out.

[appalachiablue]

13. Yes def a drag. Have a friend that get attacks, but not hypervent/passout kind but bad chest pains

like a heart attack sometimes. Scary, says it depends on many factors, has a suggestive mind too. Some guys get a fear of heights when older, my sister had it since young. She doesn't suffer though, just passes right out. Otherwise a strong, fighter type person. *Does the paper bag breathing really help hyperventilating? I think so. Hey just noticed you're fairly new too, already 600 posts. I joined Sept. 1 after following a few years.

[DeadLetterOffice]

14. Mostly I manage ok, and rarely have an attack that bad...

... but I can guarantee if you trapped me in that damn door I'd lose my mind in no time, lol.

I've lurked here for several years, finally signed up about a year and a half ago. Post sporadically, and rarely about politics, as I still don't understand the nuances that keep you from getting pile-driven if you say the wrong thing. Often more fun to watch than play, anyway.

[appalachiablue]

16. Yes it's great to learn. Took a while to understand that there were troll

suspects and troll trap measures apparently by the some active members. I don't get into that, the spats-banter and dislike commenters who quickly produce someone's previous posts obtained through the search feature I guess, to prove a point. I really like the site, has many types of news and info., and great variety and quantity. There's also a very good selection of Groups and Forums if you look- from places to hobbies, health, good news and support groups.
*I just noticed the article headline- stuck for 51 Minutes! Yikes, that would be rough.

[world wide wally]

17. I hope you get out someday!