Things to do in an Elevator, Part Two

With this repub of this blog, we will hit 50,000+ hits.  Scroll to the bottom and see how close we are now......

Elevators have always been an opportunity to have fun with strangers. Sometimes you can meet very interesting people that develop into a friendship. There are formal opportunities, as many salespeople use this time in an elevator as a chance to pitch their company, product or service.  They develop what is known as an “Elevator Speech,” which is a short synopsis of what they are selling and can be explained during the course of an elevator ride.

What I like to do is usually more spontaneous and many times unrehearsed.  As we all have experienced, most people become mute on an elevator. Others, on the other hand, feel as long as they have a captive audience, let’s have a good time.

Riding elevators is an interesting way to meet people with a little creativity and craziness thrown in. Here are a few more ways to pull off elevator pranks.  Thank you for all those that shared what they had done.  I have included those which I had not already known or used.  Thank you again from whose shared their experiences but were already included in the blog.

While in high school, I saw this once on the old Candid Camera show.  It was a big hit and still fun to try. When you are in the first group to get into the elevator, this works best with a friend, go to back corners and face to the back of the elevator.  You will be surprised how many people will enter the elevator and will face the back and not face the front along with you.  This is especially works especially well on elevators with a front and back door.  Everyone will think it opens in the back and it then they won’t.  The hard part is not laughing and giving it away.

Another variation of this is to step into a packed elevator and stay facing the crowd without saying anything.  Don’t look up at the numbers, just quietly look around at the people and continue facing them until the door opens again.  Watch their uncomfortable reactions of you staring at all of them.  Thank you to my nephew Josh from Hong Kong.

It’s always fun to act like an old time elevator operator and as each door opens, describe what is on the floor.  An example is as the door opens yell out, “Women’s lingerie, children’s clothing and appliances”.  It usually always gets a laugh or smile.

One that would always get a laugh is as the door opens and you step into a fully packed elevator, face the group and say, “I am sure you are wondering why I called you all here today.”  Thank you again to my old grammar school friend, Marsha from Illinois.

An uninhibited woman can usually pull this next one off, more than a guy.  You don’t have to be a “10” to do this, actually any number will do.  You just have to somewhat of an exhibitionist to enjoy watching people watch you, get embarrassed or joy, while staring at you.

 

Walk into the elevator wearing a skimpy thonged workout outfit under your business clothes, while carrying a professional looking briefcase.  Be sure to wear eyeglasses, even if they are fake, to look more serious.  If you have long hair, pin it up and try to look as “business like” as you can. This should only be done while there are a few men and women in the elevator.

When you get on the elevator and the door closes, always stand at the front of the elevator, without saying a word and ignoring anyone that may speak to you.  Slowly begin taking off your clothes while putting them into your empty briefcase. Take your glasses off and then let your hair down so you can shake it. Get off at the next floor after you have changed clothing.  This will give them something to talk about the rest of the way down or up.

Finally, when you are the last person in a packed elevator, get in and face the crowd.  As the elevator begins to rise, announce that “you are very sorry but you are claustrophobic and if you pass out the only way to save you is to have someone give you mouth to mouth recessitation.”  Then find your favorite woman/man in the crowd and ask if they wouldn’t mind being the “chosen one if it necessitates.  At the end of the ride, thank everyone for their help with your claustrophobia. Most times the one you chose will come up and talk to you.  You now have met someone new and you can let them in on the hoax to see if they have a sense of humor.

I hope you have enjoyed the last two blogs.  We live in a world in which most people don’t speak to each other.  Many don’t know their own neighbors where they live.  We have been programmed not to talk to strangers.  Why? You never know who you might meet.  I am sure you never meet, if you don’t try.  If nothing else, leave an impression as to who you are.  It will also give them something to talk about for the rest of the day.

As you read in part one of this blog on Tuesday, you will remember the gag with my old girlfriend.  I am sure that the people that were in the elevator that fateful day are still talking about what we did.  If any of you were in the elevator with us that funny day, you now  know it was all set up.  Hope you had a good discussion the rest of the ride.

Are you another person in our impersonal world? Or are you adventurous? It’s what usually differentiates us here in the South compared to elsewhere in our country. We say “Hi or Hey” to just about everyone we pass on the street or hallway. We aren’t necessarily going to rob or rape you, we are just being friendly. Nothing more, nothing less. Eventually, if you greet people enough times, you will start a conversation and get to know that stranger.  They then stop being a stranger.

I personally prefer to be the person that made you laugh or gets you to talk to others after exiting the elevator.  Make an attempt to make a stranger laugh today, you may be surprised who you will meet.

See you next Tuesday.  Keep laughing and thinking, it will keep you young and happy.

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