I’m glad I wasn’t a claustrophobic, because I got trapped in an elevator this afternoon. Perhaps I shouldn’t be writing about it because it’s down right embarrasing (it’s my fault not to notice how the elevator works), but what the hey, this should me my first – and hopefully last – experience of getting stuck inside an elevator.
Here's Sadia!
It happened in an apartment in Oude Delft. I went to visit another Tita (no, really), a Malaysian whom I knew only from exchanging emails and blogs. Tita, her husband and their 7-months-old daughter Sadia arrived in the The Netherlands several weeks ago; due to her husband starting an MA program at TU Delft this semester. So we finally got to meet each other in person! The visit was pleasant, baby Sadia smiling a lot and being very friendly (seems like she springs and bounces everytime she gets the chance). Their apartment is on the 2nd floor (that’s counting the ground floor as “ground” floor, not 1st floor). I wonder if there’s an elevator in this old building, considering them having a buggy and suitcases and all. There is one, that I was shown (and tempted to use) when I was leaving their apartment. Then it happenned.
I didn’t notice that, in order to go to the ground floor, you have to push the “0” button and hold it down until you reached the ground floor. This manner is written in big, bold letters above the buttons (in Dutch, duh). Well, I didn’t notice that. Instead, I did what I am used to: push the button down for some seconds and then let go. The elevator got stuck rightaway, after descending for about 20-30 cm. The door couldn’t be opened, no button worked anymore, and even the telephone inside the elevator was dead.
It’s really helpful that there is a window at the elevator door, so we could communicate quite well (sounds travel without problem). Tita and her husband were trying to get help by calling the supervisor of the building, but there was no answer. I also get them the telephone number of the elevator company that was attached inside the elevator, next to the (currently dead) telephone. During the wait to get help, Tita stood outside the door, sometimes carrying Sadia who was smiling and bouncing all the time, making a conversation with me. Wanna know what we talked about? Unecessary stuff like Inul and Siti Nurhaliza!
I wasn’t panicking or anything, and I thought the air circulation was quite well inside that elevator box. It’s a small one; if I stretch my both arms I could touch two sides of opposing walls (from side to side), stretching one arm is from door to buttons. The only thing I was worried about was that this means my trip back to Amsterdam is delayed, which means that my family’s dinner will be delayed as well.
Showing the buttons that didn't work..
Tita’s husband finally managed to get someone to come over to help, who's coming on his bike right after he got off the phone. I didn’t know how long I was in there before this elevator technician arrived (around half hour?). He peeked inside, waved at me, shouted “Don’t panic!” and dissapeared (I noticed later) into a small opening at the wall next to the elevator door. I could hear him fiddling nextdoor and shouting his instructions. We tried a couple of things until finally the elevator descended to the 1st floor. Tita went down through the stairs and was already there when the elevator arrived, then opened the door. I was out! We went up and found my rescuer talking about how to use the elevator, while checking the buttons and all inside the elevator box.
I smiled apologetically and said “Thank you” while going down the stairs along with him and Tita. He said, “What, you’re not using the elevator? Are you afraid?” – to which I replied, “I’ve spent enough time in there, for now”.
So that was the story of today. The moral? Put two Titas together and you'll experience something new!
Trying to look as desparate as possible
(
Thanks to Tita for sending me these photos :D)
Wahaaa.. you're a brave mommy... kalo gua udah kejebak... kayanya bukan claustrophobic aja kayanya, gua takut hantu euy... hantu yang ada di the eye dan di banyak ghost & horror movies .... hihihihihi
ReplyDeleteNahh untungnya (untung mulu :P), meskipun ini gedung tua banget, lift-nya modern dan lampunya terang pisan. Dan adanya jendela di pintu itu benar2 sangat menenangkan. Kalo nggak ada jendela itu pasti gue jadi jiper!
ReplyDeleteduh mbak Tita... itu kalo kejadian ke temen aku claustrophobic, bisa kencing2 kali dia... glad that you're rescued... xoxo
ReplyDeleteYa ampyun, fotonya apa ceritanya ya? hehehehehe
ReplyDeleteya ampyuuuunnn mbak, pengalaman seperti ini yang selalu menghantui aku, secara aku setiap hari naik elevator geto loh, mana lantai 31 pulak...
ReplyDeletehehehe.... pengalaman lucu & 'bodoh' memang perlu di lestarikan ..... tenik ya pernah kejebak waktu masih berkantor di pln - untung pintu lift bisa kebuka sedikit, jadi ada hawa. terus orang yang lalu lalang malah pada nonton ...... huh ... njelehi...
ReplyDeletewah serem juga yah kejebak di lift gitu..huhu...untung ga napa2 :D
ReplyDeletewadoh Taaa... sendirian pula :D :D *itu sempet-sempetnya berfoto* jangan kapok naik lift ya Ta...
ReplyDeleteSeru neh pengalamannya. Ambu mah selalu ngebayangin, kl terjebak spt itu, apa yg akan dilakukan oleh seorang mc gyver, hehehe... Dan setiap msk elevator, ambu sll liat langit²nya, merhatiin lubang darurat. Alhamdulillah, sampe skr blom pernah kejebak di elevator. Duh, salut deh buat Tita yg bisa teteub cool
ReplyDeletewadoh kalo gw pasti langsung bikin kaul ini itu ke tuhan biar bisa lepas dgn selamat & cepet. :)
ReplyDeletedulu bokap gw pernah kejebak di lift wisma metropolitan bareng bpk2 yg lain. trs ada seorang bpk yg malah ngerokok. tp kebayang gak sih, oksigen terbatas & yg ngerebutin bnyk, tempat mungil, eeeeh malah mroduksi karbon.
Taaa ... foto yang elu nunjukin tombol lift gitu kok membuat gua jadi membayangkan elu jadi pramugari memeragakan perlengkapan keselamatan?
ReplyDeleteBhuehehehehehehehee ...
@ ceretch... kekekekekeke...
ReplyDeleteLiftnya yg model baru ya ta ? Tak pikir lift2 kuno model kandang kayak yang di pelem2 horror itu....
Ga ada Keannu Reaves yang nyelamatin ya? Kaya adegan dalam Speed... He he he.. What would you do..? What would you do....?
ReplyDeleteDrawings in my diary for this event can be viewed here. What kept me calm is most probably because I know that emergency help is quite reliable, also the fact that it's 'only' the 2nd floor (while assuming a position just in case the elevator drops suddenly).
ReplyDeleteVel: I was relieved, too, when I knew someone was coming to help! I told Tita I'm glad I didn't need to go to toilet during the waiting..
Cak No: Ya ampun fotone dong :D
Cak U: kalau lantai 31, apalagi lift box full tertutup, aku juga ngeri lah.. hidup tergantung pada metal dan kabel.. hiyy
Ten: haha ono faktor njelehi, luwih ngisin2ni maneh!
Wil: iyaah.. bagusnya ini lift yg agak 'jinak'.. tp tetep aja, nggak mau lagiii
Sinta: kapan lagi abisnya :P (gak, gak kapok.. saben ke Delft jg kantorku di lantai paling atas)
Lien: Seru juga ya kalo kejebaknya bareng McGyver.. dijebol kali pintunya ama dia..
Li: halaah malah ngerokok (itu saking paniknya, atau emang dasarnya nyebelin ya)
Cin: masa tampang gue ekspresinya menyilakan?! hahahah
Mand: model baruuu.. kalo model tua yg pintunya 'pager geser' mah gue males..
Jod: rescuer gue juga gak jelek kok.. kekekek.. tampangnya lebih manly ketimbang Keanu.. yihuuu
wheewwwhhh...
ReplyDeletekalu kejebak sendiri bawa buku bacaan, makan dan minum *dan lagi nggak ada janji ma siapa2 siy oke aja...
heuheuheu...
tapi amit2 nggak deh kejadian !
waktu itu di ranselku ada: sebotol air, sepotong choc chips cookies, komik tebel dan sketchbook. semaleman masih survive deh di dalem lift :P
ReplyDeleteheuheuheu...
ReplyDeleteitu salah satu cadangan nggak panik ya :p
kurang pispot, ta. abis itu baru deh bisa semaleman di sono hehe
ReplyDelete=)) =)) ya malu, ya serem, tapi kok pengen ketawa ya Ta, soale lutu juga. Untungnya (banyak nih): si Tita satunya masih ada di depan lift, jadi bisa minta bantuan, cuma di lt. 2, jadi gak gamang, dsb dsb :D.
ReplyDeletepernah juga aku di sini (uilenstede) macet di lift. Langsung panic, ga bisa napas... keringetan, pusing, dan nangis nangis :D huaheuahuehauehau :p
ReplyDeletekalo semaleman mah gw rasa se-lift itu uda penuh digambarin sama elo :D :D :D :D
ReplyDeletentul: tau aja gue bawa spidol tebel permanen :))
ReplyDeleteli: iya yah.. hahaha.. untung gue pada dasarnya nggak tll beser :P
oh pernah? kamu claustrophobic?
ReplyDeleteiya lutu: untuk dikenang, tak untuk diulang!
ReplyDeleteerrrr..... sepertinya sih gitu :D hahahahha
ReplyDeleteheheh inget gue kekurung di Lift Gajah Mada Plaza waktu SD, kayaknay udah akhir dunia, utg ga nangis
ReplyDeletewahahaha lucu juga pengalamannya. nanti kalo sampe sempet ngunjungin kami di sini, sebaiknya hindari elevator nya. udah sering lho nyangkut gitu!!!
ReplyDeletemasa anak SD boleh naik lift sendiri?
ReplyDeletelho sering nyangkut? ngeri amat.. paling tinggi lantai berapa di situ?
ReplyDeletepaling tinggi lantai 5. kacau tuh lift nya, kecilnya mirip spt yg elu ceritain itu. lift nya ada 2, dua-duanya sering ngadat gitu. kadang-kadang ada anak kecil lagi yang terkurung dalam lift, sampe nangis-nangis :D
ReplyDeletehihihihihi kacian mbakyu ku ini..... makanya toh...rajin2 baca tulisan belanda....hehehhe
ReplyDeletembak...kamu ibu yang berbakti sekali..yang diprioritaskan makan malam keluarga.. heibat!
ReplyDelete*nyanyi "mbak tita idolakuuu"*
yg ini kelewat, ka, habis sedang sibuk melambai2 :D
ReplyDeleteaih bert.. kamu pasti juga akan memikirkan hal serupa bila berada di posisiku.. :)
ReplyDeleteWaaa.. tau gitu kan kita bisa menghibur waktu ketemuan kemaren :) Anyway, mudah2an gak kapok naik lift...
ReplyDeleteooh kemaren itu sudah sangat menghibur lhooo *cegluk*
ReplyDeleteaku udah naik lift lagi, di delt kan ruanganku di lantai paling atas.. :D