Well, so here’s a funny story. The kids and I are on our way out of our door when the Littles (AKA Liam and Kaitlyn) decide to take the elevator and the Bigs (AKA Peyton and Reagan) and I decide to take the stairs. As we are walking down the stairs, all of a sudden I hear this noise, “BAM!” I look up to see that the elevator has stopped its descent.
I ask, “Liam and Kaitlyn are you guys ok? What happened?”
“The elevator won’t go!” I hear a bit of panic in my kids’ voices.
I go back up the stairs and push the elevator button and nothing happens. I ask the Littles to push the buttons in the elevator…nothing happens. They are stuck between floor 1 and 2 of our building…and we are in France in an old building and all we know how to say in French is Merci (thank you) and Bon-Bon (candy).
After analyzing the situation and realizing there was nothing we could do, I call the emergency phone number in the elevator. As I’m calling, I’m hoping I’m able to get ahold of someone who speaks English. Thankfully, I do get ahold of someone who speaks English and they said they will send someone over to help get our children out of the elevator.
The Littles are a bit scared by this point. It has been a whole 15 minutes…which I guess for a six and eight year-old that’s a long time. I start hearing things like, “Mom, I’m really thirsty! Can you get me some water?” and “Mom, I really have to go to the bathroom.” To which all I can say is, “Honey, the water won’t fit through these holes and I’m sorry you have to go to the bathroom, but you are going to have to wait until someone comes to get you out.”
After about a half hour someone did come and rescue the Littles from the elevator. We were very grateful — and if you ask Liam and Kaitlyn how it was getting stuck in the elevator, they will very seriously tell you that it was NOT funny.
The Nomad Family 