The Accident
Friday, May 5th, 2006The alarm didn’t go off. By the time I awoke, it was nearly nine o’clock. If I pushed it, I could still get to my office by 9:30. I just started this new job the week before, so I was still on “probation.” And my new boss, Kevin Blake, who looked more like he belonged in Calvin Klein underwear ads than behind a corporate desk, seemed to be paying an awful lot of attention to me. I didn’t want to be late.
I dressed in a flash and tore out of the house, hoping that my morning breath would dissipate before I got to work. My BMW convertible got me through the traffic and into the parking garage in record time. Then, fate opened a parking spot on the first level, right by the elevators. It was going to be a good day after all.
I entered the elevator and punched twenty-six, the floor where my new firm SkyHi Technology had its offices. Expecting an express ride up, I was surprised when the elevator stopped on the first floor. The doors opened, and in stepped Kevin Blake.
“Good morning, Mr. Blake,” I greeted.
“Good morning, Tom,” he replied.
The doors closed as he stepped back and leaned against the back wall beside me. We both gripped our briefcases at our side; neither of us spoke.
Suddenly, there was a thump, and the car lurched to a halt. The lighted floor numbers glowed between the 20th and the 21st floors. Mr Blake opened the communications box and put the emergency phone to his ear.
“Yes, I see. So how long…? Well, please try and hurry,” he spoke into the phone. Then he turned to me. “They don’t know how long this will take, they called a representative of the elevator company, but they don’t know how long it will take for him to arrive. I guess we need to make ourselves comfortable.”