We waited a bit for the movers and I decided to go downstairs to check to see if they were there. I took the tiny elevator down from the 7th floor to the 1st floor. The elevator went a few inches past its designated landing spot on the 1st floor and then shut down. The doors wouldn't open. So there I am -- trapped in a tiny elevator in Italy with no cell phone. I'm able to force the door open a tiny crack to peek out, but I can't get out. Some women enter the building and try to use the elevator. I say hello in Italian (which is about all I know at this point) and they realize that the elevator is broken and I'm trapped. They ask me questions and tell me things. I understand nothing.
For the next half hour or so, I hear various voices outside, but nothing is happening. At this point, I'm thinking that my wife must be wondering where I am. She is. I assume that she'll figure out that I'm trapped in the elevator when she comes to check on me and the elevator doesn't work. She, however, assumes that the movers have commandeered the elevator and simply walks down the stairs.
I'm still in the elevator.
The lights go out. Now I'm trapped in a tiny elevator in Italy with no lights. There are some voices outside. When Italians speak they generally sound mad. So I'm trapped in a dark, tiny elevator with angry-sounding Italians outside the door.
I can tell that someone is doing something below me and I feel someone working. This is a relief. It felt like the floor was rising. Finally, the door was open and I was free! My wife was standing right there with the movers. They were waiting for the elevator. I'm not even sure she realized that I was stuck in the elevator.
That was my first morning in our new apartment. Italy is going to be an adventure!
