This happened a while ago, but I was reminded of this story because I saw the lady on the elevator today, so here goes…
There is this woman who works on the third floor of my office building. She is probably in her mid to late 40s. She has at least one tattoo (on her wrist of all places), and she rides a motorcycle to work when it’s nice out. She is also what you would consider a bigger lady and she derives an inordinate amount of pleasure from having people who park in the wrong parking space towed.
So about 1 year ago, I am riding down the elevator from my floor and she gets on. As soon as she does, she starts rubbing her tattooed wrist and flexing it. You know, the kind of stuff people do when they want you to ask if everything is okay, and how they hurt themselves, etc. I should point out here that I am not someone who likes to talk on the elevator. A hi how are you and talking about the weather is one thing, but I try not to get into discussions about children or politics or who they think is most likely to be voted out next on American Idol. Mainly, because when I’m on the elevator I am either headed to work and dreading it, or heading home from work and just ready to leave.
Okay, so back to the scene. The woman is rubbing her wrist and flexing it and generally giving the ask me about it body language. So I turn to her, and say, “Did you hurt your wrist?”
To which she responds, “Yeah. It is still hurt from where I dragged my husband out of the shower after he had a heart attack and died in there.”
Me: (Blinking, Blinking, Blinking) Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.
Right about then the elevator dinged at the first floor, but let me just say that was the most uncomfortable elevator ride of my life…And I lived at a dorm for two years.
What is the appropriate response in that situation? I need to know, in case it comes up again…I am opening up the comments on this one. Let me know what you think.
