Elevator Banter From The Tower (6X3)

[Deborah Jovan Reed]

Elevator Banter From The Tower: Exposition.

From time to time I leave my apartment, mp3 player secured in my pocket, because - 'supposing I want to be a member with my fellow species instead of a fellow member of my species' - therapists are a joke but it can be fun sometimes to see just how much 'fellow species' interaction I can handle before I reach for the earpieces. Everyone thinks I'm a child, more a baby, throwing tantrums when they won't listen to me or crying over petty things like wanting respect and consideration. Is 'my body, my choice' a slogan only for abortion rights?  I deserve to choose to be alone. I deserve to choose if I want to take lithium. I deserve to choose to wear my headphones to drown out the asinine conversations people try to start with me while riding the elevator to my place of choice.

~

Elevator Banter From The Tower: Going Down!

He's punched '7', which is just two flights down, and I feel his eyes burning into me, "You don't talk much."

With a side-glance, my left eyebrow naturally cocked, I reveal, "Don't have anything to say."  Why is it taking so long to go down two flights?

He steps off the elevator, "You're different than the other people here. You just don't belong."

In your presence, in this building, and the whole fucking planet apparently, I insert the earpieces in case someone else decides to get on before I reach ground level.

~

Elevator Banter From The Tower: Going Up!

Exhausted, after a day of humanity, I step in the elevator and chose to ignore the four men coming along for the ride. "Ya know ya a beautiful 'telligent woman and don't let no one never tell ya different," a man states, having pinned me against the elevator wall, before he stumbles out on the third floor.

When the next two men get off on the sixth floor one chooses to take a moment to relate, "Don' worry he drunk an' don' know what he say."

As the doors close I look at the last man, "Which was the insult?"

He shrugs then steps out on the seventh floor.

Getting off on the ninth floor I remind myself how, in less than one minute, I will be shut away - laptop in place by my side with headphones covering ears - and humanity will vanish until morning, Oh, how I hate mornings.

[Deborah Jovan Reed]

yeah, like that idea except tried it and ... i prefer the headphones.  :)

[Michael J. Malervy]

I know it is a long climb to the ninth floor but maybe this is a sign to take the stairs instead!