Lift Management

What we call a lift is what others call an elevator. We were visiting one of our wards in the multistory building. The lifts were quite crowded. We entered one of the lifts. It soon filled to more than its capacity and wouldn't start up. It was one of the older generations which would just stand there with its door open rather than give an audio warning that it was overloaded. So we got the last entrant to exit. Then the door closed and we started up. It stopped on the first floor. There was no call for getting out, but my Registrar got out. There was a servant waiting for the lift, who promptly entered. My Registrar reentered. The door remained open because it was now overloaded. We asked the servant to exit, but she wouldn't. We told her it was overloaded and would not start unless she exited. She continued to glare at us sullenly, but wouldn't move an inch. Finally I told her that even if she was a hospital employee, the lift could not understand that would not start with the extra load. Finally it penetrated and she exited. But the lift still wouldn't start. Then a senior person from the back guided my Registrar to exit and reenter. She did so, and the door closed. I said it was wonderful lift-management, and he beamed all over his face, saying his expertise was owing to his experience of 35 years. I think he understands lifts and their quirks like a computer Guru understands computers. After all, there is a miniature computer chip that drives the lift.