Crack

A young woman of maybe nineteen or twenty flicks her finger across her iphone and taps quickly.  The old man across from her can’t help but comment,
“Yeah, cos mobile phones have been known to work in a lift stuck between floors.”
The woman smiles smugly and turns her phone towards the old man,
“Facebook, Grandad, means a signal.”
The old man sneers and turns to the third person occupying the claustrophobic  8 foot by 6 foot space.
“Don’t suppose you have much time for Facebook running round after a little ‘un like him?” he nods towards the two year old child sitting in the lady’s lap.  “Demanding aint they? Don’t leave time for no-one else, a kid like that.”
There’s a pause then, stroking her sleeping son’s hair, the lady replies clearly,
“Twitter.”
“Excuse me?”
“I don’t use Facebook, I prefer Twitter,” she repeats.
There’s no response from the old man.  Instead he sighs, slides to the floor and tilts his head back to touch the cool wall of the lift.  He closes his eyes for a few minutes and when he re-opens them both women have phones in their hands, are tapping furiously and are ignoring him.
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Kandi Tru Watts
OMG- Lift stuck – am trapped with a grandad and a brat!
-          Dennie Sharp
No!!!! Is anyone helping you?
-          Kandi ‘tru’ Watts
Yeah mate, they are working on it. Reckon it’ll be an hour. B4 old man kicks it and kid starts screaming!
-          Dennie Sharp
How you doing mate?
-          Kandi ‘tru’ Watts
Pretty chilled for me…. So far! You know me… don’t take much and BOOM!!!
-          Dennie Sharp
LOL!! BOOM in a lift – Messy!
-          Kandi ‘tru’ Watts
tru mate tru! :D
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The sleeping boy begins to stir in his mother’s lap. She immediately puts down her phone and strokes his cheek.
“Hello sweetie,” she whispers. “Did you have a nice little nap? Let’s see what we can find you in Mummy’s bag.” 
The lady rummages through various sizes of Tupperware and pulls out a small carton of juice.  The old man tuts as she passes the juice box to the outstretched hands of her son.
“Anything else to go around?” he throws in her direction.
“I’m afraid not, I couldn’t possibly leave my son without anything to eat or drink.  I’m sure you understand.”
“Oh yes, of course!” replies the old man in an exaggerated tone “Mummy’s little darling comes first.”
The lady sets her jaw in a firm line and smiles a stretched smile at the man before picking up her phone once more.
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Lorrie_Harvey  LorraineHarvey
Any tips on surviving a trapped lift? Oscar being a darling as ever! #stuckinanlift
@Lorrie_Harvey Alcohol!
Lorrie_Harvey  LorraineHarvey
Would kill for a Pinot (bottle of!) but no joy! Only Oscar’s juice and that’s for him only!
@Lorrie_Harvey Hope Oscar’s ok :( poor thing, is it terribly hot? Is Jeremy on way to you?
Lorrie_Harvey  LorraineHarvey
No answer from Jeremy :( soldiering on alone as ever! #whathaveIdonetodeservethis?
@Lorrie_Harvery Trooper darling, as ever. Will get Bill to contact Jeremy. Love and hugs. Stay in touch!
Lorrie_Harvey  LorraineHarvey
Thk you! Everything calm here so far, no disasters apart from not moving just hope my patience lasts!  #thkgod4twitter!
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The old man gets restless and rises once more.  He stretches his hands up in an awkward motion.  Discomfort shows on his face.  Carefully he places one foot in front of him and lunges clumsily forward.  He repeats it several times stretching out the tightening muscles.  To no one in particular he starts to talk about sitting for hours on end in the cab of truck, driving mile after mile completely alone. He moves on to describing the roads and routes he would drive on in the days before motorways.
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Kandi ‘tru’ Watts
OMG – My ears are bleeding from the old bloke’s insane talking! I can’t be held responsible for my actions if he don’t shut the fuck up! Lol!
-          Dennie Sharp
Oh mate! What about your ipod – drown him out 
-          Kandi ‘tru’ Watts
 left it in my locker.  Gotta listen to him rambling on about roads and trucks and shit. LIKE I CARE!!! Jeez, it’s really getting on my nerves, good job I got you to keep me sane!
-          Dennie Sharp
Always here for you BFF lol
-          Kandi ‘tru’ Watts
Fuck off with the BFF crap! What are you 12???
-          Dennie Sharp
Just keeping you smiling :D
-          Kandi ‘tru’ Watts
Yeah, don’t go no where will you? Can’t stand much more of this. It’s sooooo lonely 
-          Dennie Sharp
What even with Mr Trucker for company?
-          Kandi ‘tru’ Watts
Yuck! He was doing lunges, stretches and shit a minute ago. Gross! He’s really doing my head in.  Just as long as he stays on his side of this hell hole.
-          Dennie Sharp
For his own safety he should!
-          Kandi ‘tru’ Watts
tru mate tru
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The old man counts the minutes slowly past.  The restlessness won’t leave him alone.  He rocks gently back and forth on his feet swinging his arms away from his sides. The old man looks towards the little boy.  He too is rocking back and forth, his arms are waving frantically in front of him. 
“No! Mummy, crisps!”
“But Oscar darling, crisps are gone.  Have some bread sticks?”
“No Mummy, crisps!”
“Now Oscar, I can’t give you crisps, you ate them.  Be a good boy and try these. Look I got you some grapes, Oscar loves grapes.”
“No! Mummy, no grapes - crisps!”
The lady’s pleading does little good.  All the various sized containers are offered up but each one is rejected by a little boy growing more and more angry.  The anger tips over into a wail, a foot is stamped hard and a plastic box is thrown to the floor.
“No Oscar!” shouts the old man, “Naughty! No crisps”

Immediately the boy stops.  He hides behind his mother.  She sets a steely gaze on the old man.

“Don’t ever talk like that to my son again.”
The old man shrugs, laughs to himself and slides to the floor.
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Lorrie_Harvey  LorraineHarvey
Oh I have got to get out of here.  Enduring abuse and isolation.  #needhelpsoon!
@Lorrie_Harvery
Still stuck? Nobody to talk to?
Lorrie_Harvey  LorraineHarvey
Am stuck with a cantankerous old man and a badly dressed teenager who can barely smile let along talk. :(
@Lorrie_Harvery
how long has it been so far?
Lorrie_Harvey  LorraineHarvey
About thirty-five minutes – old man getting on everyone’s nerves. Poor Oscar having to be sooo brave!
@Lorrie_Harvery
can’t be much longer – chin up!
Lorrie_Harvey  LorraineHarvey
Hope not. Old man pacing again and girl starting to talk to herself! (stuckwithcrazypeople!)
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The old man paces repeatedly in front of the two closed doors.  The little boy runs quickly front to back over and over again.  His light footsteps ringing on the metallic floor.  Every now and then the old man glances towards the child’s mother; she can’t take her eyes off her son.  He sneers knowing she won’t see.  Every now and then he glances at the young woman.  He is intrigued by the piercings sprinkled all over her face but tries not to be caught staring.  The minutes continue to creep by.  The fatigue begins to weigh heavily on each person.  The young woman seems to be breathing deeper now the old man notices and he pauses for a moment to look at her.
“What… are you… staring at?” she asks slowly.

“Nothing, I wondered if you were ok. I thought you said something and you seemed to be…” The answer doesn’t come easily.

“If I want your help Grandad I will ask for it.  Now leave me the fuck alone.”
The old man glances at the child’s mother and she raises her eyebrow in response.  He returns to his pacing, this time with his eyes turned to the floor.
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Kandi ‘tru’ Watts
Someone better get me out of here quick.  I aint joking, it’s driving me crazy in here.
-          Dennie Sharp
Kandi, hang in there, you can do it.  Can’t be much longer
-          Kandi ‘tru’ Watts
I dunno mate, too many things driving me nuts.  Why not put your kid in the fuckin buggy as you’ve got one?!?!  Instead of letting him run around driving normal people crazy!
-          Dennie Sharp
:(
-          Kandi ‘tru’ Watts
And if that old geezer looks at me one more time, I’m gonna slap him. Creepy.
-          Dennie Sharp
Deep breathing Kandi,
-          Kandi ‘tru’ Watts
Been doing all kinds of shit to stay calm, deep breathing, counting to 100, even been listing all the Arsenal team!
-          Dennie Sharp
LOL! Any help?
-          Kandi ‘tru’ Watts
Not really, still wanna punch my way out of this tin can!
-          Dennie Sharp
Wish I could do something to help
-          Kandi ‘tru’ Watts
You are mate, just knowing you’re there helps.
_____________________________________

Each corner of the lift is occupied.  The old man stands tall in his corner.  His eyes are fixed on Oscar, his foot is tapping furiously and every now and then a suck of air whistles through his teeth. 
The young woman continues to tap furiously on her phone, every now and then she exhales and cracks the knuckles on each hand.  When she isn’t looking at her phone she is glaring at the child.  A loud tut starts to punctuate each breath. 
The boy’s mother sits quietly with her phone in her lap.  Her gaze alternating between Oscar and Twitter.  Oblivious.
Oscar is stretching as far up the buggy as he can and is pushing it towards the wall.  He takes two or three faltering steps backwards and then two or three steps hurriedly forwards.  Again and again and again the buggy thumps into the lift.  Boom, boom, boom. 
Someone inevitably cracks. 
“No Oscar,” shouts the old man and he makes a move for the buggy.  The boy is frightened and runs towards his mother.  The mother clambers to her feet to grasp her baby son.  The three collide in the middle of the lift.  A protective arm is flung out striking the man across his chest.  His balance is lost.  For a brief moment it looks as if he will tumble on to the child but instead he stumbles backwards.  Two, three steps behind him and another tangle of legs.  The old man’s hand smacks hard against the side of the lift as he tries to grab at anything for balance.  He manages to stay on his feet with one last lunge across the young woman seated on the floor.  His knee makes contact with her hand knocking her phone from her grasp.  He follows through with one more steadying step and brings his foot crashing down onto the phone.  Crack.
She screams.
“What the fuck have you done?”
She leaps up.  Her face is red with heat and anger.  Her eyes flash and her teeth bared.  She shoves the old man as hard as she can.  He doesn’t see it coming.  In fact the last thing he sees is the grey metallic wall as he hits it with speed and slides to the floor.
There is a pause as each woman looks at each other.  The mother hides her son’s face from the scene.  She reaches down for her phone.
“What are you doing?” hisses the young woman.
“Calling for an ambulance.”
The young woman lashes out again, this time her aim is the phone and it is wrenched from the woman’s hand and thrown to the floor.
“He needs help,” the mother says firmly. 
The young woman looks around her.  She looks at the old man, the boy, her phone and hides her face in her hands.
“I know,” she whispers.
She goes to pick up the woman’s phone but like hers the screen is cracked and it stays dark.
“I think I broke it,” she says quietly. “I’m sorry.”
“Good god!” the woman snorts “I think that’s the least of our worries don’t you?”