Three scientists\u2014Papaia, Banani, and Ravioli\u2014and their assistant Igor, who are supposed to attend the famous dark matter conference, board the wrong flight and end up on the other side of the world. After arriving at the wrong airport, they book a hotel for the night, but it\u2019s not exactly what they expected\u2026 in the sense that it\u2019s awful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a rough night, they also get stuck in the elevator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are at the bar, where the clerk is finishing his coffee break with his friend Alfred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They sip their coffee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alfred: Yeah, and you didn\u2019t see them leave?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clerk: It was nine in the evening\u2026 I was sleeping. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But then I heard some noises\u2026 so I went out to the reception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alfred: Now I\u2019m confused! Why didn\u2019t you stop them if you heard noises? Didn\u2019t you see them leave?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clerk: No, the noises were coming from the elevator. They were trapped inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alfred: Another group stuck in that elevator\u2026 at this point, it\u2019s more of a routine than an accident!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 But did you help them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clerk: Lose sleep over them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 Of course not! I went back to bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alfred: You weren\u2019t worried?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clerk: Actually, it was a serious mistake, from which I learned two things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alfred: To maintain the elevator and be more altruistic?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clerk: What are you saying? Have you gone mad? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026You know, Alfred, sometimes it feels like we don\u2019t even know each other!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alfred: I didn\u2019t mean to offend your sensibilities\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clerk: As I said, I learned two things. The first is \u201calways think of everything,\u201d and the second is \u201c”never let anyone tap off\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alfred: Yeah, but how did they escape?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clerk: The next morning, I went up to the third floor and saw the elevator doors open, with the cabin stuck halfway between the third and fourth floors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alfred: They forced the doors open and ran away!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clerk: Exactly. And without paying the bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alfred: And how many bottles of water did they take?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clerk: Two! Two half bottles, Alfred!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The clerk falls silent for a moment, reliving the trauma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23<\/p>\n\n\n\n