Q & A with a Super Hero:
Beloved Elevators
Our most recent obsession, for the last year or so, is elevators. Big shock, I know. We have studied how they work, how the doors open/close, which ones talk, which ones rattle, which ones smell. After one visit, he can usually draw them and build them on his Ipod games.
He can remember which ones are on poles, have weights and are wobbly. We’ve scoured the Internet for places to visit with glass elevators and I believe have hit them all in the city. We're waiting for the Washington Monument to reopen! Oy.
The favorite ‘vators to ride and observe are at the Gaylord National Harbor, Union Station and National Cathedral. They are all glass and he can see how they work. He’s so in love with them I thought I’d oblige him and do a quick little interview. It was so fun, he got extremely excited and animated.
Of course it's long, it's his favorite topic!
What do you like about elevators?
They are my faaaaa-vor-ite, especially the glass ones. I like to see them opening.
What is so cool about them opening?
It has a cool top on it. It has all computers on the top.
What do the computers do?
They tell it to go up and down and open doors. (making the opening motion with his arms)
Do you like elevators that talk?
Yes.
What do they say?
They say the floors. – I also like the wheels that push it. It says OSCO on the wheels.
What other things do you remember about how elevators look?
They look kind of like, it jingles a little bit when it goes up… the chains on the bottom of them swing a little bit…(making swaying motion with arms in air) that’s mostly at the Gaylord Hotel elevators.
Tell me about glass elevators at the Old Post office?
It doesn’t have glass doors.
But you see it going up?
Nothing special about that one except it’s really old.
Tell me about the elevators at the National Cathedral?
They go up and down and they talk a lot. The lights make a ooohh ooohhhh oooohhhh noises and lots of creaking noises.
Do those noises make you excited or nervous?
They make me sort of nervous and I want to run around the elevator.
Why do you like only the glass elevators?
Because I can see how it works.
How does it work?
The big weights help it go up and down and they’re cool with really cool wheels.
Are the wheels big?
Some of them, if they’re freight elevators.
What is a freight elevator?
It carries the cargo, if there’s a lot of floors up.
Tell me about the elevator from our New York trip? (55 floors up. Had ‘express’ elevators that go super fast)
Those ones were scary.
Why?
Because they tickled my tummy.
How’d they tickle your tummy?
The elevator going really fast… raising arms up and down, explaining how it stops really fast.
Did you like being on the 55th floor though?
Yes.
Do you like when the elevators tickle your tummy?
Not really.
Why?
Cuz it tickles.
What other elevators do you like?
Metro ones.
Why?
They say OSCO too. And they make crazy noises like at the White Flint one… oing oing ! But only two times.
Do those ones talk also?
Yes.
What do they say?
“Welcome to the Cleveland Park Station. Please give priority to seniors and disabled before using this elevator. Thank you. Going down.” (he recited in a low soothing voice)
Is it a man or lady talking?
Probably a lady, but she’s really old and really tall.
Why do you think she’s tall?
Because her voice is low!
Have any elevators made you nervous?
Lots of them. White Flint does.
Why?
Because it scares me a little bit.
What do you do when you’re scared?
I just cover my ears.
How does covering your ears help?
It helps quiet it all down.
Do you shut your eyes?
No. Unless there’s an emergency.
Can you tell me more about elevators? When the bell rings on the top of the elevator, (alarm) I cover my ears so strong, I could break the elevator doors.
Is being in an elevator with lots of people fun or uncomfortable?
Fun.
Why?
Because it stops everywhere, a lots of times.
What about having all those people so close to you?
That part makes me uncomfortable. But the stopping makes it fun. I make friends with them and say hello.
Do they talk back usually?
Yes.
I also like escalators.
What do you like about escalators?
If they’re glass and I see them working like at Dick’s. I’m a going to be a social guy for the elevators. A County Elevator person to check them and make sure they’re working. I’ll go up on top of the roof and fix them up.
Escalators too?
Yes. It might hurt to be on the roof, if I get zapped and poked, but I’ll still work hard. It might be cold up on top of the elevator roof and there might be a lot of trash. I might have to wear something special because it might smell bad too.
Why do you think it will smell bad in an elevator shaft?
Because I see lots of trash and litter in there. Littering is against the law.
Anything else?
Keep the elevator safe!
How?
Keep the gears spinning and doors clear.
Is daddy ready to go see elevators?
Go find him. Have fun!
Beloved Elevators
Our most recent obsession, for the last year or so, is elevators. Big shock, I know. We have studied how they work, how the doors open/close, which ones talk, which ones rattle, which ones smell. After one visit, he can usually draw them and build them on his Ipod games.
He can remember which ones are on poles, have weights and are wobbly. We’ve scoured the Internet for places to visit with glass elevators and I believe have hit them all in the city. We're waiting for the Washington Monument to reopen! Oy.
The favorite ‘vators to ride and observe are at the Gaylord National Harbor, Union Station and National Cathedral. They are all glass and he can see how they work. He’s so in love with them I thought I’d oblige him and do a quick little interview. It was so fun, he got extremely excited and animated.
Of course it's long, it's his favorite topic!
What do you like about elevators?
They are my faaaaa-vor-ite, especially the glass ones. I like to see them opening.
What is so cool about them opening?
It has a cool top on it. It has all computers on the top.
What do the computers do?
They tell it to go up and down and open doors. (making the opening motion with his arms)
Do you like elevators that talk?
Yes.
What do they say?
They say the floors. – I also like the wheels that push it. It says OSCO on the wheels.
What other things do you remember about how elevators look?
They look kind of like, it jingles a little bit when it goes up… the chains on the bottom of them swing a little bit…(making swaying motion with arms in air) that’s mostly at the Gaylord Hotel elevators.
Tell me about glass elevators at the Old Post office?
It doesn’t have glass doors.
But you see it going up?
Nothing special about that one except it’s really old.
Tell me about the elevators at the National Cathedral?
They go up and down and they talk a lot. The lights make a ooohh ooohhhh oooohhhh noises and lots of creaking noises.
Do those noises make you excited or nervous?
They make me sort of nervous and I want to run around the elevator.
Why do you like only the glass elevators?
Because I can see how it works.
How does it work?
The big weights help it go up and down and they’re cool with really cool wheels.
Are the wheels big?
Some of them, if they’re freight elevators.
What is a freight elevator?
It carries the cargo, if there’s a lot of floors up.
Tell me about the elevator from our New York trip? (55 floors up. Had ‘express’ elevators that go super fast)
Those ones were scary.
Why?
Because they tickled my tummy.
How’d they tickle your tummy?
The elevator going really fast… raising arms up and down, explaining how it stops really fast.
Did you like being on the 55th floor though?
Yes.
Do you like when the elevators tickle your tummy?
Not really.
Why?
Cuz it tickles.
What other elevators do you like?
Metro ones.
Why?
They say OSCO too. And they make crazy noises like at the White Flint one… oing oing ! But only two times.
Do those ones talk also?
Yes.
What do they say?
“Welcome to the Cleveland Park Station. Please give priority to seniors and disabled before using this elevator. Thank you. Going down.” (he recited in a low soothing voice)
Is it a man or lady talking?
Probably a lady, but she’s really old and really tall.
Why do you think she’s tall?
Because her voice is low!
Have any elevators made you nervous?
Lots of them. White Flint does.
Why?
Because it scares me a little bit.
What do you do when you’re scared?
I just cover my ears.
How does covering your ears help?
It helps quiet it all down.
Do you shut your eyes?
No. Unless there’s an emergency.
Can you tell me more about elevators? When the bell rings on the top of the elevator, (alarm) I cover my ears so strong, I could break the elevator doors.
Is being in an elevator with lots of people fun or uncomfortable?
Fun.
Why?
Because it stops everywhere, a lots of times.
What about having all those people so close to you?
That part makes me uncomfortable. But the stopping makes it fun. I make friends with them and say hello.
Do they talk back usually?
Yes.
I also like escalators.
What do you like about escalators?
If they’re glass and I see them working like at Dick’s. I’m a going to be a social guy for the elevators. A County Elevator person to check them and make sure they’re working. I’ll go up on top of the roof and fix them up.
Escalators too?
Yes. It might hurt to be on the roof, if I get zapped and poked, but I’ll still work hard. It might be cold up on top of the elevator roof and there might be a lot of trash. I might have to wear something special because it might smell bad too.
Why do you think it will smell bad in an elevator shaft?
Because I see lots of trash and litter in there. Littering is against the law.
Anything else?
Keep the elevator safe!
How?
Keep the gears spinning and doors clear.
Is daddy ready to go see elevators?
Go find him. Have fun!