Twenty Flight Rock

One of the great things about living on the twentieth floor is the views you get. Disconcerting things are the way the buildng sways in high winds, and everyone brings up "The Towering Inferno" especially with the heatwaves we are getting now.

Work was awful, though I showered in the morning and used a lot of deodorant (I know someone who said deodorant was a scam by perfume companies and people would be fine if they didn't use it. Luckily I was never in close contact with him). The office was hot, stuffy and only has the odd desk top fan as so called "aircon".

I was feeling very sweaty, and one of the guys said to me "I'll tell you, what your best friends won't". I knew what he was saying and it made me feel even more uncomfortable, but we expected to remain at our desk til five o' clock, the option was to collect our P45.

Eventually five o'clock came around, and I walked out, soaked in sweat. Outside was not much better, and it was only a mile to get home, so rather than take the bus, I decided to walk. The weather was hot and stifling.

I needed to get home and have a cold shower.

My tower block despite being twenty stories, only has four residential lifts, three of which are out of order or being maintained. I walked through the doors and found the only operational lift, which was currently on the twentieth floor. I preesed the button, and waited for something to happen. Waiting for the lights to sow it was coming down.

I needed a showere, and as the guy implied, I did not smell very nice.

I needed a wash and a shower and to drench myself in deodorant.

Maybe if I walked up a floor or two, it would start moving and I could catch on the way down, and theride it back up.

I got up to the second floor and saw the lift was coming down, so I pressed the button and nothing happened. It wasn't working.

I hated stairs, but walked up to the third floor, just as the lift sped past on the way to the ground. Then I pressed the third floor button, and thought the lift was a better option that another seventeen floors. Yes, I had walked it once, when all the lifts were out, but if I had the choice, I would not do it again.

I felt I was melting, and hoped I didn't meet anyone. I also hoped when the lift hit the third I would be the only one in there. It wouldn't pleasant for anyone else, or even me.

I might have been cool in my mind, although the tempreature was rising, but I was sweating profusely. My clothes would go straight in the washing machine when I got in the flat , and I would go straight in the shower.

The lift door opened and there were two charvers in there.

"My god you feckin' stink" one of them said holding his nose, although they smelt as bad as I assumed I did.

They left on the fifteenth floor amid and flood of profanitities.

At least I had the lift to himself and would soon be in the flat.

Twentieth Floor.

Nearly home.

The door opened, and I traveresed the corridor and came to my door and felt in his pocket for my keys.

There were no keys!!

I remembered I had used my security fob to access a secure site, and then put them in the drawer, not my pocket.

The building was closed until seven thirty tomorrow.

I was going to have a long, sweaty night.