i got stuck in an elevator last Wednesday with exactly one other...

i got stuck in an elevator last Wednesday with exactly one other person: a man in a navy suit who I'd never seen before.

for the first four minutes we did the classic polite silence. then the lights flickered and the elevator gave a long, tired groan.

i said, "i'm sure it'll start again in a minute."

he said, "i hope so. i have a 3pm."

i said, "same. i'm presenting to the board."

he said, "oh? what's your topic?"

so i told him. i said I'd been working on cutting our travel budget by $400,000 and that I was nervous because "the CEO is famously unreasonable and has never once said thank you."

he nodded slowly and said, "interesting."...

..i said, "do you work here?"

he said, "i do."

i said, "in which department?"

he said, "the one on the top floor."

my stomach dropped. he held out his hand and said, "nice to meet you. i'm the one who's never said thank you."

the elevator shuddered back to life. we rode to the 14th floor in total silence, and i spent the entire time rehearsing my resignation.

when the doors opened, he stepped out, turned around and said, "the $400,000 plan. send it to me before the meeting."

i did. he read it standing in the corridor.

then he said, "this is very good. thank you."

he looked slightly pained, like it hurt. he's said it twice since. i've started keeping count.