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"I'll be right back and we'll go to eat," she told her husband and carried the
coin-laden bucket to the elevator.
As she was about to walk into the elevator she noticed two men already aboard.
Both were black. One of them was tall....very tall...an intimidating figure. The
woman froze.
Her first thought was: These two are going to rob me. Her next thought was: Don't
be a bigot, they look like perfectly nice gentlemen. But racial stereotypes are
powerful, and fear immobilized her.
She stood and stared at the two men. She felt anxious, flustered and ashamed. She
hoped they didn't read her mind but, Gosh, they had to know what she was
thinking!!!
Her hesitation about joining them in the elevator was all too obvious now. Her
face was flushed. She couldn't just stand there, so with a mighty effort of will
she picked up one foot and stepped forward and followed with the other foot and
was on the elevator. Avoiding eye contact, she turned around stiffly and faced the
elevator doors as they closed.
A second passed, and then another second, and then another. Her fear increased!
The elevator didn't move. Panic consumed her. "My God", she thought, "I'm trapped
and about to be robbed!" Her heart plummeted. Perspiration poured from every pore.
Then one of the men said, "Hit the floor." Instinct told her to do what they told
her. The bucket of quarters flew upwards as she threw out her arms and collapsed
on the elevator floor. A shower of coins rained down on her. "Take my money and
spare me," she prayed.
More seconds passed. She heard one of the men say politely,"Ma'am, if you'll just
tell us what floor you're going to, we'll push the button."
The one who said it had a little trouble getting the words out. He was trying
mightily to hold in a belly laugh. The woman lifted her head and looked up at the
two men. They reached down to help her up. Confused, she struggled to her feet.
"When I told my friend here to hit the floor," said the average sized one, "I
meant that he should hit the elevator button for our floor I didn't mean for you
to hit the floor, ma'am." He spoke genially. He bit his lip. It was obvious he was
having a hard time not laughing.
The woman thought: "My God, what a spectacle I've made of myself". She was
humiliated to speak.. She wanted to blurt out an apology, but words failed her.
How do you apologize to two perfectly respectable gentlemen for behaving as though
they were going to rob you? She didn't know what to say.
The three of them gathered up the strewn quarters and refilled her bucket.
When the elevator arrived at her floor they then insisted on walking her to her
room. She seemed a little unsteady on her feet, and they were afraid she might not
make it down the corridor.
At her door they bid her a good evening. As she slipped into her room she could
hear them roaring with laughter as they walked back to the elevator. The woman
brushed herself off. She pulled herself together and went downstairs for dinner
with her husband.
The next morning flowers were delivered to her room - a dozen roses. Attached to
EACH rose was a crisp one hundred dollar bill.
The card said:
"Thanks for the best laugh we've had in years."
It was signed;
Eddie Murphy
Michael Jordan
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