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The interview issue: Riding in (elevator) cars with strangers

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Max Plenke

I’m impossibly uncomfortable in elevator conversations, so I had a couple shots and jumped right in.

Regional Justice Center

Guy holding door: What floor?

Me: Not sure, do you know where you go when you’re trying to get out of a ticket?

GHD: Like a traffic ticket?

Me: Yes. Wait, are there other kinds?

GHD: Oh, definitely. But you want Basement, Room B.

Me: ... Thank you?

Stratosphere, garage elevator

Old guy: Were you holding the door for me?

Me: Yeah you looked like you were pretty close, plus I don’t know where I’m going.

OG: Oh, I was waiting for it to close so I could get another elevator!

Me: Okay, bye!

Stratosphere, interior elevator

Me: Is this how you get to the top of the Stratosphere?

Big friendly guy: No, you need to go back where you were, by the pizza place and then it’ll snake around, like, past a bunch of stores and then you’ll see it. But you need to get off of here.

Me, jumping out of elevator: Glad I didn’t go all the way up to 24. Okay, bye!

Cosmopolitan, guest elevator

Me: What’re you guys up to in Vegas?

Polo shirt guy: We saw Tiësto last night.

Me: Oh, how was it?

PSG: He killed it. But the girl we were with was bored. It was so lame: She was the one who really wanted to see him, and then she f*ckin’ made us leave.

Me: Dang, bummer.

PSG: Such bullsh*t.

Palms Casino, Ghostbar elevator

Me and Ally, simultaneously: How are you enjoying your sta—WAIT, WHAT?

Me: I’m not staying. I just got off on the wrong floor and decided to look around. You?

Ally: I lead a conference this weekend; I go home tomorrow.

Me: What conference and where’s home?

Ally: I’m from Maryland, just outside Baltimore. I lead a conference for young cancer survivors.

Me: Oh, sh*t. How’d you get involved in that?

Ally: It was founded by a cancer survivor, and I lead this conference. Wait, so you’re just hanging out at the hotel?

Me: Okay, bye!

Palms Casino, guest elevator

Me: Do you know where the recording studio is?

Older lady with accent: The what? No ... I don’t, sorry.

Me: That’s fine. Are you from Las Vegas?

OLWA: No, I’m from Louisiana, New Orleans.

Me: Oh cool! Man, that show Tremé, amiright?

OLWA: ...

Me: So why are you here?

OLWA: My husband works around here.

Me: Oh that’s cool, I—

OLWA: Okay, bye!!

Palms Casino, elevator to spa

Me: These elevators are super murdery, right?

French guy: Quoi?

Me: Okay, bye!

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