You should read my story: (yes, it's true)
Okay, Whitney is a girl I grew up with in my ward, she married a man named Joey Mugleston--who breeds and sells reptiles, arachnids, cockroaches etc.
I invited her husband to come and talk to my students about his Animals.
It was only going to be for my class, but when the other teachers heard about it they requested to come--so I rented the auditorium--
This morning was late start, so school doesn't begin until 9:55
at 9am I started preparing for them to set up.
I checked the auditorium, the stage was filled with band equipment (tippany, Xylophones, drums etc...)
I asked Mr. Perkins to please move them out, so he did using the school elevator
Well, Dance Crew showed up!
They needed to practice in the auditorium, until 9:45. Since I had requested it 3 weeks prior, I had preference.
I explained that we would be bringing in some large animals, they may be easily nervous around loud noises and dancing teenagers...
No big deal, she was able to try a few practices.
Whitney and Joey arrived!
Along with, live tarantulas, snakes, scorpions, lizards etc.
We went to the elevator to transport the animals, In the elevator (which is fairly small) Are Joey, Whitney, Myself, Mr. Perkins (music teacher) and several boxes of strange animals
The elevator goes down,
doesn't open....
up.
doesn't open
down, up, down, up
doesn't open.
I'm pushing buttons, "door open" nothing works!
Luckily I still had my cellphone with me, which never happens, but I had it today.
I called the school.
Becky answers, "Oquirrh Hill's Middle"
"Hi, Becky, This is Amy Rosenvall. I am currently stuck inside an elevator with Mr. Perkins our 2 guest speakers and several snakes, spider and other creatures. Please let us out."
She replies, "Your kidding."
"Nope"
p until now, I didn't realize that Mr. Perkins is severly clastrophobic.
I'm fine, Whitney and Joey are fine.
Mr. Perkins is getting just a bit nervous...He's a rather hefty/large man trapped inside a small elevator.
The custodian comes and cranks the elevator up and down, causing the gears to screech...
We hear knocking, "Rosenvall? you okay."
"I'm fine."
"We are going to see if taking it up and down helps."
Mr. Perkins starts rocking back and forth, eyes closed. He bangs on the door, "I want out. Get me out, Please" goes back to rocking..
While we are waiting, I figure it would be good to make small talk, right good idea?
Amy "Whitney, what is in that bin?"
Whitney "Oh!, It's the goliath bird eating taratula"
Perkins bang on door "I need out, come get me out!"
I suddenly learn very quickly that he is also terrified of spiders and snakes.
more rocking, "put it away, put it away.."
(this tarantula is 8 inches across)
the snake that's with us is 13 feet long....
up, down, up, down...
doesn't work.
More outside banging, "Rosenvall, you okay?"
"I'm fine."
Perkins, "Open the door. Open the door. Open the door" rocking rocking.
Whitney hides the tarantula more out of protection.
I received a phone call--from the school.
"We called the fire department they are on their way."
Oh, while we were down at the bottom of the elevator, I could hear the dance kids rocking out to the music, the snakes don't like loud music.
Wendy (dance teacher) comes to the door, "Are you really stuck?" (right before Whitney and Joey arrived she teased: "You're going to get stuck in the elevator with the snakes!"
Wendy "I'm so sorry! I cursed you!"
Perkins, "open, open, open" rocking.
Fire department comes.
They get the door open, Mr. Perkins books it to the men's bathroom.
I start laughing, so hard I'm crying so everyone thinks I'm freaked out.
Joey is holding the 13 foot snake
Whitney has the tarantulas.
Very odd scene.
The school is so worried about me, they bring me water and treats, Mr. Perkins and the guests too.
We rush through set up...
we are in there about... 25-35 mins?
I was late to 1st period-no big deal
Mr. Perkins sees my kids entering the auditorium and asks "Can my students join yours today, I can't teach 1st period right now."
He was still white as a sheet.
"Sure, send them in."
So, he sent in his kids and tried to calm down, but the rest of the day was spent telling kids, "Yes, I did actually get stuck inside an elevator with a 13 foot snake."
This is NOT the big snake. I'll post a picture of that one later. But this one was in the elevator too.
