The elevator shot –
A 100-year-old Genevan stuck at home for ten days
Hear the heartbreaking story of a Geneva centenarian trapped in his home for ten days at Christmas because of a stupid machine that was out of order.
Julie
Published today at 3:56 p.m.
With a broken elevator, elderly people find themselves in great difficulty.
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Like the tram or the toilet flush, even the gallbladder, the elevator belongs to this family of uninteresting things when they work. Which suddenly turn into an object of hatred in the event of a breakdown. When you’re stuck in there and have to pee. Or trapped in front of closed doors with your shopping bag full of potatoes.
Take my friend of the same name (yes, her name is Julie too). Well, she had a nightmare autumn. She lives at 7e floor in Plainpalais. She has a 4 year old child. For fifty-two days, she found herself having to climb the stairs with her purchases, the grumpy little girl, the scooter, the school bag and everything. The management apologized, but a month later.
-Worse still, Charles’ dismal Christmas. Charles will be 101 in February. Venerable age, although not very suitable for climbing. On December 24, he went with his son to a medical appointment. When they return to 36 avenue de Crozet, the elevator is kaput. Without the slightest notice posted in the lobby of the building. No one knows what is happening. “We climbed seven floors, or 127 steps, him in front, me behind in case of a fall, with the walker under my arms,” says the son. From then on Charles, who likes to take a few steps in the neighborhood, finds himself confined. For ten days.
Escape attempt
One morning, unable to bear his confinement any longer, the old man escapes. He bravely goes down to 5e. Then, faced with the magnitude of the effort that lies ahead, turns back, disappointed. Meals are delivered to him. The concierge brings him his mail. But Charles is brooding.
His son struggles to have the machine repaired. On paper, the company that provides maintenance is in control of the situation. “Our company has a storage and material supply capacity which allows us to guarantee rapid interventions and repairs at all times.” Ah, ah: the good joke. The elevator will not be repaired until… January 2 at the end of the afternoon. The elevator, yes, this soulless machine which can spoil the end of year celebrations.
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