Elevator glitch

When we pick up Betsey at work these days she uses her wheelchair to get from her office to the car. This involves going down one story and we use the elevator. Not usually a problem, but today the door on the elevator jammed. I was inside with Betsey and Ellen was outside. The door closed to a point where there was a gap of about three inches between  the doors and just stopped. The "door open" button wouldn't open the doors nor would the  "door close" button close them. Pushing the button which was our destination - 1B - did nothing either. We were stuck. There is a phone in the elevator and I used it to contact maintenance, and they said they would send someone but would give no estimate as to when they would arrive. This was not what Betsey needed! We could talk with Ellen outside through the gap and she also notified people but several minutes went by and no one came. Betsey said this was typical and that it could take hours! I said I surely hoped not! But after a while, Ellen noticed she could open the outside gate, and when she did that, I tried to pull the doors open manually and - voila - they opened and we could get out! Ellen said the receptionist told her that they have trouble with the elevators all the time ! Sort of ironic for one of the most advanced engineering departments in the country!

College of Engineering at Univ of Colorado

Where we pick Betsey up at her office.