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08:59Sarah Turner
16:26a misunderstanding no misunderstanding it was just a little cabinet right who could be that upset
16:31about it ask whoever filed the complaint the door closed again all afternoon the knocking didn't
16:37stop i didn't let anyone in by evening wendy showed up i saw her through the peephole she
16:43stood outside her expression uneasy knock knock sarah sarah are you home i didn't open the door
16:52sarah it's wendy i need to talk to you i stood behind the door didn't move
17:00sarah i know you're in there open up let's chat i said nothing after a while the knocking stopped
17:08i heard her muttering to herself what kind of person won't even open their door footsteps fading
17:14away the elevator doors opened then closed the hum of the elevator in motion that was the last time
17:20she ever wrote it she just didn't know it yet i called the elevator company come next week
17:27install the key card access system of course miss turner once it's in only your card will open it
17:33good i hung up my mom sat next to me wanting to say something but holding back sarah don't you
17:42think
17:42you're being a little rash mom i'm not being rash but how are the neighbors going to get upstairs they
17:49climbed the stairs before but if you do this people are going to talk i looked at my mom they're
17:59already
18:00talking mom do you know what wendy has been saying about me behind my back what
18:12nouveau riche
18:15pretending to be generous someone needs to put her in her place
18:19my mom was stunned she she said that i heard it with my own ears mom for an entire year
18:28i gave her space i tolerated her i helped her carry her packages i lent her my tools
18:35and what did she do she reported me i'm tired
18:42i'm done giving my mom looked at me and didn't speak for a long time finally she sighed
18:49all right it's your call
18:55so are we staying here
18:58i thought for a moment
19:02no my mom was stunned
19:04what
19:06i'm selling this place
19:08already found an agent
19:09i found a new place on the south side a building with its own elevator
19:12your dad's knees
19:14the new place has a proper elevator building managed not privately owned
19:17probably for the best this place it's been nothing but stress lately
19:22yeah
19:23time to go
19:24on moving day property management organized a mediation meeting
19:29mediation in reality it was just a bunch of people trying to talk me out of it
19:33when i arrived the conference room was packed
19:37the property manager
19:38mrs lewis from the neighborhood association
19:41and a dozen or so neighbors
19:43wendy sat in the front row
19:44when she saw me walk in
19:46her face was complicated
19:49miss turner
19:50we've asked you here today to discuss the elevator situation
19:56there's nothing to discuss
20:01wendy suddenly stood up
20:03sarah let me say something
20:04that complaint from before
20:06maybe there was some misunderstanding
20:10i didn't know the elevator was yours
20:12privately owned
20:14i mean
20:14i thought the building put it in
20:16i was wrong about that
20:19i apologize
20:22but
20:22but the elevator is already here
20:25everyone's been using it
20:27if you shut it down now it'll be really inconvenient for everyone
20:31people started chiming in
20:32yeah we've all been using it for years
20:35right if you suddenly close it what are we supposed to do
20:38i have to take my kid to school every day
20:40sarah don't take it so personally
20:42how about this
20:43we all chip in
20:44split the electricity bill and keep using it
20:46sound good
20:47people like her are just pretending to be generous
20:50i didn't speak
20:51mrs lewis stood up and took my hand
20:54sarah dear
20:55look
20:56we've all been neighbors a long time
20:59wendy's apologized
21:01just let it go
21:04shutting the elevator down like this
21:06it doesn't look good
21:09people will say you're petty
21:10i looked at her
21:12we all live in the same building
21:13you see each other every day
21:15if you close the elevator
21:17how are you supposed to get along after this
21:19i pulled my hand back
21:20looked around the room
21:22everyone was staring at me
21:24some were frowning
21:26some were whispering to each other
21:31seriously it's not that big a deal
21:33young people these days
21:34so thin-skinned
21:36she already apologized
21:37what more does she want
21:40i heard them
21:41every word
21:43they'd been using my elevator for three years
21:46didn't pay a cent
21:48didn't say thank you once
21:51now wendy reports me
21:52i decide to close the elevator
21:55and they say i'm petty
21:58are you all finished
21:59the room went quiet
22:02i pulled a stack of papers from my bag
22:07proof of ownership
22:10installation invoice
22:12permits
22:13i laid them out
22:14one by one on the table
22:16230,000
22:19installation
22:1912,000
22:21three years of electricity
22:2318,000
22:24three years of maintenance
22:26total
22:28260,000
22:30i looked at wendy
22:32how many times did you use it in the past year
22:34i checked
22:363,847 times
22:40you
22:42you tracked me
22:43the elevator has usage logs
22:47they're all in the building system
22:51i turned to the others
22:53what about the rest of you
22:56who contributed a single cent
23:00who paid any part of the electric bill
23:03who covered a dollar of maintenance
23:08three years
23:09i let all of you use it
23:11for free
23:12has anyone
23:13anyone
23:14ever said thank you to me
23:17i turned back to wendy
23:18what about you
23:21did you ever say it
23:23wendy's mouth opened and closed
23:26i
23:27i didn't know it was yours
23:29you didn't know
23:30then you didn't know what you were saying about me
23:32behind my back either
23:40her face drained of color
23:42nouveau riche
23:45pretending to be generous
23:48someone needs to put her in her place
23:50i spoke every word deliberately
23:52those were your words
23:54right
23:56i
23:57that was just offhand talk
23:59wendy's lips were trembling
24:03offhand talk
24:05then reporting me
24:06was that offhand too
24:11i pulled out another stack of papers
24:13property management
24:15code enforcement
24:16fire marshal
24:18community affairs
24:19neighborhood association
24:20five complaints
24:21one week
24:23all from you
24:24i tossed the papers in front of her
24:26still offhand
24:27wendy's face
24:28cycled between red and white
24:32i
24:32i was just
24:34you were just what
24:38you rode my elevator
24:39you borrowed my tools
24:41you took things and never returned them
24:43i bit my tongue
24:44i tolerated you
24:45i helped you
24:46and you
24:47you bad mouthed me behind my back
24:49and reported me to my face
24:52and now you say misunderstanding
24:55you say apologize
25:02too late
25:03wendy stood there
25:05unable to get a word out
25:06mrs lewis tried to speak up
25:08i cut her off
25:09and you
25:09i looked at her
25:10just now
25:12what did you say
25:14i'm petty
25:15this doesn't look good
25:18mrs lewis's face
25:19changed too
25:21sarah i didn't mean it like
25:23then what did you mean
25:24260 000
25:26i paid it
25:27they used it
25:29i'm shutting down my own property
25:31and you call me petty
25:33let me ask you this
25:35if someone lived in your house
25:37for three years
25:38rent free
25:39and then called you cheap
25:41on their way out
25:42how would that feel
25:43mrs lewis opened her mouth
25:45nothing came out
25:48the conference room was dead silent
25:51i looked around
25:53anyone else have something to say
25:55not a sound
25:57i gathered the papers from the table
25:59my movers are downstairs waiting
26:00this elevator
26:01next week key card access goes in
26:03only my card will work
26:07i looked at wendy
26:08you're on the fifth floor right
26:10from now on
26:11a hundred steps
26:12every day
26:13enjoy the workout
26:14the movers were hauling things down
26:17i stood in the hallway
26:18watching them carry
26:19box after box
26:25wendy came down from the fifth floor
26:27she saw me
26:29her steps faltered
26:30then she walked over
26:33sarah
26:34i looked at her
26:37i
26:38her voice cracked a bit
26:39i really didn't know
26:41the elevator was yours
26:46i thought
26:47you thought what
26:48i thought the building put it in
26:50that it was communal
26:51so that made it okay
26:53for you to report me
26:54she looked down
26:58i was wrong
26:59yeah
27:08could you
27:09please not close the elevator
27:11my husband
27:12his knees are bad
27:15climbing five floors
27:17every day
27:20then maybe you should have thought about that before
27:23when you reported me did you think about my dad
27:25about his bad knees
27:26about why i installed the elevator in the first place
27:30she went silent
27:36you said my things were cluttering the hallway
27:38fine
27:39i cleared them
27:43now i'm leaving too
27:45happy
27:47sarah i
27:48you what
27:48i looked at her
27:51let me tell you something wendy
27:55not every wrong can be fixed with an apology
28:03you rode my elevator for a year
28:05paid nothing
28:06i let it go
28:07you talked about me behind my back
28:09reported me to my face
28:10i let it go
28:11you can sent property management
28:12code enforcement
28:13the fire marshal
28:14community affairs
28:15and the neighborhood assimilation after me
28:17one after another
28:17i let that go too
28:20and now you're begging me
28:22a year ago
28:23when you moved in
28:24i told you the elevator was free
28:26you didn't beg me then
28:29you pressed that button every day
28:31like it was your birthright
28:34borrowed my things like they were yours
28:37assumed i was just pretending to be generous
28:42well now i'm done pretending
28:45now you remember to beg
28:48too late
28:49miss turner
28:51everything's loaded
28:52good
28:53let's go
28:54i followed them down the stairs
28:56behind me
28:57wendy was still standing there
29:01sarah
29:04sarah
29:05sarah
29:06i didn't look back
29:08i really know i was wrong
29:10don't go
29:14the elevator doors opened
29:16i stepped inside
29:19pressed the first floor button
29:21as the doors were closing
29:23i saw wendy rush to the elevator entrance
29:26her face against the glass
29:27her mouth was moving
29:29i couldn't hear what she was saying
29:31the elevator began its descent
29:34her face disappeared from view
29:36three years
29:38time to end it
29:39i closed my eyes
29:43a week later
29:44the key card system was installed
29:46i didn't go to the site
29:48the elevator company texted me
29:51it's done
29:52only the owner's card works now
29:54i replied with one word
29:57good
29:59then i locked that owner's card in my desk drawer
30:01the new place was on the south side
30:04new building
30:05great management
30:07the elevator was communal
30:09key card access at no charge
30:11my dad loved it
30:14this elevator is way bigger than the one we had
30:17yeah
30:18and we don't have to worry about maintenance or anything
30:21yeah
30:25we should have moved ages ago
30:28that old place
30:30nothing but stress
30:32yep
30:37that evening i got a call
30:38it was the property management from the old building
30:44hello
30:45mrs turner
30:46i need to tell you something
30:48what
30:52wendy
30:52the one on the fifth floor
30:54she came to the office today
30:55and threw a fit
30:57i said nothing
31:06she says the elevator is shut down
31:08her husband's been climbing stairs every day
31:10and his knees are getting worse
31:11she wants us to talk to you
31:13see if you'll open the elevator back up
31:17can't open it
31:22miss turner
31:23i've already moved out
31:24that elevator
31:26i'll have it maintained regularly
31:29but it will not be open to the public again
31:36what if she comes looking for you
31:39i changed my number
31:40there was a pause on the other end
31:42all right
31:43understood
31:49i hung up
31:51a few days later the real estate agent called
31:56hello
31:57miss turner
31:58someone's interested in your place
32:00but their offer is three hundred thousand below the asking price
32:04what do you think
32:05do they know about the elevator
32:07they do
32:08that's exactly why they're low-balling
32:09no elevator access
32:10then i'm not selling
32:11what
32:12leave it listed
32:13when someone offers the full asking price
32:15we'll talk
32:18i hung up
32:21you're not selling
32:23no rush
32:24what about the elevator
32:26just leave it sitting there
32:27leave it
32:32let them climb
32:33three months later
32:35i heard some things
32:36it came from my old neighbor
32:38mrs patterson from the fourth floor
32:40her daughter added me on social media
32:44we chatted once in a while
32:46sarah voice did you hear
32:47wendy listed her place for sale
32:50oh
32:51it's been on the market two months
32:53nobody's buying
32:55why not
32:57because of the elevator
32:58obviously
32:59fifth floor
33:00no elevator
33:00who'd want that
33:01when she bought it
33:02there was no elevator either
33:04that was different
33:05but
33:06back then
33:07she didn't know the elevator was private
33:09she thought she'd always be able to use it
33:11i smiled
33:12said nothing
33:14mrs patterson's daughter went on
33:16my mom says wendy is kicking herself
33:19every day's not a big mouth
33:23her husband just had knee surgery
33:25he's recuperating at home
33:27hasn't been downstairs in a month
33:29what does that have to do with me
33:30she paused
33:32well
33:34yeah i guess
33:36sarah you're really not going to open the elevator back up
33:41nope
33:41and the apartment
33:43i'll sell when i'm ready
33:45but without the elevator your place isn't easy to sell either
33:48i'm in no rush
33:51wendy is
33:53sarah
33:55you're doing this on purpose
33:58what
33:59i mean
34:00you're deliberately not selling
34:02keeping the elevator shut
34:04you just want wendy suffer
34:07what do you think
34:08i hung up
34:09stood on the balcony looking at the sky
34:11yes
34:13i was doing it on purpose
34:14i could sell the apartment at a discount
34:16i could reopen the elevator
34:18but i didn't want to
34:19wendy made me miserable for an entire year
34:22now it was her turn
34:23six months later
34:25i was at the grocery store and ran into someone
34:28wendy
34:29she'd gotten much thinner
34:30her hair had a lot more gray
34:32when she saw me she froze
34:38she stood there not knowing what to say
34:40after a long moment she spoke
34:46sarah
34:48yes it's me
34:58sarah i
34:59yeah
35:02the apartment sold
35:03oh
35:05i lost over six hundred thousand on it
35:08her voice was very quiet
35:09the buyer said
35:11no elevator so this was the highest they'd go
35:15and
35:17we moved
35:18to the west side
35:20cheaper over there
35:24good for you
35:25she looked down
35:27sarah
35:28i know
35:31i brought all of this on myself
35:33yeah
35:34i shouldn't have reported you
35:36shouldn't have said those things behind your back
35:38yeah
35:39i was wrong
35:42i looked at her
35:44her eyes were red
35:48can you
35:51can you forgive me
35:53i thought for a moment
35:55wendy let me ask you something
35:57what
35:58if i had never moved out
35:59if i had never shut down the elevator
36:01would you still think you were wrong
36:04she froze
36:07would you have come to apologize to me
36:11she didn't answer
36:12you wouldn't have
36:17you would have kept riding my elevator
36:19kept talking about me behind my back
36:22kept thinking i was just pretending to be generous
36:25people like her are just pretending to be generous
36:27because to you
36:28my kindness was a given
36:30something you were entitled to
36:32you only realized you were wrong
36:34once you paid the price
36:37wendy
36:37there are some lessons
36:39that if mirrored in this world
36:41apologies alone
36:42can't teach
36:43you have to hurt
36:46you hurt
36:47then you remember
36:48she stood there
36:50tears streaming down her face
36:52i turned and pushed my shopping cart forward
36:55sarah
36:56i really regret everything
36:58then remember the regret
37:00next time someone is good to you
37:02don't take it for granted
37:05i kept walking
37:07behind me she was still standing there
37:09i didn't look back
37:10the supermarket lights were bright
37:12the shelves were fully stocked
37:13i grabbed a carton of orange juice
37:15and dropped it in my cart
37:16a new life
37:18it was good
37:20that elevator
37:22i eventually sold it to the new owner
37:2520% off
37:27they were pretty happy about it
37:29and me
37:31i was pretty happy too
37:33some people
37:34some things
37:35this is how they're supposed to end
37:37not every kindness is worth continuing
37:39and not every neighbor is worth keeping
37:41i learned one thing from all of this
37:43save your kindness for the right people
37:45the wrong ones
37:46let them take the stairs
37:47but they don't look for the right family
37:48and
37:48and
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