Posted by Chalie S (206.159.163.164) on July 14, 2001 at 01:08:01:
---> > For anyone who didn't see David Letterman's take on this:(And it's a
>true
> > story...)
> >
> > On a recent weekend in Atlantic City, a woman won a bucketful of
>quarters
>at
> > a slot machine. She took a break from the slots for dinner with her
>husband
> > in the hotel dining room. But first she wanted to stash the quarters in
>her
> > room.
> >
> > "I'll be right back and we'll go to eat,"she told her husband and
>carried
> > the coin-laden bucket to the elevator. As she was about to walk into the
> > elevator she noticed two men already board. Both were black.
> >
> > One of them was tall...very tall...an intimidating figure. The woman
>froze.
> > Her first thought was: These two are going to rob me. Her next thought
>was:
> > Don't be a bigot, they look like perfectly nice gentlemen. But racial
> > stereotypes are powerful, and fear immobilized her. She stood and stared
>at
> > the two men. She felt anxious, flustered and ashamed. She hoped they
>didn't
> > read her mind but Gosh, they had to know what she was thinking!!! Her
> > hesitation about joining them in the elevator was all too obvious now.
>Her
> > face was flushed. She couldn't just stand there, so with a mighty
>effort
>of
> > will she picked up one foot and stepped forward and followed with the
>other
> > foot and was on the elevator. Avoiding eye contact, she turned around
> > stiffly and faced the elevator doors as they closed.
> >
> > A second passed, and then another second, and then another. Her fear
> > increased! The elevator didn't move. Panic consumed her. My God, she
> > thought, I'm trapped and about to be robbed! Her heart plummeted.
> > Perspiration poured from every pore. Then one of the men said, "Hit the
> > floor."
> >
> > Instinct told her to do what they told her. The bucket of quarters flew
> > upwards as she threw out her arms and collapsed on the elevator floor.
>A
> > shower of coins rained down on her. Take my money and spare me, she
>prayed.
> > More seconds passed. She heard one of the men say politely, "Ma'am, if
> > you'll just tell us what floor you're going to, we'll push the button."
> >
> > The one who said it had a little trouble getting the words out. He was
> > trying mightily to hold in a belly laugh. The woman lifted her head and
> > looked up at the two men. They reached down to help her up. Confused,
>she
> > struggled to her feet. "When I told my friend here to hit the floor,"
>said
> > the average sized one, "I meant that he should hit the elevator button
>for
> > our floor. I didn't mean for you to hit the floor, ma'am." He spoke
> > genially. He bit his lip. It was obvious he was having a hard time not
> > laughing. The woman thought: My God, what a spectacle I've made of
>myself.
> >
> > She was humiliated to speak. She wanted to blurt out an apology, but
>words
> > failed her. How do you apologize to two perfectly respectable gentlemen
>for
> > behaving as though they were going to rob you? She didn't know what to
>say.
> > The three of them gathered up the strewn quarters and refilled her
>bucket.
> >
> > When the elevator arrived at her floor they then insisted on walking her
>to
> > her room. She seemed a little unsteady on her feet, and they were afraid
>she
> > might not make it down the corridor. At her door they bid her a good
> > evening. As she slipped into her room she could hear them roaring with
> > laughter as they walked back to the elevator.
> >
> > The woman brushed herself off. She pulled herself together and went
> > downstairs for dinner with her husband.
> >
> > The next morning flowers were delivered to her room - a dozen roses.
> > Attached to EACH rose was a crisp one hundred dollar bill. The card
>said:
> > "Thanks for the best laugh we've had in years."
> >
> > It was signed;
> > Eddie Murphy
> > Michael Jordan
Charlie