The two elevators in the office building are ancient.  At least once a week one of them is down for the day for repair.  Often both are out of action and we have to walk up three or six flights of stairs. 

A while ago I got to smoking outside with one of the elevator repairmen.  I asked him what the problem is that the elevators break down so often.  I cannot replicate his old-style Canadian accident, but through clouds of smoke he told me the cables are old and stretched, and this leads to problems with overshooting and undershooting the safety limits. 

I asked why they did not simply get a new cable.  Through bigger clouds of smoke he brushed off the idea with: they think it is too expensive and any rate the thing works most of the time. 

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