Man, what a day! I’m tellin’ ya, being an elevator operator in Dungannon ain’t for the faint-hearted. So, I roll into work, right? It’s a typical Tuesday, or so I thought. The sun’s shinin’, birds are chirpin’, and I’m thinkin’, “Today’s gonna be chill.” Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
First off, I’m stationed at the Dungannon Town Hall. You know, that big ol’ building on the corner of Market Square? Yeah, that one. I’m just mindin’ my own business, pressin’ buttons, and tryin’ to keep my sanity. Then, boom! The fire alarm goes off. Like, seriously? In the middle of my shift?
People start freakin’ out. I’m talkin’ full-on chaos. Old Mrs. McCarthy from the third floor is shoutin’ about her cat, Whiskers. “I can’t leave him!” she screams. I’m like, “Lady, your cat’s fine! Just get in the lift!” But no, she’s not havin’ it. I’m tryin’ to keep it together, but inside, I’m like, “This is Dungannon, not a bloody horror movie!”
So, I finally get her in the lift, and we’re goin’ down. I’m pressin’ the buttons like a madman. Then, outta nowhere, the lift stops. Just stops! I’m thinkin’, “Great, now we’re stuck.” I can hear her mutterin’ about Whiskers again. I’m like, “Lady, focus! We gotta get outta here!”
After what feels like an eternity, the lift starts movin’ again. We hit the ground floor, and I’m feelin’ like a hero. But then, I step out, and it’s pandemonium. Fire trucks everywhere, sirens blarin’. Turns out, it was just a drill. A DRILL! I’m standin’ there, covered in sweat, and I’m like, “You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me!”
Once the dust settles, I head over to the local café on Thomas Street. You know the one, right? The one with the best scones in town. I grab a coffee, tryin’ to calm my nerves. But then, I see this guy, right? He’s sittin’ there, lookin’ all smug, and he’s got a scone the size of my head. I’m thinkin’, “How’s that fair?”
I sit down, and we start chattin’. Turns out, he’s a local artist. He’s all about the murals around Dungannon. I’m like, “Dude, have you seen the one on the side of the old cinema?” He’s like, “Yeah, I painted that!” I’m blown away. I mean, I’ve been livin’ here forever, and I never knew.
After my coffee, I head back to work. The rest of the day is pretty chill. I’m just pressin’ buttons, takin’ people up and down. But then, I get this group of teenagers. They’re laughin’, shoutin’, and bein’ all rowdy. I’m like, “Oi! Keep it down!” But they just keep goin’. One of ‘em, a lad named Jamie, starts doin’ impressions of me. I’m tryin’ not to laugh, but it’s hard.
Finally, I get ‘em to calm down, and we have a good chat. They’re tellin’ me about their plans for the weekend, hittin’ up the local pubs. I’m thinkin’, “Man, I remember those days.”
As the day winds down, I’m feelin’ a mix of emotions. I’m exhausted, but happy. Dungannon’s got its quirks, ya know? The people, the streets, the little moments that make it special. I mean, where else can you have a fire drill, meet an artist, and get roasted by teenagers all in one day?
So, I clock out, head home, and think about how tomorrow’s gonna be. Who knows? Maybe I’ll get stuck in the lift again. Or maybe I’ll meet someone new. Either way, it’s Dungannon, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.