Ten minutes.
For ten minutes the man stared at the broken elevator, unsure of what to do. He decides to walk to the stairs. Step by step through tight spaces, however...
The stairs haven't been repaired in 5 months. Every step is disgusting in it's own way. The man knew that he couldn't go down there.
After five minutes, the man sighs and pulls a phone out his pocket. He presses a few buttons and holds his phone to his ear. He starts talking:"I'm sorry, I'm a bit sick today. Can I take the day off?"
"Really, again? Eh, we don't exactly need you today since we've got enough people here already. You can stay at home, but you better not do that again. I get into a lot of trouble because of people like you."
"I can believe that. See you tomorrow then"
"The day after tomorrow, remembe-
*Click*
The man feels much more relaxed than before, but his greatest problem still needs a solution. He moves to the elevator, his slow steps turning into a calm, casual walk.
He faced the elevator. He looks around for a bit, untill he notices a button with a small, tound speaker. He clicks the button and starts speaking:
"The elevator isn't working, could you repair it?"
...
He waits another ten minutes
...and a few more
"Hello, we're on the way. Sorry for the wait, we've been quite busy."
The informal voice softened the man. He slowly sits down next to the elevator. Ready for the next ten minutes of his life.