Miami Spray Paint

One of the new shows on TLC that has all the kids talking is Miami Ink. Well, I was recently in Miami, but instead of getting inked, I got spray painted. Mind you, not on purpose. As with all good stories, it begins with the phrase "It just so happened". It just so happens that I was in Miami on a quick 24 hour trip to install some DR measures and make sure the Miami office was ready for hurricane season. Our Miami office is in a about a 43 story tall building, so there are 15 elevators servicing it. We are on the 20th floor. After fighting with security to be allowed up to the 20th floor (apparently, being on the list means nothing), I was on my way up the elevator. Well, a crew of latinos were painting elevator doors that night. And it just so happened, that out of all the doors they could be painting, that's right, they were painting elevator door #3 on the 20th floor, right as the little bell dings and the door comes open. There I am, not thinking the door would open to a spray paint gun, poised to walk out of the elevator. But to my surprise, I got speckled. Luckily the damage was minimal. My firm issued laptop that I was holding and instinctly used as a shield once I realized what was happening got some speckle on it and my arm was slightly speckled, but it washed right off. The problem was that I was would be the only one of the floor that night that spoke English. After the door opened, the painter and his compadre began pointing and screaming in Spanish. I soon realized that as he pulled the gun away from me, he had gotten quite a bit of spray on the wood panelling between the elevators. But it didn't take but a minute or so for me to suddenly be extremely light hearted. I felt seconds away from passing out. I notice, I'm also the only one not wearing a mask. I head to the office and fiddle with the keys, but the lock is on the floor. Valuable lesson kids: You don't want to be leaning over trying to unlock a door inches from the floor when you are seconds ahead from headed to the floor anyway, unable to breath. Out of breath, light headed, and foggy, I stumbled to the back door and was able to get it.
In the office, the smell was not as bad, but I was as high as a kite within the hour. Jeni called, she thought I had taken something I think. She said I being goofy. Anyway, I performed what server work needed to be done in the office quicky and got out of there to work remotely and do final testing of everything from the hotel where I could breathe. I had to make a return trip in the morning to follow up, luckily, I left Miami on time and down from my contact high. I can only imagine what airport security would have been like had they thought I'd been sniffing paint. It was bad enough as it was as my computer bag got checked/screened for explosive material. At least they found that null modem cable I was missing.