me thinks your answer is totally dependent on how bad YOU wanted to get where YOU were going. Selfish? Maybe, but,I don't think so. Your stepping up to help in a gentlemanly fashion, would have shown the man (or at least, others on the elevator) what an ass he was; and, more importantly, you would have been on your way...

oops! Your question was, "what if the guy wasn't there?" (just visiting you from trying to start my own blog--crazy) Well, in that case, he still would be an ass; and you, brother Bill, would have done your good deed for the day! Love...

What Tracy said. There is a seat in heaven directly next to god that is reserved for people that do good deeds POLITELY.

If she was alone "The Damsel In Distress Rule" would go into effect which means you would have been obligated to help.

Well Bill, I'm not certain about "the damsel in distress" thing;(no offense to the author's comment) because it seems to me, the damsel could have wiggled her foot out of the shoe, and reached over and yanked the thing out of the elevator hardware. She obviously wanted to save the shoe. Her male friend may as well not have been there! The jerk should have dropped his bundle to help her. If he had not physically been there, however, I believe you would have done a better thing to help the damsel than he actually did. It would have been an automatic response on your part to ask, "how can I help you?"

She was a silly ass. Why the hell didn't she just put down her shit and step out of the shoe and grab it? what's with the pathetic little glance over the shoulder bit? Oy. Some women!

That's what the city girl gets for wearing vain contraptions like high heels.

Sensible footwear, like Justin Ropers, would never have gotten stuck in an elevator.

Come to think of it, anyone wearing Justin Ropers wouldn't have been in an elevator anyway.