The Meat Locker

Yesterday, I entered our large walk-in freezer to get some meat. When I tried to push the door open to exit, it was locked. I had been told that it was impossible to be locked in the freezer; that there was a fail safe mechanism that prevented it from happening. But here I was with the frozen chicken and no one could hear me yell or kick the door. I looked down at the handle. There were instructions written on the door that indicated that rotating the handle would open the door. I turned the handle, pushed, but nothing happened.
I have read enough books about people being stranded on top of high mountains like the Andes or K2 to know it takes awhile for hypothermia to kill a person. I was dressed in a turtleneck with a fleece vest, pants, socks and tennis shoes. After a few minutes, my hands were already pretty cold, but otherwise I felt okay. I jumped up and down a few times to warm myself. I said a prayer for help, and it had a calming effect. I took stock of what was in the freezer that could help me--nothing that I could see. There was no fire alarm, no way to turn the blower off. I had a cell phone, but no cell service at all. There was a seam around the door that would let air in, so I was not worried about suffocating. It was 3:15; the meal started at 4:30 and I already had been assigned a job. Would anyone come looking for me if I didn't show up? I decided to dial Mark's phone and place it at the door seam. While I could not hear if Mark answered, I just yelled into the phone that I was in the freezer. When the phone disconnected due to lack of service, I returned my attention to the door. There had to be a way to turn the lock and get out.

I visualized myself curled up, passed out on the floor, discovered by the cook the next morning. I hoped that a hardened Team member would find me, and not a sensitive coed from Sienna College who would be scarred for life by the event. I started rotating the handle once again, trying different positions. I kicked the door again, and suddenly it opened. I was free!

I went out into the dining room where only Mary, the coordinator and a former FVM were talking. I told her I had been locked in the freezer. About that time Mark arrived, wondering what I had called him about, and why had I hung up the phone on him. I have to admit, I had tears in my eyes of relief. I was never really in danger, and intellectually I knew that, but as my hands got colder, there was that insidious fear that I might not find a way out. I reflected quite a bit on how I had responded, my feelings while imprisoned, and Who and who I had called upon. I am not unhappy with my responses. The story of my trial quickly made the rounds, and several other staff members confessed they had also been locked in, some fairly recently. I can laugh at myself, but I am glad I know what to do if I ever have a repeat of the experience.