Concerns about the Living Dead #45

This is a photo from Romero's Dawn of the Dead (1978). Here's the setup: Flyboy is in the elevator when the power goes out. He has been shot, and must climb through the trapdoor in the ceiling of the elevator. Suddenly, the door opens, and this is the image you see.

For YEARS after first seeing this, I had a high anxiety reaction in most elevators. The one I recall the most, was in my local hospital (for those from Lead/Deadwood, you know the one--next to the optometrist and pharmacy). I recall having actual mini-panic attacks while travelling from the 1st to the 2nd floor, or vise versa. The anticipation of the doors opening was almost too much for me. This is the image I would always expect to see upon arrival to the destination floor.

Is it any wonder I'm so messed up, if this was the kind of crap that went through my head as a preteen? Then again, being obsessed w/ zombies probably allowed me to control my erections in gym class as I was trying to figure out why I liked boys so much! ;) So, thank goodness for zombies and the mortal fear they instilled.

Thanks Mr. Romero, for not letting me get beat up as an up-n-coming Flyboy--er, gay boy.