Tiny knitted shoes rest on a mint-green rug in front of a warmly lit brass lift door and a potted plant.

Original artwork, not a still

Bob Wiley

...baby steps get on the elevator... baby steps get on the elevator... Ah, I'm on the elevator.

— What About Bob? • 1991

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

This is a person coaching themselves through a nerve-wracking task by breaking it into tiny steps, repeating the mantra until it works. The relieved 'Ah, I'm on the elevator' is funny because such a small achievement is celebrated like a victory.

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