Gym

“Whisper words of wisdom, let it be,” Let It Be, The Beatles

I have discovered that the gym is the place you can see the best and the worst in people. There are people all around bettering their health and their lives. They are striving to be healthy. They are losing weight, they are feeling better in their own skin, and it shows. On the other hand, it is a very arrogant place for many. People proving how much they can lift, flexing more for themselves than anyone else, and just being annoying. It is how I imagine a locker room would be. That’s great they can lift a car, but I don’t have to hear about it. I admire people that completely turn their life over to fitness. They eat the proper foods. Never miss a lift day. But I don’t have to hear about it. It is not me.

Today at the gym I experienced a what would Laura Bush do moment. Due to some rain, I decided to bail on running outside and go to the gym instead. I use the gym as a last resort, and as much as I wanted to just stay in bed, I went. I hop on the treadmill really excited that on the TV was a baseball game. Who knew so early in the morning I would catch a little baseball. So there I am running and watching the game. I decided not to use my headphones, big mistake. Two dudes hop on the treadmills next to me. I barely notice since, well I don’t really pay attention.

Anyway, these guys just start talking about everyone in the gym, I mean everyone. From what they are wearing to what machines they are using. Now I am the gym goer that rarely even matches my clothes. As long as it is the proper attire for what activity I am doing that day, I don’t care how it looks. I really should work on that. I am running just listening to these jerks badmouth everyone. I still don’t understand how what one person is wearing really has to do with your life, but that’s just me. I just ignored it. I get they needed to pass the time while running, but there are plenty of other topics in this world to discuss. I don’t believe in badmouthing anyone, but I kept thinking that maybe if these guys looked like David Beckham and were just pictures of perfection, I could let it slide. Yeah, they didn’t. If they did, this might have gone a lot differently — just saying.

Now to the Laura Bush moment. The guys look over to me and ask me what I think about what a particular gym patron was wearing. What to say, what to say. First thought was a smart ass comment about anyone wearing a wife beater can’t possibly speak about someone else’s attire. But nope, would Laura Bush say that? Instead I just politely said “to each his own” and kept on running. They looked at me confused, perhaps they didn’t understand what that meant. And then they continued to talk to me. About working out and of course, everyone at the gym. I would nod and continue looking at the television. I was trying to be polite.

And then it happened. The more chatty of the two guys asked me why I wasn’t interested in talking to them and more interested in running. And I quote “all girls want to talk to me.” I could not believe those words came out of his mouth. Mind you, I really was the only girl in the gym that was close to their ages, but still, how arrogant. So be Laura Bush or not? What should I say? My response…“Well if so many girls want to chat with you, I feel I would suffer by comparison so it is best I just run.” And off he went. His other friend just laughed and then started talking to me. Seriously? Leave me alone. Before he could go on about whatever he was talking about I looked at him and just said “run along.” He didn’t speak again.

So today’s blog isn’t about being hit on, it is about showing that even I fail at being Laura Bush. It is going to happen. Tomorrow is a new day and another chance to ask, what would Laura Bush do?