my Adidas T-shirt. The new woman was glancing at the door, I noticed. She didn’t know I wasn’t done with the group yet. My regulars marched on the spot, ready for whatever I was going to throw at them next.
After putting them through their paces for another few minutes, I led the class through a cool-down. The new woman seemed as out-of-place with the gentle stretching as she had with the weights. She kept glancing at me while the others just concentrated on their stretches. At least she was trying. I couldn’t fault her for being thin.
I wanted to talk to her – not just because I liked to meet everyone who came to my classes, but also because I wanted to find out just what she was about. She wasn’t out of shape, I observed as I approached her. There was clearly some muscle on her. Maybe she was a yoga person. I nodded to myself. From her long hair and slight hippie vibe, I thought I was onto something.
“Hi, I’m Kale,” I said, sticking out my hand. “You did a great job today.”
“Jersey. Do you really think so? I didn’t really know what I was doing.”
The regulars filed out, waving. I thought about how to phrase my thoughts without lying. “You were very enthusiastic. Form needs a little work, but enthusiasm is half the battle.”
Jersey smiled, seeming to see through my politeness. “I’m new to all this. It was really hard, but really good.”
“Well, I hope you come back.” And not just because the gym didn’t take kindly to new members trying a free class and not signing up. “If you keep at it, you’ll be reaching your goals before you know it.”
I cleaned up my station, wondering what Jersey’s goals actually were. She already had a body most women would kill for. As much as I adored my figure, I couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit jealous of hers.
“I’d love to get stronger,” she said, watching as I dropped my CDs and water bottle into my gym bag. “I couldn’t believe how much weight you were lifting. Your muscles are just incredible.”
After shaking my hair out of its ponytail, I finger-combed it down to my neck. Maybe this Jersey wasn’t judging me for my belly, after all. She seemed to be as aware of my achievements as some women who had been in my class for months. “You’ll get there,” I said.
I nodded to her, ready to hit the road. After teaching four classes, I just wanted to run a hot bath and get into the bubbles with a glass of wine. The calories would have bothered some of my gym sisters, but I refused to count them. Life was hardly worth living if you weren’t enjoying it.
Jersey wasn’t done with me yet, though. She stayed at my side as I walked toward the door. “I was wondering, do you do any personal training?”
“No. I just teach these classes.” To pay the bills, I had a second job working in a retail store. Jersey didn’t need to know I spent twenty hours a week selling skates and soccer balls to children, though. What mattered was that I wouldn’t be able to train her at this gym.
“Really?” She grabbed the stair handle as we walked up them. I wasn’t going to be able to get rid of her before reaching the change room unless I ducked behind the front desk. That might be worth it to put an end to this conversation.
I sighed as I reached the top of the stairs. Avoiding her would put me five minutes further from my comfy couch. I turned my steps toward the change room. “I can recommend you a trainer, if that’s what you want,” I told her.
“It would have to be you,” she said thoughtfully. “I like your style. You’re strong. I need someone who can stand up to…” She trailed off, twisting a strand of her hair around her fingers.
I wondered why she needed me to stand up to her so badly.
“I’ll pay you well,” she continued. “Say, a thousand a week for live-in service?”
Stopping short in the change room doorway, I stared at her. Two
After putting them through their paces for another few minutes, I led the class through a cool-down. The new woman seemed as out-of-place with the gentle stretching as she had with the weights. She kept glancing at me while the others just concentrated on their stretches. At least she was trying. I couldn’t fault her for being thin.
I wanted to talk to her – not just because I liked to meet everyone who came to my classes, but also because I wanted to find out just what she was about. She wasn’t out of shape, I observed as I approached her. There was clearly some muscle on her. Maybe she was a yoga person. I nodded to myself. From her long hair and slight hippie vibe, I thought I was onto something.
“Hi, I’m Kale,” I said, sticking out my hand. “You did a great job today.”
“Jersey. Do you really think so? I didn’t really know what I was doing.”
The regulars filed out, waving. I thought about how to phrase my thoughts without lying. “You were very enthusiastic. Form needs a little work, but enthusiasm is half the battle.”
Jersey smiled, seeming to see through my politeness. “I’m new to all this. It was really hard, but really good.”
“Well, I hope you come back.” And not just because the gym didn’t take kindly to new members trying a free class and not signing up. “If you keep at it, you’ll be reaching your goals before you know it.”
I cleaned up my station, wondering what Jersey’s goals actually were. She already had a body most women would kill for. As much as I adored my figure, I couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit jealous of hers.
“I’d love to get stronger,” she said, watching as I dropped my CDs and water bottle into my gym bag. “I couldn’t believe how much weight you were lifting. Your muscles are just incredible.”
After shaking my hair out of its ponytail, I finger-combed it down to my neck. Maybe this Jersey wasn’t judging me for my belly, after all. She seemed to be as aware of my achievements as some women who had been in my class for months. “You’ll get there,” I said.
I nodded to her, ready to hit the road. After teaching four classes, I just wanted to run a hot bath and get into the bubbles with a glass of wine. The calories would have bothered some of my gym sisters, but I refused to count them. Life was hardly worth living if you weren’t enjoying it.
Jersey wasn’t done with me yet, though. She stayed at my side as I walked toward the door. “I was wondering, do you do any personal training?”
“No. I just teach these classes.” To pay the bills, I had a second job working in a retail store. Jersey didn’t need to know I spent twenty hours a week selling skates and soccer balls to children, though. What mattered was that I wouldn’t be able to train her at this gym.
“Really?” She grabbed the stair handle as we walked up them. I wasn’t going to be able to get rid of her before reaching the change room unless I ducked behind the front desk. That might be worth it to put an end to this conversation.
I sighed as I reached the top of the stairs. Avoiding her would put me five minutes further from my comfy couch. I turned my steps toward the change room. “I can recommend you a trainer, if that’s what you want,” I told her.
“It would have to be you,” she said thoughtfully. “I like your style. You’re strong. I need someone who can stand up to…” She trailed off, twisting a strand of her hair around her fingers.
I wondered why she needed me to stand up to her so badly.
“I’ll pay you well,” she continued. “Say, a thousand a week for live-in service?”
Stopping short in the change room doorway, I stared at her. Two
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