mother nature is a man and other observations..

This was originally posted on URAWarrior. 2/2/15…A little trilogy.  I wrote Mail-room  and Elevator Etiquette. My posts are on URAWarrior and Bershan Shaw.

I am grateful to have a small gym in my apartment building. Considered a bit of a wow factor in New York City. There are general rules that have to do with safety, guests, children, and wiping down equipment after use. There are no rules for courtesy or friendliness.

A bonus for me when  I enter is to turn on the television to a station of my choice. First one there, you are the controller of the remote. I personally am not fond of depressing news, or any doctor giving symptoms of emotional or physical illnesses. When I exercise, I enjoy mindless TV. I am only on the treadmill for 45 minutes. What a difference a year makes. It was always 3 miles in 55 minutes. Still feel good doing  2 miles in 40 minutes. But, there are those times when someone else gets there first, and then you are at the mercy of the remote control, controlled by someone else, and you grin and bare it, hoping their routine is over shortly. Some are wearing headphones listening to their music, and the remote is available. Most are grunting and rarely ever wave or say hi. If you are not the “hi”type in the elevator or the mail- room, the gym is no different. I am perfectly fine with silence, and not looking to make life long friends in these typical New York places of non-acknowledgement. “No problem,” I say to myself. What I am not fine with, is the guy who shall remain nameless, who perspires profusely, and never wipes down the equipment. He just gets up and leaves. Now what? I certainly am not going to be the gym police and inform him of his carelessness. The treadmill literally dripping and quite gross. I say nothing. I’m a before and after wiper.

With some humor, I observe a few competitive moves going on  when  a few are in the gym at the same time. A guy can be on the treadmill or one lifting weights. When a young woman enters, it seems (a coincidence?) that speed is quickly rising as the amount of weights as well. Grunting increasing. The gym has never been a competitive arena for me or a social event of the day. I just think that in between the grunts and heavy breathing, a small wave or hi would be sufficient……………………………………………………………..and of course a wipe down upon leaving.