No Job, No Car, No Problem!

Getting The Ball Rolling

I have strict rules about dating guys from the gym.  My rule is you don’t do it.  After all, the gym is my world, where I am bound to be at least once, if not twice a day.  There are plenty of other fish in the sea and an abundance of other places to meet them.  At the gym I risk one of these fish be missing some gills and end up drowning me.  Besides, I’ve already spent the last seven years barely treading water over Ken.

Les works at the gym.  He’s a big guy, football style big.  It’s obvious that Les used to be in stellar athletic shape.  Now having a beer belly that he awkwardly carries around, he is clearly yearning to live that lifestyle again.  Les has a sweet grin, light caring eyes and a bit of that dopey, harmless, teddy bear look.  Walking tall, never intimidated by his size, he has a way of melting you with a smile. 

I was aware of Les right off the bat.  He’s fairly new at the gym, but to me has gone unnoticed.  I am already convinced that Les and I will never surpass the quick eye contact we share, but that’s fine.  I won’t date someone from the gym anyway.

For nearly ten weeks I have been nursing this stupid torn Achilles, hobbling into the gym to do one legged squats and weights in my walking cast every day.  I am working double time to make sure I don’t gain weight despite my injury.  Thankfully I lost a little extra when I was hospitalized for the cyst rupture but I’m not going to take any chances of gaining it back by not working out. 

Tonight Les walks past, watching me intently while I’m doing sit-ups on the ball.  Oh no!  Did he see my stomach sticking out?  Look at my thighs!  You can’t even see the ball under them.  Tormenting myself for exactly one whole minute, sheer panic on my face, Les looks back at me over his shoulder.  Quick, suck it in Jenny!  Whoa…hold on though, don’t fall off the ball.  Should I smile at him?  Just ignore his look?  Maybe a quick wave?  Uh…NO! Waving will show just how dorky I am.  Okay I’ll smile.  Just a small one while sucking in my stomach of course.  Okay here it goes…wait!  He turned around away from me.  Isn’t that great?  Now I just look like a snob.  Oh well, my big chance dead as a fish.  I am hopeless.

Dragging my one good foot sadly out of the locker room, I head for the exit staring at the ground.  Nearly at the front door I look up and spot Les gazing in my direction, smiling.  Is he looking at me?  Should I smile back for real this time?  Maybe his grin is directed toward someone behind me.  Don’t smile just at nobody Jenny!  I quickly turn my head, expecting to see some gorgeous blonde striking Les’ attention.  But there is no one.  Not one single person behind me.  Standing tall (or as tall as you can at 5’3” with one bum leg), I walk straight ahead, wearing an optimistic smile on my face, butterflies dancing inside me. 

“Hey you,” Les says approaching, then sliding his arm around me.

Is this really happening?  I don’t date guys from the gym.  Slow down Jenny, this isn’t dating.  “Um, hi.  How are you?”

Les leads me outside, facing me in the cool night.  “Well I wanted to talk to you about something.  I’ve wanted to tell you for awhile now, but I’ve been rather nervous about how you would respond.”

Oh please don’t let him tell me he’s noticed I’ve gained weight since my injury.  Please! “Okay, what’s up?  I’m Jenny by the way.”  I reach to shake his hand, trying to hide my anticipation.

Les grabs my open hand affectionately and continues to hold on. “I used to play college football.  I had four percent body fat.  Since though, I’ve been through a lot.  I went through a bad break up and recently moved to San Diego to start over on a lot of things.  I’ve gained about 30lbs since quitting football and I’m bummed about it.  I want to be in the shape I used to be in, but just can’t seem to do it.”  I forcefully turn the corners of my mouth up, refraining from frowning.  I sense he is about to lecture me on the importance of staying in shape when injured but it’s not something I want to hear from anyone, especially a man I don’t even know.  “Well then I saw you.  I see you coming in here, dragging that dang boot in if not once, then twice a day.  I thought wow!  If she can do it, I can do it too.  I did squats that first day I saw you.  So many that I could barely walk for the next two days.  So I guess I wanted to say thank you.  Thank you for motivating me.”