New gym is a time capsule. It’s one of the few places where mullets don’t encourage laughing and any kind of clothing goes. We are moving into summer here so there is eau de Campbell’s vegetable soup in the air. For atmosphere. Maybe they pipe it in so we all feel we are working hard.
There isn’t much social interaction. It’s mostly retired folks at the time I go. That’s OK with me. I’m there to justify a morning mocha latte. The big size! Maybe the lemon cake too.
Even with that philosophy, I’ve made a few (very few) friends there. This past week I chatted with the cleaning lady.
I love the invisible people. They are service people who do the grunt work – wait staff, janitorial folks, grounds people, anyone who helps out. People don’t stop talking when they come around to do their job whether it’s fill your water glass or wash the floors. You continue to chatter about your latest exploits no matter how illegal or immoral they are. You forget there are people hearing these things. (And you worry about internet security!)
They always have the best stories. Some are students and some are retired from other professions. They work part-time to get out or for a little spending money. A job that has no stress or responsibility. Some very amazing people do this.
I don’t know this person’s background but she sure had the stories. It all started when she walked into the men’s locker rooms. She yelled cleaning and continued to walk in. When she came out, I asked if that was all you had to do to go in there (not that I would want to but I was intrigued). She laughed.
Then she shared a few stories. There is one person who takes selfies of himself in his underwear in the mirror. This is a younger person not a retiree (that would be gross!). She said he primps and poses oblivious of her. (Cameras are not allowed in the gym. Many of us are pre-coffee and between looking our worst and being at our meanest, it’s a volatile situation!)
She had a guy come out of the shower with a towel wrapped around himself. He was angry and peppered her with obscenities. She said, “I’ll wait until you’re done. Stop yelling!” She has no way of knowing who is in there and our small gym does not have his and hers cleaners.
She said the night cleaning person is a guy. Hmmm…I wonder what his stories are like. Maybe I should drop in.
I think it’s worthwhile to notice and be nice to everyone – everyone is a person, no matter the job they are doing!
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Sounds so simple but so many people don’t think that way. I knew a high level manager who after retirement worked at an amusement park because it was fun and not stressful.
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You’re so dedicated to your gym routine, I’m glad that some social interaction has been possible. I feel compassion for the “behind the scenes” employees in any public outlet. I wouldn’t want to do anything that has me “forced” to be pleasant with grumpy and often nasty people! It’s nice you can be a good listener. It gives her support, and you walk away with some good stories. 🙂
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I feel so selfish because all the while she’s telling me stories, I’m storing them for my blog! I owe her! Actually I’d like her to clean my house!
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That you came up with Campbell’s soup as an odor in your gym cracks me up. Wow, that is a small operation if they don’t have his and her cleaners for the lorckerrooms. I can’t believe someone yelled at her, geez. – Marty
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It’s a large gym but they have a woman in the morning and a guy at night. Not sure they both clean the floors but maybe.
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Sounds fun to be one of the “invisible” people–at least if you like to collect stories.
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I would be great to get some blog posts!
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Your gym is WAY more interesting than mine, Kate! We seriously need to liven things up!
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My gym is boring. I have to work to get a story out of it and they are infrequent. Not much you can say about a bunch of old guys with baggy pants.
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Lol. Invisible, yes. I’d prefer to give a big warning!!!
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She does yell before she goes in but he may have been in the shower and didn’t hear.
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You could write a book on gym experiences. I enjoy talking to invisible people, too.
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My old gym had much better stories. Somehow old ladies are more interesting than old guys.
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I think the old ladies would smell better than the old guys, too.
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They did! Trust me on that one!
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The guy taking selfies in his underwear sounds a little like the infamous Anthony Weiner, especially if he was so into himself that he didn’t see the cleaning person.
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He does a little. He wasn’t naked but…
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Invisible people – they are the best! If you really want to know what’s going on ask them. And even better – they seem to have a great sense of humor and know how to laugh.
(Lemon cake…hmmm…might be worth getting in the car…)
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Yep, they know all the info! I love anything lemon!
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You are so right about the ‘invisible’ people. I learned early in my career that they are worth knowing. The maintenance guy in our office before I retired was himself a retiree, from IBM. He was interesting, funny, and oh-so helpful. He was one of my favourite people in the office and I still miss him.
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These people are great resources.
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I can’t get over the guy ignoring her in favor of his nearly-naked selfies.
I never see the cleaning staff at my gym. That’s probably why I’m always complaining about the filthy mats for stretching.
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She’s usually washing up the floors with a bleach mix when I go in the morning. She also cleans the bathrooms then. She was invisible. He didn’t even see her.
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I love your description of these “unseen” angels doing their work as if they were wearing an invisibility cloak. I bet they see a lot… as we go about our business being clueless.
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They do. If you want to know what’s going on, ask them.
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Great stuff. Maybe the two of you should collaborate on a book. I know my son was taking mirror selfies as he was losing weight. Motivation for himself, but he did it at home in his own bathroom mirror.
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That’s better than in a public changing room! Maybe he was tracking his abs.
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She sounds like a real character and I bet she is very wise. I am still very impressed that you make it to the gym, I can barely drag myself to the treadmill. I think you go to the gym because you are truly intrigued by all the stuff that goes on there… and the trade off for the mocha latte!
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We have a treadmill in the house that I never use. Going to the gym is a little more interesting. People, different equipment, Starbucks. I need real distractions to get me to exercise.
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Cleaning a men’s locker room ~> EWW!
Glad she gets some laughs out of it.
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Yes. I believe she used that word.
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ooooh I love such stories… I’m on the way to you… maybe you can bomb one of the selfies of this guy in underwear?
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ooooh I love such stories… I’m on the way to you… maybe you can bomb one of the selfies of this guy in underwear?
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Ha! I don’t think so but someone should!
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Oh yuck! What a weirdo! You better stay clear of him.
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He was there when we were talking about it (out of earshot) but she wouldn’t tell us which one it was.
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Some of those cleaning folks are angels with mops and brooms. Anyone who verbally abuses them needs to have some serious plumbing mishaps in their future. Among other equally gross things.
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Seriously! All that guy with towel had to do was ask her to wait and she would have. Not need to go all nuts.
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That guy needs to switch to decaf!
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or less drugs!
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Probably both if he’s that amped up. 😊
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Hmm. I hope that guy doesn’t take a selfie of his (insert slang here) when she walks in (that would be gross). 😉
Funny stories.
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He loves the full length mirrors. He should buy some for his own home and do it there! I should have asked what kind of underwear he wears. Maybe underoos?
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LOL! Your stories are worth waiting for.
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There will be more. I haven’t seen her since but I don’t know her schedule. She’s friendly, has teenage sons and says “I’ve seen it all so they don’t need to worry.”
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