I think I'm going to like my new gym>

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

A few months ago I joined a new gym.

It’s a Mom & Pop operation. I joined because it’s 24hrs and it’s close by the house.

When I signed up, the owner showed me around the place. Halfway through his presentation, he gets this crazy look in his eye and says:

Him: “So are you serious about working out?”

Me: “Yeah, sure”

Him: “Don’t Bull shit me man! ARE YOU SERIOUS ABOUT WORKING OUT?”

Me: “Yeah, dude” (jeesh)

So over the past few months we’ve made small friendly chit chat. He’s never too busy to spot you when you need it. Very helpful guy.

So today, I went for a short workout. As I’m heading for the door, the owner is right there at the counter thumbing through the newspaper. this was our exchange:

[Me on my way out the door]

Him: “Hey, where you going?”

Me: “Um, heading home”

Him: [looking annoyed] “You were only here for a half hour.”

Me: “Yeah, well, I’m a little tired today I was gonna…”

Him; “Yeah, why don’t you go over there and do a couple of sets of stomach crunches before you leave”

Then I went and F’n did it!! :smack:

On the surface this guy seems like a real asshole. But for some reason I can’t help but like the guy. I guess it’s because you can tell the guy really cares about his customers despite having a weird way of showing it.

Having said that, I still think the guy is slightly off his rocker.

2

Haha! It is probably body language. Some guys can be blatant and brash and get away with it because people can tell that while they are serious in intent, they aren’t threatening or anything. I’m pretty upfront and brash, and so many people take it in a humorous way. I don’t know why either. I’ll complain about a driver not using a signal and be outright rude about it, and they are laughing and telling me I should be a comedian. No, I’m being an asshole.

I actually like those that can get away with it like that. Cranky old people are a source of amusement to me for some reason, but sometimes the ‘asshole’ types can be just as endearing. Personally I like them better than the obviously fake housewife or politician type that gushes niceties and you know is faking it.

3

People like that can be good for you because everyone gets complacent and lazy sometimes and needs a mild drill instructor to get them back on track. I know a highly successful 70 something person who still runs his own company. He belongs to a group I used to go to and was always very helpful and interested in my well-being. He called me a couple of months ago and asked me to do some things with him just out of the blue after I had not seen or talked to him at all in over 5 months.

I agreed to meet him at a specific time and place. I got a bad cold in the meantime and was sick as a dog. I called him a day before we tried were supposed to meet and tried to cancel. That was one short conversation. “Don’t pull this bullshit on me. I will see you there.” and he hung up the phone without any chance for a response and wouldn’t answer a follow-up call. I was certainly there 10 minutes early and it worked out great.

4

I watch Biggest Loser, and I’ve developed a fantasy of bringing a few trainers with me to a random workout gym and all yelling “LAST CHANCE WORKOUT!” at strangers.
This gym of yours sounds like a perfect candidate.

5

I have a membership to two gyms (one at work, one not). The lady who manages the gym at work is a pretty hardcore fitness addict and she knows everyone–EVERYONE–and always comments on the frequency/duration of their workouts. I find it really annoying. I rarely use the work gym because it’s on the small side, but whenever I do show up, she has to make some snarky comment that I haven’t been around in a long time.