Tag: thoughtfulness

Gym rats

I finished my workout and went to the locker room only to find water all over the floor around my locker.  Now, the showers are all individual, with plenty of space for drying off.  And, of course, one can easily dry off next to the pool before entering the locker room.  Yet, someone had chosen not to do one or the other, thus creating a risk of wet socks, if not slipping and falling while dressing.   Fortunately, I’ve encountered this only two or three times.

More frequently, though, I find that someone or another has used the small bench in the area as their own storage area.   Some (too many) guys spread their personal stuff out more than necessary in the limited space.  Some leave their bags on the bench while they go out and exercise.  Maybe also a towel.   There’s one bench in each of three areas.  There are 2-3 dozen lockers in each area.  The bench would hold maybe six of us if we were just sitting there watching TV, fewer if we’re putting on socks and shoes.   Sometimes (too often), someone finishing up after a workout spreads their own belongings out over half or more of the bench.

I used to stuff my bag into my locker while exercising, but after observing a few intelligent, thoughtful souls putting theirs on top of their locker, I started doing the same.  Then I keep it on the floor in front of my locker while getting showered and dressed.  I especially enjoy doing this when someone else is there spread across the bench. 

I rarely see someone using a machine for more than the 30-minute limit.  I don’t think many ever do so, and when I have seen it, it hasn’t been a problem because there are other machines available.  Yet there was at least one person at one point who abused an exercise table.  That may not be the proper name for it, but I’m talking about a knee-high, padded table on which one can do exercises for which you need to lie down.  The table is far preferable to a mat on the floor for those of us who can’t easily arise from the floor.  Some time ago, there was a person who would stand on the table to do standing exercises.  Why didn’t they just stand on the floor instead of leaving dirt, smudges and streaks from their shoes?  (They also didn’t clean after use, as most people do.)

One other locker-room problem is those who do not turn water off in sinks or showers.  I hesitate to mention this, because I did so once on Facebook and was censured by several people who, I’m pretty sure, generally opt in favor of preserving natural resources.   The critics wanted me to give the water-wasters a pass because they are old and probably couldn’t hear the water continuing to drip or run.  I countered, rightfully, that I am hearing impaired and still often hear these problems.  But, more than that, one can look and see if they turned the water all the way off.  I think it’s a matter of the all-too-common problem of individuals just not making much effort to be aware of what’s going on around them.   

Let me add, I’m not talking only about drips.  Too often, mostly in the showers, it’s a steady stream.  Sometimes it’s even a full, albeit light, shower spray.  And it’s almost always hot water, thus wasting the electricity or gas that heats the water, as well as the water itself.  

People I encounter at the gym, for the most part, range from “not-a-problem-to be-around” to “enjoyable-to-be-around.”  Sometimes, however, there are those who, at least in certain situations, drift into “problem-to-be-around” territory.  Fortunately, these make up a miniscule minority.

Signs of hope

Here’s a couple of recent encounters with people showing their better sides.

One night recently, we attended a concert by Sammy Miller and the Congregation. They play “joyful jazz–music that feels good. It is a style the entertains, enriches, but most of all uplifts.”

As you can surmise from the group’s name, Sammy Miller is the leader. When the concert began, he came out on stage (without fanfare), along with the pianist and bass player. Sammy was carrying an armload of bottles of water. He dropped at least one, then picked it up before depositing most behind three standing microphones.

The three began to play as soon as Sammy sat down at his drums. Shortly, we heard more music behind us. I turned to see the trombone, trumpet and sax players at the top of three aisles. Ah, so that’s whom the three mics and the water were for, I thought. I also realized why they couldn’t have carried their own bottles onto the stage. So the band leader — rather than a stage hand — took care of that for them.

After the requisite number of bars, they made their ways down the aisles, greeting audience members. The trumpet player, appropriately named Alphonso Horne, shook my hand on his way to the stage.

It was a great show and not just because they are such talented musicians. For about an hour and a half, they really had a good time, which easily rubbed off on the audience. It was easy to feel joyful and uplifted.

Ringo Starr tells of a time he visited George Harrison during George’s last days. When Ringo mentioned that he was about to fly to the US because his daughter was to have surgery there, George asked, “Do you want me to go with you?” Here was a man who was terminally ill and in poor health offering to support his friend.

I was reminded of this a couple of days ago when a friend texted me, expressing concern for my relatives in Alabama (none of whom she knows personally), after the tornado-filled storm that had just blown through. (They were fine.)

Certainly a thoughtful gesture from anyone. More so, perhaps, from this person, who is in Hospice care.