Two Little Pigs at the Gym (I can be a jerk too)

I bet everyone who has joined a gym (and actually gone) has stories about their experiences there.  My friend Kristie shared an interesting gym story earlier this week—about Curly, Moe and Larry.  Or was it Manny, Mo and Jack?  Either way, it was a good story and reminded me of an experience I had with two little pigs.  Two guys who were at the gym only to ogle girls.  There's nothing wrong with noticing someone is attractive, but these fellows weren't doing that.  They were being pigs. 

Like Kristie, my wife and I joined the local Y.  It occupied a former elementary school and the gym was set up in the old Multipurpose Room.  During our workouts, we occasionally saw two men hanging out together at the water fountain.  They may have worked out before we arrived, but I never saw them work out.  All I ever saw them do was chat at the water fountain and take turns pretending to get a drink when a woman was on a certain piece of equipment.  Bending over and turning their heads to get a drink gave them a better angle to ogle.  My wife and I rolled our eyes at them and went about our workouts. 

One day I wasn’t motivated to workout.  We were using treadmills, side-by-side, up on the stage portion of the Multipurpose Room, looking out towards the water fountain.  I spotted the two little pigs in action.  I decided to try a little experiment--in search of motivation.  As I trudged along, I started thinking about what jerks those two were.  The ladies just wanted to get a little exercise, not be gawked at by a couple of jerks.  That could be my sister (no it couldn’t) or wife or niece or friend.  Who do those jerks think they are???  Jerks!!! 

I worked up a pretty bad attitude—and my legs were really moving.  I was getting a great workout.  But the anger must have started showing.

Wife:  What are you doing?

Me:  Nothing.

Wife:  Do you know those guys?

Me:  Nope.

Wife:  Stop it.

Me:  I'm not doing anything.

Wife:  Do you know that girl.

Me:  She’s a 22^nd cousin.  (supposedly we're all at least that close.)

My wife wasn’t the only one who noticed.  One of the guys made eye contact and then looked away quickly.  He tried acting nonchalant, but kept sneaking peeks at me.  I could feel my eyebrows furrowing down into my eye sockets and it was hard not to laugh, but I kept up the attitude.  Eventually that fellow told his friend.  Then they both tried (and failed) to act casual.  Within minutes they walked out, without making eye contact again. 

I don’t know what they were thinking.  Like my wife, did they think I knew the girl they were targeting?  Or did they just see a crazy person glaring at them as if they’d shot his dog?  I’ll never know.  But I do know I got a GREAT cardio workout that day.  And I know guys like that DO make me mad, I just let it show that day.  (And I know I was being a jerk too!)

*sigh*  I miss the excitement of the gym.  lol