gym Etiquette

I’m at the gym this morning, a little later then I wanted to be mainly because I like to use the steam room after my workout but also to avoid this older gentleman who is always wanting to talk to me.

Now the gym is my time.  I go to exercise and I don’t really like to exercise so I treat myself to a book for pure fun.  I only allow myself to read it while I’m working out and while occasionally they do have good stories that I sometimes work into sermons but for the most part it is just pure indulgence, cotton candy reading.  I’m not looking to make friends or carry on any deep conversations which is one of the reasons that even when I don’t need to go so early I still do to avoid the older crowd that is there to socialize.

So as usual I’m on the recumbent bike and I’m reading my latest book and I’m pretty into it because it’s just a fun read.  When the guy I started coming earlier because of walks in and plops down on the recumbent bike next to me, and asks, “What are you reading now?”  I pretend not to hear him like I’m deeply absorbed in the book because like I said it’s my time, I didn’t come there to talk.  But as usual he doesn’t take the hint and asks again, “What book are you reading now?”  Fortunately my current book doesn’t have any religious overtones or double meaning like the last book I was reading and he tried to strike up a conversation.

Now, first I want to say the guy is okay, nothing against him he’s just an older pastor.  I know this because I’ve overheard him talking about it in the locker room.  So I know he’s just trying to be friendly and maybe possibly witness to me but I’m on limited time here and he’s cutting into my prime book reading for fun time.

So I tell him the title, which is “King Dork” last time it was “Adam” by Ted Dekker.  Of course he had never heard of Ted Dekker and was telling me he knew of an “Adam” the first man and blah, blah, blah and was asking if it was about that and so on and so forth and the whole time I’m thinking man I just want to exercise and read my book in peace.

Well this time he didn’t have anything to relate to it and asked if was a novel or something and I said yes just a novel pure enjoyment.  Fortunately he let me finish my exercising in peace.  But as soon as I was finished and got the cleaning stuff he’s asking what it’s about.

And the whole time I’m thinking isn’t there some etiquette for the gym?  Like if you’re reading or have head phones on it means, “I didn’t come here to make new friends please don’t talk to me.”  I mean I’m sure that the co-eds that come don’t really want the creepy older guys hitting on them.  I mean if I was one of them I wouldn’t.  I say hello, good morning if I pass them walking by on the way to the locker rooms or where ever like I do to everyone but that is the extent of my conversation.

And then there is the other guys that like to carry on a conversation while their butt naked in the locker room.  What’s up with that?  I don’t really want to be talking to naked guys just something wrong with that.  Don’t they cover that in gym class?  Maybe it should be in the orientation when you join the gym.

So I’ll be getting up earlier and make sure I’m done before the ones who want to talk get there.