The Gym

I just returned from the gym. Usually I return relaxed from the gym ready to read a little and then go to bed. Unfortunately, today I had the unusual pleasure of an 18-year-old punk telling me what to do in the changeroom. A bizarre event.

As is my routine after a workout I was going to take a shower before heading home. As I headed to the shower with nothing but my towel and flip flops on...this 18-year-old muscle-head wondered out loud to no one in particular, "Why do people have to walk around naked, man?"

As I'm walking past him, I say incredulously, "It's a changeroom!"

I haven't been in a good mood lately. In fact, I'm downright angry. The one thing that really pisses me off is when people treat other people, and especially me, unfairly. Don't talk down to me, don't tell me what to do and don't treat people unfairly. Nobody likes to be pushed around, least of all me. I guess this loud mouth muscle-head didn't get the memo.

At five yards past him I hear him say, "Yeah, but why do you have to walk around naked? Its all men in here!" A truly weird bit of logic.

I turn to face him, fully angry, cut the gap between us to two yards and in the loudest voice ever heard in any change room say, "Why does it matter, are you fucking gay? This is a fucking change room, you're gonna see people naked!" I sense people have stopped and are wondering what the hell is going on?
I don't think he expected me to react quite as loudly as I did. I read in his face an instant re-calculation of his position. He then tells me to get out of his face. We exchange expletives. He calls me a 'skinny fuck' and we call it a draw.
I turn around walking back to the showers, while repeating my point that in a change room, you will see people naked. I can hear him making his point to his friend and the 5-6 other people in the changeroom who happened to be present.

To be truthful, I could have gotten a severe beating at the hands of the aforementioned muscle-head, but the sheer absurdity, the audacity of him telling a 44-year-old man (me) how I should dress in a change room, while I'm on my way to take a shower, was simply too much to bear.

I am at a wonderful time in my life as far as people's opinion of me are concerned. I am at the gym for my own purposes. I am not there to make friends, or pick up chicks or boost my ego: I am there to keep myself somewhat fit and de-stress. And I don't give a flying fuck that I don't look like the ideal gym-type, I don't care that you're not impressed with me taking a shower naked, I don't care whether my shorts match my socks and t-shirt or shoes. And I don't want to know what you think of me. Quite simply, people's opinion on these matters does not matter to me. I wear what I am comfortable wearing, I say what needs to be said, and if your opinion of my behaviour is negative than so be it.

I am at my best when I exercise my self-determination. And I intend to execise as often as possible!