Nice Guns!

During the school year I rise at 5 a.m. to workout at school. It's convenient, it's never crowded and it's free. There are a group of women who swim regularly on Monday and Wednesday mornings and a couple others that use the gym along with me on the other days. We need to vacate the locker room by 7 so as not to be in the way of the girls who have zero hour Lifesaving. High school girls, contrary to popular Hollywood movie portrayals, are so insecure about their bodies they shower in their swimsuits and change into clothes completely covered with beach towels if all bathroom stalls are occupied. I am always sure to be timely about getting out of their way since a girl gave me the ugliest gas face I've ever seen when I was walking from the shower to my towel seven years ago. I am an adult, I no longer shower in my swimsuit. Poor kid, I don't know if she'll ever get over that. I certainly haven't.
I warned the others of the girls' reaction to me. "Little did she know," said Kim, a fellow swimmer, "you've got the nicest figure out of all of us!"
A couple of the older women, incredibly talkative and nearing retirement, have been discussing where they'll workout when the school is no longer an option. They visited and then joined a new health club in Oak Park and were really happy with it. It's a pretty sleek joint and is brand new.
"I'm a Y girl, myself." I told them as they bragged about their new memberships. They went on to tell me about all the state of the art amenities and cool classes they are able to take at their new shiny club. "That's all fine and good," I added, "but I'd miss the old Polish guys taking laps in their shorts and black socks."
It's summer time and I'm back at the YMCA. I go to Berwyn, I like it there. It's shiny enough and yet I never feel intimidated. I do, however, on occasion run into former and current students. They often don't recognize me because I usually dress a lot nicer when I go to work. I also don't sweat that much in the classroom. Not anymore.
I ran into a kid that was in my Photo class about five years ago, Trino. He was a soccer player and apparently still is. We caught up a bit and then continued our workouts. Forgive me here, because I don't know the exact names of machines but after doing some leg lift thingies and some leg presses I sat on an arm machine. The one where your arms are raised just above your shoulders so your hands and head create a pitchfork shape. You pull your arms toward each other til they meet in the middle, like cheerleaders do when they clap. I completed my second set and Trino walked toward me in the direction of the drinking fountain. He flexed his bicep at me and winked so I flexed my left bicep back. I did this, partly to be funny but also because I really am impressed with my arms. The older guy on the ab machine across from me chuckled and Trino asked, "so you come here mainly to work on your lower body?"