GYM RATS - #7
“Yo Adrian!”
~Rocky Balboa - Rocky (1976)
I was working out a few months ago, minding my own business, when all of a sudden a new gym rat arrived - loudly. He was a short guy, with dark hair that he wore long and slicked back. He was wearing jeans with a big shiny belt buckle to match his thick gold chain around his neck and a tank top as he strutted by like George Jefferson. I thought perhaps he was taking a tour of the facility.
But lo and behold he plopped himself down quite jarringly at one of the weight machines and began to pump some serious iron. He lifted a whole stack about five times with loud grunts, all the while trying to make things look effortless.
Although distracted by the shaking of the floor when the stack of weights slammed down, it was hard to miss him pop out of his seat and stalk over to the full length wall mirrors, preen his hair ever so briefly, and then shadow box with his reflection, grunting “pow pow pow” in staccato before abruptly spinning around and pacing through the gym like a menace on a mission between reps.
When Rocky first arrived, everyone was startled. No longer could we hear the crappy music videos on a permanent loop what with his boxing grunts, slamming weights and completely random noises that he made while stalking around with his headphones. But as his routine became more routine to us all he started to make a few friends. Some of the other guys, probably out of pure curiosity, started up conversations. His strange noises simmered down a little and his tightly wound antics seemed to loosen up a bit. But he still stalks around between machines and every now and then I catch him boxing himself in the mirror. I wonder if he has the theme from Rocky playing over and over on his iPod to pump him up or perhaps some speed metal?
Yet the other week as I was leaving I came across Rocky arriving in his Honda with an oxford shirt and hair parted down the middle. He looked like a slightly geeky shy guy who was perfectly normal. So now I know that the gym is where he goes to let loose and be the antithesis of all that. As Stallone said, Rocky was all about pride, reputation and not being just another bum from the neighborhood. But I still question his choice to work out in jeans and chains - even Adrian could tell that’s not a good look.
But lo and behold he plopped himself down quite jarringly at one of the weight machines and began to pump some serious iron. He lifted a whole stack about five times with loud grunts, all the while trying to make things look effortless.
Although distracted by the shaking of the floor when the stack of weights slammed down, it was hard to miss him pop out of his seat and stalk over to the full length wall mirrors, preen his hair ever so briefly, and then shadow box with his reflection, grunting “pow pow pow” in staccato before abruptly spinning around and pacing through the gym like a menace on a mission between reps.
When Rocky first arrived, everyone was startled. No longer could we hear the crappy music videos on a permanent loop what with his boxing grunts, slamming weights and completely random noises that he made while stalking around with his headphones. But as his routine became more routine to us all he started to make a few friends. Some of the other guys, probably out of pure curiosity, started up conversations. His strange noises simmered down a little and his tightly wound antics seemed to loosen up a bit. But he still stalks around between machines and every now and then I catch him boxing himself in the mirror. I wonder if he has the theme from Rocky playing over and over on his iPod to pump him up or perhaps some speed metal?
Yet the other week as I was leaving I came across Rocky arriving in his Honda with an oxford shirt and hair parted down the middle. He looked like a slightly geeky shy guy who was perfectly normal. So now I know that the gym is where he goes to let loose and be the antithesis of all that. As Stallone said, Rocky was all about pride, reputation and not being just another bum from the neighborhood. But I still question his choice to work out in jeans and chains - even Adrian could tell that’s not a good look.
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