We all work out for a myriad of reasons… but probably all share the same underlying trait that ultimately drives us to the gym: narcissism!
You go to the gym because you’re thinking 100% about yourself in that moment. I love it that we’re all there, each thinking about our own selves. It’s great!
So imagine my surprise and disgust when a man settled comfortably onto the machine next to me. Not to use it for its intended purpose, but rather, as a chair or bar stool of sorts.
This is someone who seems to be at the gym exclusively to lean on machines near women, and harass women.
His loneliness? NOT my problem. Except that now I had to get rid of this unwanted pestering person.
Not to be deterred by my look of disgust and efforts to muster a fart to repel him forever, he attempted to give me advice. And it wasn’t a short helpful burst of advice either. Oh no. He was actually trying to begin a conversation with me. He was settling in for the long haul. This was his plan for the evening: to amble around the gym chatting at great length with every female within sight.
I was desperate to finish my workout and hurry home to Andrew. (Side-note: this is a hazard of Andrew preferring to work out at home — I guess people think my wedding ring’s a fake?)
And then lonely-gym-man proceeded to state that he “knows all women have low self-esteem.”
HA. Doesn’t he just wish.
Frankly, I don’t know that many females with low self-esteem. This may be because I gravitate toward strong, self-confident, intelligent women, and this whole low self-esteem thing isn’t on my radar.
Or maybe I DO know a lot of women with low self-esteem, but I’m just a really shitty listener.
Maybe it’s a little of both. Whatever. My rant is about how terrible THIS guy is, not me. (Heh.)
But I’ll tell you, it really grossed me out to hear him blathering about how he “knows” all women have low self-esteem. Like, that’s the narrative in his head. And then he focused on hanging around ME. What a loitering needy creeper. He really deserved that toxic fart I was trying to muster. (They never appear when you need them, do they?)
I solved this problem simply by walking away from him. I had to resort to cutting my workout short, just to shut him down. I should probably be compensated financially.
So, is that what motivates these creepy males at the gym? They’re assuming that any woman that works out is fueled by low self-esteem? Isn’t working out a sign that you value yourself? That you’re striving to build up enough muscle mass to cause serious harm to every lonely, pathetic attacker?
In recounting this, I’m furious all over again. Sign me up for kick-boxing.