When I looked in the mirror this morning I could not believe that I actually looked older than I thought I looked last night when I went to bed. So much for 8 hours of “Beauty Sleep.” However, there are still a few upsides to this graying chapter of life as I discovered a few hours later.
I arrived at the gym in a torrential downpour. (Of course, my umbrella was still drying by the front door from yesterday’s rain). Unfortunately, all the “senior” spots were taken so I had to park farther away. By the time I walked by the “senior” parking, completely soaked, a 20-something guy casually hopped out of his white, Toyota Camry, right in front of me.
“Young, man,” I barked. “You certainly don’t look like a ‘senior’ to me, unless you thought this spot was for college students.”
He froze. Looked at the sign then said sheepishly, “Well, I didn’t wanna get wet.”
“Neither did this senior,” I replied continuing on.
“Oh! I’ll move my car right now,” he said moving back towards it.
“Don’t you dare!” I commanded. “We’re already parked, already sopped and that’s that. Moving it would just be a waste of gas.”
“Are you sure?” he continued, still lagging behind my quick, don’t-want-to-get-wetter pace.
“Yup. The way I look at it, I let you borrow my spot today because I certainly wouldn’t want you to get those biceps wet. However, if I had a cane and was limping I might well whack you with it.”
As we walked in together, I asked him what his workout would be today.
“Well, I’m going to do my quads then focus on my lower back,” he replied.
“Oh,” I replied. “Well what about the rest of you?”
“I did my upper body yesterday,” he said as if to reassure me he had not neglected a single, body part. “You know, lats, biceps, flys and stuff. What about you?”
“Oh, me? Well… I’m working on my Esther Williams, while I swim back and forth to nowhere.’ For some reason, he thought this was hilarious and chuckled all the way to his weight machine. (But I’ll bet you a hundred bucks he has no clue who she is).
As I left the gym, I noticed his car was gone. Nope. That rascal came back out and re-parked his Toyota… smack next to me!
AGEFULLY AGING 
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