Sizing me up

I was very aware that I hadn't gone to the gym all week. I feel really bad when I can't go to the gym. Worse if I have not been playing badminton. Worst when I don't feel motivated to exercise. Sometimes even a self-motivated person like me needs a push, some validation, some encouragement. And sometimes, that comes when you're least expecting it.

Late night meetings with the Boston office lately had left me with no time to do anything but crash as soon I got home. Fatigue can crush motivation in a second. So on saturday afternoon, I decided to hit the gym with a vengeance.

As soon as I entered the gym, I stopped in my tracks (no pun intended). There she was, sitting on the treadmill (yes, sitting, actually sitting on the treadmill like it was some wooden bench at the park!), a woman of at least seventy.

"Hi..." I said, not quite sure what else to say.

"Hi..." She grinned at me.

I'd barely got on the (other) treadmill when she said, "I like your size."

Holy cow.

"My what..?!"

"Your size... it's very nice." She repeated.

I wasn't sure of what she exactly she meant, so I did not know whether to thank her or glare at her.

"She means your figure..." boomed a voice from behind. I turned around to face a younger woman doing weights.

"That's my daughter..." said the old lady.

"Oh... okay." I said.

"My son also lives in this building... in the block opposite... but he travels a lot... he's the CEO of his company... CEO, yes?" She turned to confirm with the daughter who nodded.

"Hmmm..." I said.

I figured very old people are like babies that have just learnt to talk. They are adorable, they have a lot to say, they will talk to anyone and everyone, and most often you don't know what to say in response to the things they say to you.

I'd barely stretched my hand to adjust the settings on the treadmill when the old lady spoke again.

"You know... I can't run on these things..."

"Hmmm... me neither... bad knee. So I do some really fast walking. I guess you walk too..?" I asked, not quite sure where this conversation was going.

"Naah... I can't even walk. I need this to walk." She pointed to the large blue Giordano umbrella lying on the floor next to her feet. I brushed away the visions floating in my mind -- of the old lady furiously walking on the treadmill holding her blue Giordano umbrella.

"Hmmm..." I said again. Oh, bless the guy who came up with the versatile and universal H-word.

I started walking.

"Your size so nice, why you exercise?" Suddenly she asked again in typical broken Singaporean english. I couldn't really hear her so I paused the treadmill.

"I'm sorry... What?"

"I said - your size so nice, why you exercise?"

Before I could even think of how to respond, the daughter had answered her question.

"Her size so nice because she exercise."

And suddenly, just like that, I was re-motivated.