A friend of mine works in a popular bookshop in London.
These are the types of questions she gets asked on a daily basis.
CUSTOMER: Hello. I’d like this book please. It’s about a
man that leaves his family to journey to Iceland with only the company of his
pet cat and then he goes to live with a commune that’s actually a front for MI5.
FRIEND: Oh right. Did you see it on the Sunday Times
bestseller list or something?
CUSTOMER: No. I’d just like a book that’s about that sort
of thing.
CUSTOMER: Hello! My friend was reading a really good book
at the weekend and I’d like to buy it!
FRIEND: Great! What was it called let me see if I have it
in stock.
CUSTOMER: Oh right. Yes. I’m not sure. It had a blue
cover though and the title was in orange and the writing on the back was in
white.
FRIEND: Hmmmm
She and I empathise with each other as spin studios seem to attract the same type of nonsense talk as bookshops.
CLIENT: I’ve forgotten my trainers
ME: Ah yes, I can see that might be a problem.
CLIENT: I’ve got my flipflops that I shower in though.
Can I just wear those?
ME: Well not really, it’s not Centre Parcs.
CLIENT: Can I borrow your shoes?
ME: Well I need those to spin in plus I’m only a size 3
and you are a big man.
CLIENT: *Walks off dejectedly eyeing up other people’s
feet.*
I think a good deal of the time people don’t read the timetable
of gyms and just turn up hoping they can influence the structure of the class. Last
week, just before my third class of the evening was about to start I was forced
to have this conversation
CLIENT: (Hopping alongside me enthusiastically as I down
pints of water and try to change one sweaty top for another top that will be
just as sweaty in 45 minutes) Hi there! I’m really looking forward to your
class!
ME: Excellent!
CLIENT: I was thinking that maybe we could do some core
work and some squats and stuff.
ME: Well, this is a spinning class and I’m not sure all
the other people would be up for that as they were hoping to come to do
spinning.
CLIENT: Go on! Why don’t we just do 15 minutes at the
end? Some abs yeah?
ME: I’m going to
have to say No I’m afraid, but there is an abs class on straight after this
CLIENT: Yeah I don’t really fancy that.
