One of my pet peeves is discourtesy. Every encounter unsheathes my claws and the desire to julienne the perp race through my brain with the urgency of a toothache.
A few nights ago at the gym, I was doing the last of my usual circuit of chest-biceps-forearms when I was overtaken by thirst. As per experience, whenever I leave my space, I stake it out by draping my gym towel over it to apprehend any misunderstanding as to whether it is being used or not.
As I was returning, I saw this guy beside me take the dumbbells I was using. I politely told him that I was still using it and, over the din of the gym’s thumpa-thumpa, he mumbled what I assumed to be a request to use it alternately. Which I was only happy to oblige. Big Mistake.
When I needed to use the dumbbells and sought to retrieve it, the bigger Dumbbell who took it had the gall to tell me to “Isoli mo pagkatapos” in a brusque manner as if he was begrudgingly alllowing me it’s use.
It took a lot of effort not to use his bald pate as weighing scale for the two-25 lbs. dumbbells we were contending for. I opted for verbal volley and left the area after finishing my set.
If thoughts emitted energy, mine would have been hotter than the steam bath’s as I entered it. It didn’t help matters that it was a night I discerned to be Rampant Cruise Night at the Baths featuring some drearies whose hides were already prune-y from hours of exposure to steam and loud call cent’r faguettes discussing the merits of sex as tension relief.
Well, I needed relief after that double-whammy at the gym.
As always, the girls were flawless and it took them several minutes to take my load off. Nine minutes, to be exact – give or take a few seconds.
Posted by Homer 
