Interesting Only To Me?
December 26, 2010 3 Comments
Often I see things that I find interesting. Far too often other people do not. Either I have a healthy dose of weirdness or I lack the communications ability to help others grasp the same fascination that I do.
This is another one of those.
I am at the gym for my fortnightly workout. I belong to a fairly basic gym. It is a facility of Northwestern University. I like it because both young and old workout there.
So here I am getting ready to shower and I notice the “gym bag” the guy a few lockers away is using. It is not a bag at all. It resembles a piece of luggage more than anything else. Hard sided, it stands up and has places for everything. I can see shoes, a towel, and clothes all in neat compartments. For what its worth the guy on my right seemed in his mid-sixties.
Yes I found this interesting. Why you may ask. Simple answer. Heck if I know.
Perhaps the contrast between this organized, structured, piece of gear and my own simple bag. My bag is a one pocket bag with only a small outside mesh pocket as an extra compartment. I got it free as a hand-out at a baseball game. It is the perfect size for me. I holds everything I need to bring. Yes, I sometimes need to search through it to find what I need.
The contrast is not only in the physical makeup of the two cases but in the life philosophies and styles of the two people. I am comfortable with simple, low-cost, but effective things. As I approach my mid-fifties and have the wherewithal to have nice things if I want them I have begun to move away from old, worn out and unattractive items. But the simple life, and things, for me.
Even if it were free I would never use the case he used. Having said that I am all for individual freedoms and will defend to the death his right to bring a small suitcase into the gym no matter how it turns its back on several centuries of male gym going tradition.
this is an interesting observation mostly because of what you gleaned from such an unimportant event that obviously actually did show a lot of meaning. Simplicity often lends itself to thought, which i think is much needed in our society
I’m fascinated. I think good writers notice the mundane and the unusual. A piece of luggage for a gym bag is in the second category.
Thanks Frank. By commenting you inspire. Much appreciated.