TEN MINUTES ON A TREADMILL

Forty-five minutes on a machine that is supposed to help tone the leg muscles and work your heart while listening to music can be quite exhausting. Sweat pouring down the neck and face and the breath starting to come to an end for there are only ten minutes left to go: doctor’s orders.

Suddenly the gym door opens and a young Korean girl walks in. She is wearing clogs, a dressy green blousy, a nice pearl necklace and jeans that go up to her calves. Not appropriately dressed for the workout. Her hello carries a heavy Korean accent. She has a hard time turning on the treadmill that she wants to walk on. And with the high heels on those clogs, it is a wonder how she will accomplish such a task without springing an ankle or falling off the machine.

Five minutes go by and a young Korean boy walks in and says something to her in their language. His hello also carries a heavy accent. He helps her turn on the treadmill and gets on the other one on her right. All three are facing the mirror in front of them, but no one looks at the other although each one knows that they are being observed. At least the boy is wearing runners on his feet despite being in jeans and a real nice green sweater. They talk to each other in Korean and their voices can be heard above the loud music playing through the headphones of the person on the left.

The alarm on the treadmill goes off and the forty-five minutes are over. The key to the gym is passed on to the youngsters while the girl is walking and talking on her cell phone in Korean and the boy is running at a high speed. Goodbyes are said in heavy accents.

Photo: Meire Marion

(Written: June 29, 2012)
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