Jacks happy place

“You ready?” Jack asked, shaking Hetz awake. “We got the buff in 10.”

“Do I look ready?”

“No, that's the reason I woke you up.” Jack waited like a small puppy as Hetz stumbled into his workout clothes. Soon she had drug him into the massive gym affectionately known as the buff by all GAs. He looked at her through slightly blurry eyes, still trying to rub the sleep out of them. Her smirk was wider then he had ever seen it and he could almost feel her pulsating relaxing excitement. “Ok.” she said, taking a breath. “So free weights on the far right. There is a lot of random grunting that comes from there. Ignore it. People be going through things. Closest to us on the right is overflow parking for whatever you need to do. This middle section?” she said, looking at him to confirm he was paying attention. He nodded for her to continue. “There is a lot of random screaming from there. And sometimes weight dropping, Don't ever drop weights except in this section, and even then be careful. It gives off really deep feeling vibes, and people will check on you. Ok far left,” she said walking through the machines to the corner. “This corner is my baby. Legs section over here. Do not talk to anyone in this area. Ever.”

“Ok.” Hetz whispered.

“Then we got arms, backs and abs. Hawk lives here and I'm scared of this section.” She made her way towards the front of the gym again. “Soccer mom cardio section. If you run here you are open to people talking to you, wanting to go on a group run, competition, ect.” Excitedly she ran up the stairs to the balcony section “This. This is where you go to get some hurt out. No one even makes eye contact up here.” Hetz could tell that she loved it up here. He even noticed how close she was standing to a particular treadmill with her name scratched into the side.

“What are the tubes coming out of the treadmills?”

“That's what makes the buff the buff. Everything is top of the line here. The tubes are attached to water tanks. We will get you a spit.” she said, grabbing her dog tags from under her shirt and holding up the spout that was attached. You just pop it on and drink. They are on every cardio machine and like every third weight machine.”

“Nice. Very nice.”

“I'm not gunna take you into the locker rooms but I assume they are identical to girls. Find Foxtrots locker block. shower, hot tub, steam room, ect.” Hetz felt like she was trying to get rid of him, and he was right. “Can I help you with anything else?”

“Nope I'm good.” He said, turning on his heel to go down to the boys locker room. Later when he came out to run on what Jack called “the soccer mom treadmills.” It was true. There appeared to be a social event going on on the elipitacls behind him.

Soon he would know what Jack knew now. Every single person in the gym understood that everyone else was in their happy place. They respected that.

A time would come when the smell of the Buff, rubber and sweat and whatever air freshener that was would become the thing that kicked off that stupid exciting relaxing combo would become one he craved and couldn't replicate in much else.