All That Glitters
A friendly, energetic employee
sits me down before my complimentary workout
She’s motivated
to sign me up for $29.99 a month
plus a “one-time $149 contract fee”
plus an annual $5 “enhancement fee”
(I asked. It helps pay for “cleaning and maintenance.”)
Rows of rowing and
shiny – if plastic – elliptical mills whirring
Designed to tighten sculpt lift renew energize
in classes or
in earbudded solitude
We’re sweatin to the Gold-ies
This gym, a starship enterprise
Squeaky clean, pristine
None of the primal potpourri afforded me
by my local community center gym
After pedaling pushing pumping up a sweat
I do due diligence in the changing room
A woman, quietly cleaning the bathroom
She, a little English
I, zero Ukranian
We talk with our hands and eyes
She mops up their leavings
Swiffers their sweat, and most importantly,
is not allowed to take tips
She is paid eight bucks an hour
Always on call, seven days a week
So who’s really sweating
at Gold’s Gym?
© 2016 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
For Imaginary Garden With Real Toads, The Tuesday Platform
It’s true. I went to Gold’s Gym with the shameless intention of getting one free workout, because our local community center is closed this week for an intensive cleaning! Madison’s Goodman Center pays their people a living wage, has no fancy frills, and houses a small – but totally adequate – workout room. The Center also has a senior café; an afterschool and summer program; a food pantry; a splash park and playground in summer; and a loyal, friendly staff.
When we visit a hotel or a restaurant, I always talk to the gutbucket staff. Those holding mops and bus trays. I ask about unions, about pay, about how well they are treated. And Lex and I consume services accordingly.
Stay human, folks. Amy
Sharp Little Pencil 
kaykuala (@hankkaykuala)
Say, that’s just wonderful Amelita! Great to see you around again, Ma’am. And great you’ve signed up for some workouts. It takes a lot of our time but if diligently adhered to one can be looking good and is healthy in mind and body! Keep at it!
Hank
sharplittlepencil
I vowed to go into 60 better than I did 59, and it worked!
Vandana
Very true and apt question you have raised here. Humanity is very costly.
By the way nice to see your comment on my blog after a long time. Take care.
sharplittlepencil
Too long. Thx for this comment about the human condition – which is totally within everyone’s power to improve for all!
Björn Rudberg (brudberg)
You know then what your 5 dollars per year went to… great way of finding out the greed, wish I could be that diligent… When googling on the salaries I noted that the fitness consultants and the receptionists also made eight bucks an hour….
sharplittlepencil
It’s so true, Bjorn. I got in the habit because of my mother, a white jazz singer who used to insist on using the same back entrance as her black bandmates. When one is denied, we are all poorer, if we are paying attention, right?
Susie Clevenger (@wingsobutterfly)
Oh the sell in exercising…What a job, cleaning up our sweat. Great write!
sharplittlepencil
Thanks, Susie. Yes, cleaning our sweat for starvation wages.
Jim
Hi Amy, nice to read your digging in writing again. This lady had her own workouts. Do you think she could do a bigger range of muscle exercise during slack times, off the clock? Our local McDonalds’ has a fellow from Pakistan who takes care of the customers, wipes spills and tables, and opens doors. He is a very polite, nice mannered gentleman. Once a week we see him, Thursday night Kids Nights.
…
sharplittlepencil
The nicest people are often those who work menial jobs, being kind for the sake of being kind. Of being human, a mensch. Glad you greet him!
Sherry Blue Sky
Oh isnt that the truth. Who is really doing the sweating? I am so glad you talk to the staff and ask about their wages. At eight bucks an hour, she should be allowed to take tips. Sigh.
El Guapo
Blink fitness. $20 a month.
Clean and well stocked.
sharplittlepencil
And who stocks and cleans it, right? And for how much? The wages always stink!!!
El Guapo
Ah, but they get membership included!
Rosemary Nissen-Wade
A fascinating glimpse, with many layers. I was interested to read the back story too.
sharplittlepencil
Thanks, Rosemary. Coming to see you now, if belatedly.
Kerry O'Connor
Stay human! What a great message, Amy. I see nothing could escape your poet’s eye at Gold’s Gym.
sharplittlepencil
Ha! The withering gaze of the activist crone. YOU CANNOT HIDE…!
Renee Espriu
Glad you are back. Hope all is well. As for your post…wonderfully written as you do. 🙂
Marian
Enhancement fee, guffaw! Love this, so snarky and human all at the same time. Appreciated!
Also, HELLO Amy! 🙂
Magaly Guerrero
Getting paid so little for cleaning up paid-for sweat. Who’s doing the sweating, indeed…
dandeliongirl01
Great words. And I like your thinking, I need to start doing this. 😄
ihatepoetry
Exactly. Loved this. Aside: I visited my white daughter while she was in Springfield, MO (96% white population). I immediately felt very Mexican and self-conscious. I finally saw three non-whites, my Asian and African American cab drivers, and my hotel housekeeping staff were todos Mexicanas. I felt a kinship knowing they were there. Did I say I loved this? Yes, I did and still do. Love you Ameleh
sharplittlepencil
Even though I am Irish by birth, the folks doing the real work, the busboys and cleaning staff, who are always from other countries in Wisconsin? Those are my peeps. The Latinos let me speak a bit of Spanish, always with great joy that I know any at all. I played with so many black bands, the guys gave me “secret credentials,” which we all laughed about. Same with my LGBT buds!!
My grandma Blanche told me, “When you’re at a wedding, never treat the mother of the bride any better than you treat the guy who’s schlepping the hors d’oeuvres.” Little did she know how much more I would have in common with the latter!! Love you, babe. Ameleh
purplepeninportland
Good for you. That is a shame. Hard to live on that kind of money. Not to worry though, Trump will fix it! Love this Amy. So good to see you here.
Rob Kistner
Amy Rob Kistner trying to say hi? I am writing again sfter 4 years of heart attacks, a death, and a life saving Pacemaker. I am cleaning up my Image and Verse siter, Lets touch base
Rob Kistner
I am also devloping new poetry n Hello Poetry. Here is the link to my development page.https://hellopoetry.com/Artheo/