Page 25 of Resistance Training
I sway my hips a little. A little for him, a lot for me. I notice him noticing.
“Be right back, Gwen,” he says to the blue-haired lady behind the desk.
“See you next time, Gwen!” I call out.
She nods at me without smiling.
And I still respect it.
Brad holds the front door open for me.
“Thanks,” I say. And then I walk, slowly, in the direction of my car.
And he still does it. He’s still walking on the street side of me as we walk down the sidewalk. It’s dark out and it just rained a little bit and it will probably start sprinkling again soon. The wet street reflects the streetlights. It’s pretty quiet. For the first time since I moved to Portland, it feels romantic.
There’s so much I want to say to Brad. I have so many questions. I have so many answers. But I guess I have three months’ worth of sessions, so I can pace myself.
“Mitch!” Three spry elderly ladies in leggings and puffer coats call out to him at the same time from half a block away.
“Ladies…” he says, grinning.
Grinning.
I can see his left dimple.
Nice to know it’s still there.
“We had tacos and margaritas down the street!” The one in the purple coat shouts. I detect a New York accent. “One of these days we’ll get you to join us, motherfucker!” I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone use that word in such an affectionate yet also loud way before.
“Use yourquieteroutside voice, Dolores,” the redhead in the black coat says. “You’re scaring Mitch’s girlfriend.”
He waits an entire deep inhale before saying, “Not my girlfriend, Cindy.”
“Oh, why not though?! She’s absolutely gorgeous!”
I like Cindy a lot. I detect a bit of a southern accent, Texan perhaps. I like all of them already. They are probably around seventy, and they’re making me reconsider my energy level on a scale of one to ten. Compared to them I’m a four at best. These ladies are #Goals.
“Cindy thinks everyone’s in love like she and Larry are,” says Dolores.
“This is a new client. Vivian. Vivian, this is Cindy, Dolores, and Mabel. Longtime members of Good Form.”
“Very nice to meet you, ladies.”
“Well, it is so nice to meet you, our beautiful new friend Vivian!” Cindy says. “Now, are you a Leo or an Aries, hun? You look to me like an Aries.”
“I am an Aries, actually. Nobody’s ever told me that before.”
“Hallelujah—thank you, Universe!” she says gleefully, holding her hands up to the heavens. “I love it! Honey, we’veknown Mitch for years and he has never walked anyone to their car before.”
“Now, you don’t know that, Cindy,” Brad says, but he has none of us convinced.
I love you for saying all that, Cindy.
“Oh, Mitch,” Mabel says, rubbing his bare arms. “You should be wearing a jacket.”
“That’s what I was saying.”
“Ohhh, his skin is still warm, though. Feel that!” she says to me, and to her friends.
