So I used to teach at this meat market kind of gym, where most of the clientele is between the ages of 18 - 24, tall, gorgeous, blonde, and fit. The classes at these types of gyms can be more advanced in intensity because you have a lot of regulars. The newbies that do wander in are usually so intimidated just by showing up that they work themselves in to a nervous frenzy by the 3rd song, spaz out, and go puke in the water fountain. Not really about the puke part.
I was teaching kick-boxing this day, and a woman I had not seen in class before was having a hard time. Now when I say 'having a hard time', I mean she was having a SORT OF hard time. But she was making the BIGGEST deal about it. Throwing her arms around and using her facial expressions to let me know that this class was just too hard and that it was my fault she wasn't keeping up.
So during the part of the class where I lined all the participants up on the side and had them doing drills across the room I decided to try a little 'one on one' with her. I gently pulled her away from the group and attempted to assess whether or not she was having any pain, etc. Since she was clearly trying so hard to send me a message I wanted to make sure that I got it. I wanted to make sure there was nothing WRONG with her that I might need to know about.
"You seem to be lagging a little - Are you OK?" I asked. This apple shaped, late 20ish lady who had been just so intent on sending me a message when I was at the front of the classroom just looked at me. Watching my eyes she said nothing as she proceeded to pull her shirt up, exposing her round protruding gut, and point at her belly.
Hind site really is 20/20 because I should have said nothing. I especially should have said nothing in to the head mic I was wearing, allowing my next comment to be broadcast on the speakers.
What I said was "Oh, well when are you due?"
She fired back with "I am not pregnant, my baby is 4 years old!"
I don't remember what happened next - I think I went back to the front, and she probably left. She didn't like me too much and I didn't blame her. I was embarrassed and I felt really guilty, but I got over it. After all, it's not like I would be having her over for a dinner party or anything.
This all happened while I was attending college. In the college days some people (me) worked a couple of part time jobs to make ends meet. At my other part time job I framed pictures at a small shop. The owner of the shop invited me to his house for a birthday dinner later that same week, and I went. And guess who was seated directly across from me. Yup, apple brown Betty. I ate my dinner in silence and left, hoping that if I didn't pipe up she wouldn't recognize my Yankee accent and put 2 and 2 together.
What did I learn?
1 - Always pull the mic to the side when assessing a participant.
2 - NEVER assume she's pregnant; even if she pulls her shirt up, exposing her apple shaped gut and POINTS TO IT!
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