5:09 Alarm goes off again. I hit snooze but don't go back to sleep. I lay in bed missing Travis and feeling the cool air from the fan propped up in our bedroom's open window. I drift in and out in the new morning light. It's crazy that it's already light out at 5:00. I never knew it got this light out so early. Maybe because I've never gotten up at 5-something on a regular basis before.
5:18 Alarm goes off. Enough messing around. I spring out of bed and flip on the light with satisfaction that 1) I slept well despite Travis being 400 miles away and 2) that Travis isn't still asleep in bed so I have to tiptoe in the dimness to find clothes to wear to the gym.
5:30 Teeth brushed, ponytail in place, gym clothes on (these pants are really too short), and I've inhaled both of the necessary medicines that keep me alive while at the gym--and everywhere else for that matter.
5:36 Get to the gym, leave my purse and keys in the car. Small town. Pay $1.07 to jog on the track at the gym (not renewing my membership until I come back from Canada) and take note of who's here.
The regulars that are present:
Conroy East group, exercising in a room upstairs. They are machines.
The usual teacher group. 3 of them doing various workouts on machines in the weight room.
Mysterious green-shirted man. Always walking. Always wearing a cap. Always wearing the same green shirt. He's there when I get here and he's there when I leave. The few times I've had to work out in the afternoon, he's also been there. He looks like the kind of guy who maybe used to weigh like 400 pounds but lost a whole lot and now doesn't feel comfortable with his body for a new list of reasons. I don't talk to him or make eye contact with him but he watches where I am on the track, especially if I am jogging up behind him. Not in a creepy way. He's interesting and I feel a pang of guilt that I'm shy around him.
Pat. I don't know his real name. He looks just like my neighbor from behind. My neighbor's a woman. He's kinda odd. One time I fell asleep on the exercise mats (long, funny story) and when I woke up, Pat was sitting next to me. He said "Good morning" I think.
JoAnne and another OLIA (Old Lady I Admire). They aren't here yet, but they will be here at 6 on the dot. I don't know how old these old ladies are but they walk every morning and they are so nice. I feel convicted to turn down the Black Eyed Peas blaring out of my iPod when I jog by them.
These regulars not present:
Pat (real name) and Rich. My husband's racquetball buddies. They aren't here and neither is my husband. Wave of loneliness washes over me, but I recover.
I go upstairs and stretch and laugh to myself about how freakishly short these blue athletic pants actually are. Too long to be called capris but way too short to be pants. Oh well, I don't think anyone here cares.
5:40 I'm on the track and jogging. 4 minutes jogging. 4 minutes walking. 4 minutes jogging. 4 minutes walking. The best part of this "hamster wheel" indoor track is on the southern end, smack in the middle of the curved part, in the outermost lane, is the best place to get blasted with cold air conditioning. I pretend the cold air is my "battery power energizer." It reminds me of the video game F-Zero when you drive your car over the little bar code-looking section of the track and it boosts your energy. 4 minutes jogging. OLIAs show up. 4 minutes walking. I'm tired. I don't want to do any more. This is my last time for a while to jog, maybe I could ease up and just do those 3 intervals. 4 minutes jogging. 4 minutes walking. Maybe I'll quit and leave it at 32 minutes today. I'm out of breath and my legs hurt. Six weeks I've been doing this. Shouldn't it be easy by now? 4 minutes jogging. 4 minutes walking. Done.
6:20 Quick stretch and towel off. I leave the gym and, for the first time this week, walk outdoors into cool air instead of muggy, sticky, humid air. I'm happy driving home.
6:50 I've showered and dried my hair and had a glass of chocolate milk. Jump into bed for a quick nap. Set the alarm for 7:20.
7:20 I'm awake but feeling good. I pray about the day's events and daydream a bit and then out of bed at 7:30.
7:30 Excited that it's Friday so I can finally wear my new jean capris. Pack a delicious salad for lunch and get breakfast together.
7:40 Curl my hair and pick out my homemade necklace: the one I made out of bottlecaps. I smile because I know the students love this one. Make the bed and wonder if I'd ever miss Travis' disgusting pillow if it were gone from this earth.
7:55 Out the door and ready for school.
So, how was your morning?
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