My Story 41
By Corbin 
How life tests the endurance, patience, and sometimes faith of one young woman.

********** 
 
"God have mercy on the man who doubts what he's sure of." 
			-Bruce Springsteen 
 
******* 
 
I'm sitting on the lateral decline press, when some Korean kid (about 19) walks  
up and asks to work in with me (The fact he has a South Korean flag tattooed on  
his right shoulder helped me figure that out). OK, fine...I relent and nod my  
head 'yes', he seems pleased as punch that I agree. So I do my set and stand up  
trying to kill time by playing with my iPod mini, that's when I get a light tap  
on the shoulder from some other guy asking if I'll spot him on the bench press.  
OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!! 
 
This is turning into a nightmare, but then again, that's usually the way it  
happens. 
 
Okay so now I'm doing my sets, in-between I'm helping spot this guy and now  
everyone is trying to start up a conversation with me. I can't workout like  
this, I have to concentrate and so I'm looking for a way out, which I find. A  
moment arrives when everyone is distracted and I slip out of the weight room,  
walking past this guy who is giving me evil glares because he asked me just the  
other day; "Is it true, you won't date guys with tattoos?" 
 
To which I told him straight up (as I tell everyone) 'DAMN STRAIGHT! I think  
tattoos are vulgar displays of insecurity.'  
 
That response of mine caused him to launch into a verbal barrage of insults back  
at me (Calling me ignorant, judgmental, arrogant....etc....). At that point I  
never argue, I just shrug, turn around and walk away. Reactions like that just  
validate my point. 
 
**********

My father is the Service Manager for a Motorcycle / ATV / Watercraft (little boy 
adrenaline junky) Store. 

While in High School (and some in College) I spent some time working behind the 
Parts Counter to earn a few extra bucks. Beats the hell out of retail, and 
department stores...or so I thought. I was hoping it would be easy 
street and I could get allot spare reading/studying time in, but that was rarely 
the case.

Guys were always in there, packs of them, something I used to poke fun of. I'd 
be sitting at my terminal, reading a textbook when I would look up and there 
would be like six or seven guys standing there from my school, or just from the 
area. That always killed me, there are like two or three other part reps behind 
the counter, why come bug me? Yeah...yeah...I know why...I'm just bitching as 
usual.

"You guys always travel in packs?" I would smirk and close my book.

"You been riding this summer Corbin?" I would always get asked. You see, my 
father had bought me a 2002 Kawi KX125, but I rarely rode it. It was fun the 
first summer but just not my thing. I would just shake my head 'no'.

I never did girly stuff (mainly because I don't usually pal around in large 
packs of girls), and I kind of avoided the ultra feminine route with the jobs I 
took and the sports I played. These choices always put me in frequent contact 
with 'Cool' guys in the area, who were always involved in the 'cool' sports and 
activities, like motor cross, watercraft and other outdoor activities.

The hilarious thing was this, most of these guys were rugged, athletic, good 
looking and pursued by most of my female peers. Yet, here they were, always 
coming into store to buy stuff for their ski's, bikes, ATV's...you name it. All 
I had to do is sit at my station and they came swarming around. That made me 
real popular with the other girls (NOT!). 

I bet some of you gentle readers are fairly bright...so here is a pop-quiz:
After I am done helping some guy and I ask "Is there anything else I can get for 
you?", What response am I likely to get;
a.) 'Just your phone number'
b.) 'A date would be nice'
c.) 'Dinner and a movie'

If you picked any of the above you got the answer right. See, that's wasn't so 
hard, I hope it didn't overtax your brains. :-)

Young...old....you name it, but the older guys were much bolder with asking me 
out.

One mouthy brunette girl came tagging along with her boyfriend and a few of his 
friends one day. She's cutting me these looks all the while I am sitting there 
looking up parts for the guys until some guys start asking me to go riding that 
weekend, when I decline Ms. Mouth speaks up; "I guess blondes don't really have 
more fun."

"Actually..." I say, while still typing, "...Blondes ARE more fun. That's why 
your boyfriend and his buddies always come asking me to hang out with them." A 
few muffled laughs later and she is fit to be tied.

"Dream on you muscle head jock. At least I got a boyfriend." Well, now her 
boyfriend is asking her to cool-it. I stand up to get the receipt that is 
getting spit out from the printer behind me and now she gets a good look at my 
height and build. She must be 5' 2" max, so my 5' 11" frame kind of towers over 
her, and she's getting a bit more quiet. I hand the receipt to the guy on my 
right as I smile, thanking him for the purchase.

I look at the girl, while giving my best customer service smile, "We'll there be 
anything else." She just gives me this eat shit look, but I can tell she's 
biting her tongue. I brace my hands against the counter top making sure they get 
a good look at the muscles running up the length of my arms. I normally despise 
showing off, but now seemed like a good time.   

I was biting my tongue real hard because I didn't want to get fired by my Dad, 
of all people.

Maybe next time I'll tell about one of the first times I went riding, I was 
getting the hang of things on some pretty rough terrain and ended up beating 
the crap out of some guy because he was razzing my riding skills in front of 
everyone, which I can take...be he kept going and going and going and 
going.....I had him eating dirt after I got done with him. 

**********

Over the years (and a number of women can relate to this) I've had more then my 
share of stalkers. Maybe 'stalker' is a bit harsh, but when I go on a few dates 
with a guy, and then suddenly, they are showing up at the gym, hanging around 
the places I would go, like keeping tabs on me you could call it. College was 
the worst, kind of confined to certain areas so you were always bound to run 
into someone. 

I've BREIFLY dated guys that would interrogate me with junk like:
"Why were you late to gym?"
"Where were you?"
"You said you would be here at such-and-such time!"
"Where are you going tonight?"
"Who was that guy your were talking to?"
"Why didn't you come to the gym today?"
"I tried calling you on your cell phone but it was turned off!"
"A friend saw you at this place when you said you were going somewhere else!"

Just to name a few. If YOU have asked any those questions, seek some counseling! 
Well, that's harsh, sometimes it is just genuine concern.

It's just not a good idea to do that with me, it's a sure fire way to get your 
ass kicked, hung up on, or some other way of letting you know, NEVER BOTHER ME 
AGAIN!

Well, I didn't mean for this to turn into a sad, long story (violins playing in 
the background) kind of rant. 

But life isn't always sunshine and carefree.

Or maybe I can be so damn impatient. :)





  
41_My_Story