September 20, 2011

A lady.

I am fascinated by a certain woman at the gym. She is Japanese. She is sylphlike - she weighs nothing; bones seem to comprise her entire body. Oddly, last week I went to the gym everyday at almost the same time exactly. So did she. I think we could safely say that for her, that is a general practice. I don't think working out is a part of her experience there. The majority of what she does is pat. Seriously, pat.

She stands before the mirror with heavy, admiring eyes - staring at herself so watchfully and shy at the same time, it is like she is getting to know herself, or at a being she's recently discovered. Towel on head, white skin glowing - the thin vaulting of her bones, she begins the ritual before I leave the locker room. Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, go her hands on her cheeks, while applying some sort of liquid cream. Must be magical. She takes the task very seriously. She is still standing there - hair wet, out of the towel now - patting, when I re-enter 30 minutes later. Forehead, nose, chin, but especially the cheeks, she is patting. In the time it takes me to enter the locker room, work out, come back to shower and get ready, she doesn't move from her vigil. So impressive. And crazy.

4 comments:

Marnie said...

Hopefully one day your curiosity will get the better of you and you'll ask her what she's doing, in which case please let us know!!

Ethan House said...

May be this is some kind of ritual but I agree with Marnie and I think you should ask her, she seem like a fine lady and will explain!

alpal said...

yes. please please ask her.

or better, find some white cream of your own, stand at an adjacent mirror and begin a patting ritual of your own.

invite her to wonder. challenge her by refusing to stop your patting until she does. perhaps add some nonsensical pats to other parts of your body. make her question your rituals. you will then probably share some eye contact and a silent knowing will pass between you two...ah the unspoken language of lotioning.

yes, yes. i think this would be best.

Marnie said...

Actually, on second thought, if she is as skinny as you say then it sounds to me like some kind of anorexic behaviour. I knew a girl with advanced stage anorexia that had some bizarre rituals she believed kept the fat away. Very sad. Hopefully it's not that and she's just fond of lotion application.

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