When You Don’t Want Someone At The Gym To Spot You

(I’m at a weight lifting class five minutes before start. I set up a bench, and a bar, and am standing by it when I get a poke on the shoulder.)

Lady: *sternly* “This is my spot.”

(I pause, taking in how childish this is, but decide it’s not worth a fight.)

Me: “Okay.” *I lean down, grab my bench, and start to pull it to another spot*

Lady: “No, that’s my bench! I set this up!”

Me: *startled* “I just set this up a minute ago.”

Lady: “Are you serious?!”

Me: “Yes. You can have that spot but I’m taking the bench and weights I just set up.”

(I drag them to the only available spot — right next to her. A lady who saw all this rushes to set this lady’s spot up for her while she fumes. Class begins and the lady is glaring at me in the mirror during class. It is intimidating and I leave class 10 minutes early because I have a bad feeling she’s not finished with me and I don’t want to talk to her. I shower and dress and when I come out of the locker room the lady is at the front desk, sees me, and points.)

Lady: “That’s her!”

(I walk up to front desk and start to explain what happened but the lady is screaming over me.)

Lady: “Liar! She’s lying! She’s a thief!”

Desk-Person: *trying to shush her but she won’t stop* “Okay, I’m going to take you each aside separately so I can hear both sides. Let’s start with you.” *points to me*

(We walk to back room, and once inside I start explaining but don’t even get a full sentence out before the lady bursts in!)

Lady: “She’s a liar! Please! She stole my spot! How can a person do something like that?! She’s a thief!”

(I have to explain the whole story while this woman shrieks, “no!” over me, which is very frustrating.)

Desk-Person: *turns to lady* “Okay. So this could have been anyone. It doesn’t matter what you think she did. You can’t scream at other members like this.”

Lady: “So you think it’s okay?! Would you steal someone’s spot? I came in half an hour early, set up my spot, ran on the treadmill, and when I got back, she stole my spot! How could she do that?!”

Desk-Person: “You don’t own anything here. Next time—”

Lady: “But I’m a member!”

Desk-Person: “So is she. Next time don’t set up your spot and leave it unattended. You have no way of knowing what happened. Someone could have put your stuff away before class—”

Lady: “No!”

Desk-Person: *very frustrated now and raises her voice* “You are in the wrong here! Actually, I can suspend your membership for this!”

(The lady is suddenly in tears.)

Me: “Uh, I have to go to work.”

(The front-desk-person apologized to me and I left. A few weeks later I saw that lady in the same class. Never spoke to me again.)