You can learn a lot about what a guy’s made of by watching him at the gym. I get all kinds here: the ones who want to build up their physique to impress a hot chick, the ones who think adding some muscle will let them throw their weight around, the ones who figure working out will add a few years to their lives.
A gym can be a bit like church: people come here because they need something they aren’t getting any place else. My job is to help them find it and not get too nosey about why they want it. Better my head in the sand than my tail in a sling, that’s what I say. But I have to admit, some of them make me curious.
Take Ken Hutchinson, and his friend Starsky. Night and day, those two. Hutch is the one with the membership and he shows up—well, I can’t say regular as clockwork, because he doesn’t seem to have any kind of a schedule, but he’s dedicated. A couple weeks he might be here afternoons, then for a while early in the mornings, then late at nights just before I close. He’s on some kind of shift work, but whatever it is, it’s not steady. A few times he didn’t show for a while, and I started to wonder if maybe he’d moved, or decided to pack it in. But he always turned up eventually.
I think one reason he works at keeping in shape is because what he does is dangerous. I’ve seen him under the shower a few times with bruises and cuts—the kind you get from a knock-down, drag-out, bare knuckle fight, not the kind in a ring with gloves and a referee. Probably why he spends a lot of time on the heavy bag. With his long, skinny build, he’s better made for running than fighting, but he makes up for it with discipline and technique.
His buddy Starsky drops by all the time with coffee and pastries, or a candy bar; you’d think a guy who ate that kind of crap would weight three hundred pounds and be popping Tums like they were going out of style. But no. I’ve seen him in shorts and a t-shirt, and it looks like he’s doing something right. Broad shoulders and good arms, decent core muscles, reflexes like a cat. A natural tough guy, that’s Starsky. A little less chili and a little more soybean loaf, and he’d be in great shape.
Starsky likes to rag Hutch about spending time and money at the gym, and Hutch gives Starsky grief about his eating habits, but neither of them sounds serious about it. It’s like an old married couple nagging each other about stuff that might have mattered years ago, but now it’s code for, “we’re a team”.
Maybe more than just a team, but that’s not my business either. You two know what you’re doing, that’s good enough for me.
Awesomely written POV. Thanks so much!
Wow love this outsider POV, such a great little glimpse! *_*
Great POV. Love it. Thank you.
Can’t really add to the previous comments but want you to know I think this is great.
I hope there are more in the pipeline. 😉
Great, original idea! And very well executed. I really enjoyed this, Verlain. KUDOS
I loathed the term when the admin I worked under used to say it *ALL the time*, but this is perfect “thinking outside the box”!
Lovely little glimpse at our guys!
Nicely done. “A gym is like a church. People come here because they need something they aren’t getting anywhere else.”
Perfectly thought-out and written, Verlaine. Lovely little ficlet from a minor character’s POV, giving us this wonderful insight into our guys. Nicely done!
I’m glad to see this is the first chapter in a project, so hopefully there’ll be more soon!
I love this! I am a big fan of POV from alternate characters. Great idea. I’m looking forward to more.
Not much gets by this guy. He’s got a good read on our guys.
You did a super job giving this a totally different look at the boys. Thanks!
Frankie’s got his finger on the pulse of what’s going on with his patrons. Looking forward to hearing what some other characters think. Very clever, Verlaine!
Ooh, I love outsider POV stories, and this one is great! I especially love his thoughts on why he thinks Hutch is in a dangerous line of work. Frankie might not want to get involved, but he’s got to be curious!
This is such a brilliant piece of writing! Love the idea of you using minor characters to tell about Hutch and Starsky and through their eyes! As others here have already commented, I’m looking forward to reading more of these minor characters’ POV!
I have the privilege of edit reading this and I love it! Great job.
Very unique idea telling a story from the POV of a minor character, Verlaine. I read one told from the POV of a Guest Star’s character once. I enjoyed Frankie’s observations. Gordon Jump, the actor who played Frankie is from my hometown. I liked him in every role he played. Your captured the kindness that Gordon imbued in each of the characters he played.
Ursula
Ursula
Awesome, it captures their relationship in a perfect way and it shows ho much their love and dedication is evident even to people who barely know them. I like outsider POV stories and I like that you chose a minor character for this one.
KUDOS
As always, a clever “character study” through the eyes of an interesting 3rd party.
I have always been surprised how so little exploited Frankie and the jym are in fiction.
A very promising project, I always love your personal take of minor characters.
Your writing is always so inspiring to me! The way you turn a phrase, lock in characterization–I’m always a little in awe of what you can do. This was just lovely!