She didn't win any favor with me by walking in the door and almost immediately strolling over to the radio controls and cranking up the volume (on some god-awful country channel) without even asking me if I would mind. There was nothing forcing her to do so, but common courtesy and a (perhaps imaginary) sense of weight-room etiquette would seem to dictate at least asking. It annoyed me, but I'm used to that kind of thing by now. What really bothered me was the fact that she dragged her two little girls along, who couldn't have been more than say eight years old.

I understand that you couldn't or wouldn't find someone to watch your children for fifteen minutes, but a weight room is no place for kids. It's just not.

Had they sat there quietly coloring in the corner or whatever it wouldn't have been so bad, but kids being kids they decided to play on the equipment. And of course she wasn't willing to stand up to them and tell them no, she just placated them by saying, "Mommy will be done soon". I watched as one little girl climbed on the elliptical trainer. "Mommy, can I exercise with you?" she said. Instead of doing the reasonable thing and telling her, "You should sit in the corner and play with your toys--these machine are built for grownups and aren't safe for you to be on, and you definitely shouldn't play on or around them," the "mom" instead answered with a spineless, "No... there are other people here."

Apparently their safety isn't important, but her appearance to others clearly is.

Naturally, the little girls being little girls (and don't get me wrong, they were adorable, and had little matching flower dresses on to boot) got bored and so both of them decided to climb on the elliptical machine, one on each pedal. Mom said nothing. Of course. I fully expected equipment to be broken (another rent hike, thanks) or worse, someone to get hurt.

Perhaps I didn't make myself clear earlier: The weight room is no place for children.

Seems obvious, but I guess not to all of us. I probably should have said something, but I was finishing up and walking out the door. I certainly didn't want the girls to get hurt, but I have a hard time being "that guy" who tells someone else how to handle their kids. Also, if you are going to come in and just walk on the treadmill (shoeless I might add, figure that one out), why not just take your kids for a nice walk outside. Its gorgeous and they can run in the grass and play instead of being cooped up watching you cling to your youth.

Oh, and as a side note, you know those pink sweats you were wearing? Yea, you can't wear those--you're a mom. Mom's are not allowed to wear sweatpants that say "Juicy" or "Tasty" on the ass. They just aren't. Unless you're jailbat, you are simply not permitted to wear cutesy/slutty attire that proclaims your bootylisciousness or facetious status as a "porn star". I know you probably think they looked "hip" or "jammin'" with your die-job and fake tan, but I don't make the rules. Sorry.

Am I wrong? Maybe I'm getting grouchy in my old age. Perhaps I'm channeling my inner Dvorak.