posted July 18, 2000 03:15 AM            

Ok, we got to their house at like 10 till 4. It kind of felt like a first date, you know the nervousness? Butterflies. The big van they use was in the drive so we knew they were there. Went up and rang the door bell. This lady answered, I guess she was one of those house moms. (She was fine for a mommy too! WOW, lucky kids) She didn't know who we were, all I had to say was we were from the gym and....her face changed. She's like, 'come in, they're out back we should talk.' I didn't know if I should get pissed all over again, or scared. She was somber, kind of. She took us into to this office like room and closed the door. I guess they were crying when they got into the van in the gym parking lot, and didn't eat that night, cried themselves to sleep. Brian, one of the SF's kept saying stuff like 'I'm not stupid.' over and over again for like a week. They threw all their supps. away, weider, EAS etc... Shit they would work for weeks and save up for. I guess they don't get paid much at that warehouse. Amy, the house mom pulled them out of the trash and put the stuff into storage over at the church, just incase. I mean they tore down the photo's they put on their walls, everything, they were done! The conversation lasted about 5-10 minutes, her talking the whole time. We sat there, dumbfounded. I mean, they were OK when they left the gym, they were quiet, but not crying or all messed up! Man, just that conversation alone made me very ANGRY. I wanted blood so bad, I was shaking. 'T' was shaking. We heard them come in, and she was like, 'hide the anger guys, they need acceptance and support.' Well, we went out and when they saw us, the room got dead silent. I mean eery silence. T was like 'hey we miss you guys!' Where ya' been. One of the kids (I don't know which one.) was like 'busy.' We all tried small talk, you know, how's work. All we got back was one word answers. What's wierd about the whole thing, I just caught myself referring to them as kids, they are like mid 20's 30's. But seem like little children. Personally, I felt like it was when we first said 'hi' to them over a year ago. you know, didn't look up, one word answers. Finally, after jim was getting frustrated at not getting anywhere with them after like 15 minutes of small talk, I asked them when they were coming back. one of the sf's, Tyrel was like, 'never' Just like that, no exp. nothing. And boy, did he mean it. man, that took all the air out of me, I was done, I didn't know what to do! or say! Finally, Amy jumped in and asked if we should all go out side. We did, and all sat on the patio out back. We told them about the gym in the past month, they loved talking to people in there, gossip, and telling everyone about their job in the warehouse over and over again. All we got back was one worders. I felt like the enemy, totally. Man, it was getting me down. All in all we were there for like 40 minutes, and didn't get anywhere. when we left, they didn't even say good bye. Amy walked around the house with us, and thanked us for coming by, and T asked why his phone call wasn't returned, she told him that they all listened to it and then asked if they could erase it. she told us to stop by again, that we needed to work on them. that was how it was left.

In the car we all made a pact, (we have all known each other since HS, and are close.) if we find these guys, we ALL get a shot, no lone wolves on this one. Some of the shit she told us in that room, made me want to fucking scream! These people were devastated to the point where, anyone assoc. with lifting was bad. Even us! She figured out that we were the ones that chased them out, I guess the house dad with them that day told her. she thanked us for that.

I SAVED THIS ONE FOR LAST...............THIS WILL PISS YOU THE FUCK OFF, IT DID ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She tried to console us in the room before the kids came in,....she said, (word for word) "don't worry too much guys, this kind of stuff happens all the time."

Well, 'this kind of stuff' will NEVER and I mean NEVER happen around me again. Fucking PERIOD. These assholes will be found and will regrett saying those things. They will.

We are going to swing by in 2 weeks again. I guess it's our mission now.

I sit here thinking about this (this post took a long time to write) and I am sad, not emotional sad, just kind of you know, depresssed, and angry. the making fun of them was going on for a minute or so before we saw it, we weren't the only one's in the gym. (it's one of those chain, go for the wallet gyms.) everyone just looked, and watched. Not to get on a soap box here, but where are people's hearts. Are people so beaten down into believing that they can't make a difference? Or does it take big muscles and a tank top to give someone authority? What the fuck.

oh, and some of you guys said something about talking to the manager/owner. Well, we did talk to the GM,(today) and he actually had the gall to tell us the foul language wasn't appreciated, and that those kids have not been back since. now, this was like 4 weeks after the fact, and he still brought the language up. Like he was putting us to blame. There was almost a murder at the gym this morning. he said he didn't see it, so he couldn't do anything about it. what a dick. I think we need to find another gym in NE indiana.

this whole thing has been such a mess.

posted July 18, 2000 11:08 AM            

FYI...
Just a little story for yall.
There was a shooting at a gym here. Some guy didnt rack his wights so the gym mgr walked by and asked him to do so. He did, but I guess this really pissed him off. When he left the went to to his car, grabbed a pistol and started firing into the gym. What a fukup!

[This message has been edited by Gilbyag (edited July 18, 2000).]

oh yea... no one was hurt.

posted July 18, 2000 11:49 AM            

Hey bros, I just have to type this out, tell someone, or I am going to kill someone.

OK, here's the deal,

at the gym we have a group (5) of mentally handicapped kids that come in to train every day at the same time. They live in one of the group homes. When they frist came in a year ago, they hung their heads and didn't look at us or talk to us. Kind of like they 'knew' we wouldn't accept them. Well, some buddies and me we have been helping them, and they have been making gains. they bust their asses, man, it is such great sight to see them struggling with 140lbs on bench and to see the accomplishment in their eyes when they finish. It kind of makes you feel bad for getting pissed of when you have a bad lift, or day. They are so happy to be there. One of the house dads told my buddy that they look forward to lifting once they get back from their packing jobs at a warehouse. Now, mind you I'm not huge or anything my stats are; 5'9' 200 or so w/12% bf or so. I mean, these guys (one girl) Love lifting, it shows. OK, 3 weeks ago a couple of my buddies were in the gym squating when these kids came in, I don't know wht age they were, but I would guess they were atleast out of High school. They had the tattoo's and the earrings, all the bullshit. we are on the complete other side of the gym, and we hear them getting loud on the other side. Our special folks are working out over there too. after my set, my bud 'T' tells me he thinks they are making fun of the mentally retarded kids. we stop, and watch, this is what we heard and saw. (short version) The jerks were mimicking they way the special folks (SF) yell. (you know, they have speach impediments.) Well, one of the SF noticed and stopped working. Then the others did too. The house dad come up to the jerks and said something, that they thought was funny. this dude then shouted to the SF, something like 'hey retard, go back to your kind we don't want you here.' The girl started to cry. He then shouted 'I didn't know idiots had feelings, shut up.' or something like that, he said some other shit. one of the SF guys said something and he said something like 'shut up retard' I looked around and saw that the other people in the gym were watching too. That made me even angrier. One of the mentally handicapped guys looked at us for the longest minute of my life. (it was probebly more like 30seconds.) He is usually smiling, he just looked at me with this dead pan expression. It was like,... 'it's happening again' or something. I lost it, from across the gym I shouted for them to 'shut the fuck up'. the dude just looked at me then smirked and CONTINUED LIFTING!!! I then told him (again from across the gym) to appologize. he ignored me. I started walking over screaming for him to get the fuck out before I beat his bitch ass. I was furious, and think that if the skinny pieces of shit had let me get to them, I would have definately gone to jail. they ended up leaving (there was more of us regulars in the gym than them) kind of quickly. We got over there, and the girl (I don't know how old she was it is so hard to tell with them) came up to me and told me this, which I will never forget....'mommy told me I'm special, I think you are too.' She then gave me one of those special olympics hugs. The SF guys were silent, didn't say a word,...instead looked at the floor. I told them not to sweat it, and get a good pump going. I didn't know what else to say. they just seemed broken. Like they are going to have to accept that they will always be stupid or something. We did a few lifts with them, then they asked their cahperone if they could leave. (they usually stay for an hour and a half, this was only after 45min.) Man, I am not an emotional guy, I can't ever remember when I cried last. When they left, I went to the locker room and cried. I mean, how could these guys be so cruel? Talk about assholes. I felt so bad that they had to experience it, and for the first few minutes I stood there like a dumb meat head. What the fuck? I felt so bad, that we had worked to make them feel comfortable, and safe, then it is trashed in a few minutes. I was so angry.

It gets worse,........we haven't seen them since that day. my buddy Bill tried calling the house, and left a message telling them that we missed them at the gym, he didn't get a call back. That was 2 weeks ago.

Some people are so small that they need to tear someone to shreds in order to feel good. What the fuck? I just want to kill them.

that's my story

posted July 18, 2000 01:43 PM            

I was the one that suggested you stop by the house. you may of done it anyway without my suggestion, but you have gone above and beyond your requirement. I don't want this to sound mushy, but this story and guys like you give me hope for this crappy ass world.

Even though you were not accepted at the house by the SP, you need to understand that most sp take things to heart and have a pack mentality(not rage), but aggressive. I am not sure about this, but did the girl recognize you? You may have to come by the house a couple of times for them to get used to you again. hey if you got some take a few dumbs with you next time and get out in the back yard and do some curls with them. They are just like us in many ways. after a set have them flex the bicep and give them that visual and verbale support.

I think you will get out of it just as much as they will

you are doing a great think

posted July 18, 2000 01:55 PM            

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"The race is long... and in the end, it's only with yourself."

posted July 18, 2000 02:18 PM            

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TRAIN AND GROW

posted July 18, 2000 04:27 PM            

1. Smashed 2000 infinity (18 wheeler ran into it) gonna cost me $500 deductable

2. Owner of the company (who is a hard nosed fuck) thinks he told me to do something a week ago - he never told me (hes old and this happens once in a while) so I am being blamed for not doing what he didnt tell me.

3. Medical Insurance is stickin it to me good - after paying around 1000 in med fees and back charges to get my Insurance current, I know find out they only pay 80 fucking % of the fees/scripts AFTER a $400 deductable? WTF a 400 $ deductable??!! I got blood work to get accutane - now it seems I am paying my insurance co. alot more money for a lot less coverage. Accutane=$300 a month.

4. my weight is down

That story hit home though, I needed somethign like that to give my pin-cushion-ass a wake up call.