At the gym that I regularly frequent, I was presented with a dilemma. It was a question of etiquette and considering I never went to finishing school OR carried a book on my head, I don't know the answer. It goes something like this:
I entered the change rooms, ready to get into my running shoes and trackky gear. This process usually takes me all of about 3 minutes. The girl at the desk gave me my locker key - number 6.
When I rounded the corner, I was confronted by a woman. She was completely stark bollock naked with her arms outstretched, and for some reason, her legs outstretched as well, facing the lockers.
Not only that, but she was spread-eagled in front of a particular locker.
Number 6.
My locker.
I knew she had heard me coming in, a slight tilt of her head acknowledged my presence in her vicinity.
So I hung back, not wanting to approach at this stage.
I have this pedantic thing about not talking to completely naked strangers.
So I thought "well, maybe she just took off her bathing suit. I suppose she'll dry off, get dressed and THEN I can ask her to move."
Wrong!
She stayed where she was. Swaying slightly, not using a towel and still standing like Leonardo's Vitruvian man.
"Oh crap." I thought. "Maybe she's air drying?"
She stayed for what seemed like 15 minutes but was probably more like 7.
Not moving.
Being naked.
Not using a towel.
Swaying.
"Maybe she's like that serial killer guy from Silence of the Lambs. I'm definitely not talking to her until she is at least covered up in a towel or something.
She still didn't move.
"Maybe the Blair Witch is coming and she's been told to stand facing the wall. Maybe I'm next!! Aaargh!!"
This line of thought wasn't helping me.
I had meanwhile changed into my gear, sat down on the bench. Waiting patiently, trying not to look directly at the rather frightening display in front of me.
Then, something bizarre happened. Another woman and a kid came in and started talking to Vitruvian naked scary woman. And she miraculously grew clothes within a minimal space of time.
I chose my moment.
"Excuse me, could I get into number 6 please?"
"Oh, yeah, of course!" she said, like it had been her intention all along. She FINALLY capitulated and moved herself away.
As she disappeared (thankfully fully clothed) through the door with the other woman and the kid, I noticed something else. She wasn't even using a locker. She could have gone anywhere. It's a big place.
So I conclude with my not-so-subtle-plea/order/requirement/mandatory idea:
DEAR-NAKED-AIR-DRYING-SWAYING-WEIRDO-PEOPLE-HAVE-YOU-EVER-A-HEARD-OF-A-TOWEL!?!?!?!?
I entered the change rooms, ready to get into my running shoes and trackky gear. This process usually takes me all of about 3 minutes. The girl at the desk gave me my locker key - number 6.
When I rounded the corner, I was confronted by a woman. She was completely stark bollock naked with her arms outstretched, and for some reason, her legs outstretched as well, facing the lockers.
Not only that, but she was spread-eagled in front of a particular locker.
Number 6.
My locker.
I knew she had heard me coming in, a slight tilt of her head acknowledged my presence in her vicinity.
So I hung back, not wanting to approach at this stage.
I have this pedantic thing about not talking to completely naked strangers.
So I thought "well, maybe she just took off her bathing suit. I suppose she'll dry off, get dressed and THEN I can ask her to move."
Wrong!
She stayed where she was. Swaying slightly, not using a towel and still standing like Leonardo's Vitruvian man.
"Oh crap." I thought. "Maybe she's air drying?"
She stayed for what seemed like 15 minutes but was probably more like 7.
Not moving.
Being naked.
Not using a towel.
Swaying.
"Maybe she's like that serial killer guy from Silence of the Lambs. I'm definitely not talking to her until she is at least covered up in a towel or something.
She still didn't move.
"Maybe the Blair Witch is coming and she's been told to stand facing the wall. Maybe I'm next!! Aaargh!!"
This line of thought wasn't helping me.
I had meanwhile changed into my gear, sat down on the bench. Waiting patiently, trying not to look directly at the rather frightening display in front of me.
Then, something bizarre happened. Another woman and a kid came in and started talking to Vitruvian naked scary woman. And she miraculously grew clothes within a minimal space of time.
I chose my moment.
"Excuse me, could I get into number 6 please?"
"Oh, yeah, of course!" she said, like it had been her intention all along. She FINALLY capitulated and moved herself away.
As she disappeared (thankfully fully clothed) through the door with the other woman and the kid, I noticed something else. She wasn't even using a locker. She could have gone anywhere. It's a big place.
So I conclude with my not-so-subtle-plea/order/requirement/mandatory idea:
DEAR-NAKED-AIR-DRYING-SWAYING-WEIRDO-PEOPLE-HAVE-YOU-EVER-A-HEARD-OF-A-TOWEL!?!?!?!?
