My personal trainer called me the other day to tell me she could not make our appointment that evening – she was going to send her boss as a ‘sub’. I have had two personal trainers in my life, both have been women. This was not consciously chosen; but I have grown accustomed to lady trainers.

The ‘sub’ turned out to a muscular young man with red hair and a beard.

Dear me!

There was some awkwardness at first on both sides; he doesn’t know me from Adam, and didn’t know what to do for me. He stated he had to “feel me out today”.

Dear me again!

I had mixed feelings of intimidation and distraction. The intimidation: this studly gent makes me look wimpy in comparison. The distraction; how was I supposed to work out with him and keep my eyes focused on the work out?

The situation got even more ticklish when he wanted me to do squats. If you don’t know what a ‘squat’ is, it is when you place a dumbbell on your shoulders and then squat down. You are supposed to push your backside out going up and down. He stood right behind me, both hands on my shoulders – to steady the weight on my shoulders. As I went up and down with him behind me in a ‘spoon’ position, he shouted out words of encouragement: . ‘That’s good!’ he smiled; and “Beautiful!” and –I kid you not– “Squeeze your butt when you come up’. It was hard not to blush or laugh watching we two going up and down in the mirror with him behind me smiling, hands on my shoulders.

Afterwards, I learned my usual lady trainer was actually not coming back – she is now in school and too busy to continue our workouts. Was Mr. Redhead going to be my new master trainer? No. He brings in the fellow who will be by trainer. I have seen this (even more) muscular lad around the gym while he trains others His name is Jim. I joked with my ex-personal trainer ‘I want you to make me look like Jim’.

And now he is going to work directly with me.

Dear me, dear me and dear me again!

I just hope I can get through this without having the vapors……