locker room celebrity

I see the locker room as a necessary evil. I mean, I have to change out of my workout clothes and into my zoo uniform somewhere, but I don't exactly enjoy sharing that time with bunches of other women. My goal is generally to get in and out as quickly as possible, preferably without any physical contact (the huge naked woman I ran smack into as she was pacing and screaming at her landlord on her cell phone) or small talk (elderly padded bra nipple woman.) I don't watch others while they are getting dressed and I prefer to be given the same courtesy.

Thursday I went to step aerobics. I arrived at the last minute and had to set up in the corner of the gym with no fans or air circulation. It was HOT and I was sweating profusely. My shirt was completely drenched and... Ok, too much information. Let's just say I was disgusting. I don't shower before work because why would I shower before I spend the day shoveling manure? No point. Anyway, I was feeling a bit self-conscious about not showering because I was really, really sweaty and gross.

As I was getting my stuff out of the locker I noticed a woman staring at me as she was drying her hair. Ok. As I was changing she kept looking back at me. I was starting to get annoyed because I figured she was disgusted that I wasn't showering. (Sheesh, go ahead and say something, but STOP WATCHING ME GET DRESSED!) Then the second I put on my uniform shirt she squealed (seriously, she squealed) "Oooh, you DO work at the zoo!!!" She then went on and on and on about how she saw my sea lion program a few weeks ago and how funny it was (because I was their substitute trainer and they weren't doing much for me and I kept laughing) and how she saw me at the gym last week but wasn't quite sure it was me because I wasn't wearing my uniform. She just couldn't stop talking about how much she was rooting for me and how much she and her kids enjoyed the show. Then we talked a while about the other zoo animals and about the zoo expansion. It was like she thought I was a celebrity. I worked with the sea lions ONE TIME in 2008 and got recognized. LOL.

Meanwhile, I was thinking about the fact that my boss often attends a class at the same time as my step class and how if she had gone that morning she was likely getting dressed on the other side of the lockers, listening to the whole conversation. Wow. I was pretty sure she'd have some fun with my "fame." Fortunately, she wasn't there :D

It definitely makes me happy to talk to people who are excited about the zoo. Just not while I'm changing in the locker room!