June 19, 2011

Free gym membership



So it was a cold, dark and rainy night. I was waiting for my fish and chips amongst my very-casually dressed, hungry neighbours. Being inside the warm and dry shop, listening to the battered and starchy food sizzle in hot oil, we all were there for the same thing.
I noticed a clear plastic box to one side of the counter. I could fill out a form and win a prize - a six-month membership at a local fitness club. Being transparent, I could see that this box was empty. I've entered this raffle before at a video store and although I didn't win, I was offered a week's free pass. I took them up on the offer, enjoyed my week and decided not to sign up after that time. But this box... I could see that this one was going to be abandoned for some time. We all were imagining our greasy seafood and potatoes. Wearing any old clothes to brave the elements on a rainy night like this, we were on a mission. We were reading old magazines, watching re-runs on a mounted TV screen in the corner and mildly paying attention to a large tank of goldfish. No one was filling out any entry forms.
I can see that how putting a box in a place like this seems like a good idea. Target the people who feel guilty about their poor diet choices while they wait. Even with the logic, there was a missing factor that they didn't consider. When I entered the draw at the video store there were plenty of other entries. Maybe that is more the type of place where you could be overweight, feel self-conscious and want to enter the draw. However, tonight I was in a place where you could gain weight, safely not care about your appearance and go home.

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