I go to the gym on occasion. Not too long ago, the gym was temporarily closing early. I would have felt rushed if I attempted to go the gym after work during this temporary change of schedule. Therefore, I went to the gym during lunch or actually more like I would have an extended lunch and stay at work later. After one light lunch workout session, I was headed out the door when a tall guy and his friend on their way into the gym stop me. Looking at me from the corner of his eyes the tall guy says, “Hey bruh. You want to make a quick $5?” I don’t know what this is and I don’t want to know. “Naw, I’m good.”

“Just sign us in and we’ll give you $5.”

“I don’t even know how any of that works man.”

“You go here right? We just go up to the desk and fill out the information.”

Sigh.

When we reached the counter, without saying a word, the attendant reached for a clipboard. It seems like she recognized these two and they had clearly done this before. That was a good sign at least. As I was filling out my portion of the sign-in sheet, the tall guy extends a folded $5 bill my way. I wave it off.

“You sure?”

I give him a head nod.

They sign the sheet next and each pays the attendant his $5. The three of us walk in through the turn-style. The tall one turns to me again, “You sure? $5 can go a long way.”

“Naw, you good.”

“Man, look. Here.” He grabs my jacket pocket and shoves the $5 in. They head up the stairs to the basketball court and they both exclaim thanks, “Preciate it.”

“Yeah. Just don’t do nothing crazy.”

I guess that was painless enough and I haven’t been flagged yet.

Photo: Arti Sandhu/flickr