Um. What?

Tuesday marks the third time I've had my treadmill "stolen" at the gym. See, I will often climb onto the 'mill and no sooner than I start trotting along I realize that my water bottle is empty...so, I disembark and hustle over the water fountain.

Three times THREE TIMES I've returned to find someone on my treadmill, with my magazine (my actual subscription that I drag along from home), my car keys and my freakin' ipod sitting right in front of them.

The first time it happened the thief was a really old dude who didn't even acknowledge me as I retrieved my stuff from the little treadmill cups. The second time it was a middle-aged woman who apologized profusely. Each of those times I simply jumped on another treadmill.

But Tuesday, there were no other treadmills. And this time my treadmill was ganked by a PERSONAL TRAINER at the gym and his client. And my jacket was hanging over the front of the dang thing (my futile attempt to say "HEY! BE RIGHT BACK!").

I stomped over. He saw me coming: "We're just doing a quick 2 minutes!"

bb: "But my stuff is there...can I get my stuff?"
Idiot: "Just a quick two minutes!"
bb: "Can I get my iPod and keys real quick?"
Idiot: "Just a quick two!"

In his defense, he claimed that he thought my jacket belonged to a fellow trainer, thus rendering the treadmill fair game.

I think I'm perfectly within the bounds of gym etiquette-- it's not like I'm "saving" a treadmill for myself while I hit up the free weights. And I'm literally only gone for 15 seconds. Also, I actually RUN on the treadmill, so I kind of need it.

Next time (oh, and there will be a next time) I'm going to slide up next to the culprit, fire up my ipod and jog in place. Pretend like nothing is amiss. Maybe I'll turn to face them. Even better.