My New Gym Friend

So I was working out at the gym today and I go to the area that is designated for floor work and ab exercises and there is a girl that has Downs Syndrome doing crunches. I find a space near her to start doing my ab exercises and I can feel her staring at me. Not wanting to be rude, I just keep doing my exercises and consciously make sure I don't give off the impression that it bothers me. All of a sudden, she starts talking to me. She is out of the blue upset and going on about how she had her gym bag with water in it just a second ago and that someone must have stolen it. I, knowing that no one has even come by since I sat down next to her, am slightly confused but try to help her...

Me: "Are you sure you had it here? Maybe you put it in the locker room?"

Her: "No. It was right here. Somebody took my bag. It's not their bag. Why did they take it? I have to find my bag. It's got my water in it." She goes on like this for about 5 more minutes. She walks off and then comes back - bag in hand. Apparently some woman mistakenly picked it up thinking it was her friend's bag.

So anyway, that drama is out of the way.

So then she starts what turns to be a very interesting conversation. I was quite surprised at her ability to have such a lengthy conversation with me. She is a very talkative girl, and very sweet.

She tells me that her dad drops her off in the morning and comes to get her after a few hours. She tells me how she loves to do Zumba and that she does it 2 or 3 times a week. Here are some especially funny little tidbits from our conversation:

(As she's rolling around on the stability ball): "I'm not even sweating. I cross train. I do swimming tomorrow."

Me: "That's great that you do that. It sounds like fun."

Her: "I need a personal trainer. But I don't have enough money. I need to lose 3 lbs."

Me: "Well I'm sure you could lose 3 lbs on your own. You wouldn't need to hire a trainer. I know how you feel, I had my 2nd baby and I've still got a few pounds to lose too."

Her: No offense but THIS (grabs her stomach) is from chocolate."

Then she asked if I would be her personal trainer for $1.00.

So anyway, we chit-chat for about ten more minutes as I'm doing some leg exercises and she continues to roll around on her stability ball. She has an air about her that is so child-like and innocent. When I told her I had to go downstairs to finish my workout, she seemed sad and said that she just wanted someone to talk to. I told her that if she wanted, she could come downstairs with me and she said, "OK in a little bit." I said good-bye and went off to finish my workout. While I did, I was thinking how great it was that she came to the gym every day even though she didn't really do a lot while there. In a place like a gym, most people are trying to make the most of their bodies and do the best with what they were given. And that is exactly what she (I will keep her nameless) is trying to do - do the best with what she was given...in so many ways.

I do hope to run into her again at the gym and that she isn't shy to talk to me. Though I have a feeling she wouldn't be!