"Hi, I'm here to cancel my membership today," I said.
"Really? Is there a reason why you'd like to cancel your gym membership with us?" the guy behind the counter asked. I recognized him as the man who had opened my account, two years ago.
"Nothing really, I just don't have time to come here anymore, and uh," struggling for excuses, "my membership fees are a kind of high," I said.
He motioned for my membership card, and I gave it to him.
He used it to look my information up on the computer that was in front of him. "It's just that you've been a member for such a long time, we'd hate to see you go," he said.
"Yeah, but I haven't had time to work out lately, so I feel like I'm paying for nothing," I said, "You know?"
"Oh." he paused, looking uncomfortable. "It's just that you look very fit, even though you haven't been here in over a month." He cleared his throat. "Have you been working out at a newer gym?"
"No, no, it's nothing like that, at all," I said. "I could never find a better gym in the area, you know that. I just am so busy with work that I don't have the time--"
He cut me off, "What if we change? Your membership plan that is, we'll lower the price and give you some free sessions with a trainer, then if you're still not seeing results then you can quit. You can't just give up that easily...you signed a contract, remember? Didn't that mean anything to you?"
"No, I mean yes, I had some good times here, but I still need to cancel my membership. There isn't anything wrong with my membership, it's just that I don't have time.... it's me. Honestly. I wouldn't lie. I know that I signed a contract, but that was so long ago, I don't even remember signing it."
"There's nothing we can do to change your mind?" he asked. "YOu're sure about this? Because once you quit, then it's over."
"Yes, I've been thinking about it for a while, and I'm sure." I said. "I'm sorry."
He pushed some papers in front of me and dropped a pen on the counter. "That's fine. Just read these, sign."
I grabbed the pen, lending my sloppy signature to the formal break up papers.
"I hope you won't forget us over here, " he said.
"Oh never," I promised.
"I'll call you."
I heard as I walked away.
"Maybe you'll change your mind," he yelled, "When you start to get flabby."
"Really? Is there a reason why you'd like to cancel your gym membership with us?" the guy behind the counter asked. I recognized him as the man who had opened my account, two years ago.
"Nothing really, I just don't have time to come here anymore, and uh," struggling for excuses, "my membership fees are a kind of high," I said.
He motioned for my membership card, and I gave it to him.
He used it to look my information up on the computer that was in front of him. "It's just that you've been a member for such a long time, we'd hate to see you go," he said.
"Yeah, but I haven't had time to work out lately, so I feel like I'm paying for nothing," I said, "You know?"
"Oh." he paused, looking uncomfortable. "It's just that you look very fit, even though you haven't been here in over a month." He cleared his throat. "Have you been working out at a newer gym?"
"No, no, it's nothing like that, at all," I said. "I could never find a better gym in the area, you know that. I just am so busy with work that I don't have the time--"
He cut me off, "What if we change? Your membership plan that is, we'll lower the price and give you some free sessions with a trainer, then if you're still not seeing results then you can quit. You can't just give up that easily...you signed a contract, remember? Didn't that mean anything to you?"
"No, I mean yes, I had some good times here, but I still need to cancel my membership. There isn't anything wrong with my membership, it's just that I don't have time.... it's me. Honestly. I wouldn't lie. I know that I signed a contract, but that was so long ago, I don't even remember signing it."
"There's nothing we can do to change your mind?" he asked. "YOu're sure about this? Because once you quit, then it's over."
"Yes, I've been thinking about it for a while, and I'm sure." I said. "I'm sorry."
He pushed some papers in front of me and dropped a pen on the counter. "That's fine. Just read these, sign."
I grabbed the pen, lending my sloppy signature to the formal break up papers.
"I hope you won't forget us over here, " he said.
"Oh never," I promised.
"I'll call you."
I heard as I walked away.
"Maybe you'll change your mind," he yelled, "When you start to get flabby."