Fitness World
Fitness World is filled with all kinds of fitness equipment. Mirrors make up the majority of the walls, so that people can ensure that they are doing their workout correctly, or merely to admire their bodies. Atop a black exercise mat is a free weight area with several dumbell racks, exercise balls and specialized weight machines for each muscle grouping.
Stationary bikes, treadmills, elliptical trainers, stair climbers, and rowing machines are along the outer edge of the workout area, but still about ten feet from any wall. Televisions hang from the ceiling above the equipment and are meant to provide some form of distraction for those busily training. Surrounding the entire area is a circular track, where people can run if they don't feel like using a treadmill.
A large section of wall is void of mirrors. In place of the mirrors is floor to ceiling glass, enclosing an aerobics room. A large raised platform sits in the far back of this room in front of another mirrored wall, devised for an instructor to call out to the class.
There are doors which lead from both the gym, and the locker rooms to a large, heated pool.
The pool is one of those really large deals that's sectioned off in at least five different places. This is for those who like to come do laps or otherwise just have a small area to call their own. To the side of the pool are two diving boards one set down just a ways from the other, and a smaller kiddie pool with extremely shallow, heated water. On the opposite side is the lifeguard chair, atop it a perky redhead can be found elbow on a knee as she watches the people swimming below. There's a whistle around her neck and sometimes she has to stop to blow on it to keep the children from horsing around. It's early evening and most people are here to blow off some energy or let the kids blow off some energy before bed.
***
Who knows what Todd is doing here. He has the same eternal expression of puzzled amusement as he wanders into the pool area. He is not wearing a swim suit, but he does not seem as though he's about to jump in. Instead, he wanders along the side of the pool, watching the swimmers having fun, exercising, or whatever it is they do.
As Todd wanders by, a couple of teenagers snicker and say something to each other. Todd misses this entirely, of course. Instead, he stops a couple of feet from the water's edge, apparently charmed by a small child in water wings being bounced along in the water by his mother.
***
"Oi! You by the edge!" Fiona is already hopping off of her high seat (thank goodness, since she was starting to get a little dizzy). "Step away from the pool!" The whistle is given three short, shrill blows. *FFEEEFFFT* *FFEEEFFFT* *FFEEFFFT* Feet move quickly along the tile but she's careful of any water that may be puddling up. That could prove to be dangerous and she doesn't want to fall into the pool herself. "No entrance unless you're in a swimsuit." Pointing to the sign to the right of the pool, she waits for the man to move.
***
Todd doesn't react immediately to Fiona's whistling. He wasn't really /that/ close to the edge, but as Fiona comes pattering up, the teenagers seem to find this hilarious and start giggling again. Todd, meanwhile, finally seems to realize that Fiona is talking to him when she runs up, and he looks up with a slightly startled expression. "What?" He stares at her, clearly confused, then looks down at himself. He frowns a little, then says, slowly, "Well, I wasn't going to swim." A beat, then he adds, more confidently, "No, I definitely wasn't going to swim. I mean, I'm not even wearing the right clothes!" He points to a man passing by in a speedo, who frowns slightly at being pointed out but continues about his business, while the teenagers collapse into fits of laughter.
***
Fiona isn't that much older than the teens but she gives them a stern, authoritative look regardless. "You shouldn't be in here with shoes on either. It carries dirt in that way. Makes things muddy and not at all nice." Continued laughter from the teens has Fiona blowing the whistle again. "Alright boys. That's enough of that, hear? No horseplay." Waving to the lifeguard station (which is really just a small office room where they take their breaks) she waits for Mark to come out. "Mark, take the chair. I need to deal with this." Motioning for the clothed man to follow her toward the door she seems to be intent on leading him out of the pool.
***
The teenagers manage to quell their laughter to muffled snickers as Fiona calls them out. Todd, however, just looks quite disappointed. "Really? I'm fairly certain you're supposed to wear shoes," he comments, then quotes, "No shoes, no shirt, no service. Right?" Still, it's not that hard to lead him out, as he follows along after her, obediently. He glances over his shoulder as he walks, looking back to all the fun people with faint disappointment. "I can't even /watch/? I won't hurt anything…"
***
"No shirt, no shoes…" Fiona pinches the bridge of her nose. "Look, mister. I don't know what the problem is, but that only applies to restaurants and malls. The pool has their own set of rules. No footwear. No horseplay. Proper attire must be worn. Long hair must be under a swim cap." That sums them up nicely. "If you want to watch, you head up those stairs there and take the first door on the left. It's the viewing room used by parents when there here to watch the lessons without disturbing things."
***
Todd looks back to Fiona, with an apologetic smile. "Um. Sorry….sorry. Okay. I'll go away…" he says, agreeably. "I didn't mean to upset you. I'll just…you know. Go this way. Shall I?" He gives an uncertain smile, but then nods to himself and turns to go, wandering back out toward the gym. He pauses a moment, looks around the gym, then looks back to Fiona with an apologetic smile. "Where was I going, again?"
***
Fiona wrinkles her freckled nose upward. "I'm not upset. Those rules are there for the safety of others." They're not hard to follow either. It takes right up until his last question for the redhead to understand that maybe he's not right. "Up the stairs, first door on the left. I can show you?" Waiting for a response has her trying to figure out what's not right about the man. "Do you need me to call someone to help you, mister?"
***
Todd blinks a little and smiles at Fiona, still apologetic and a little embarrassed. "You seemed upset…" he comments, but reaches for a notepad in his shirt pocket, lips moving silently as he flips to a blank page. "Up the stairs…first door on the left…" he murmurs, as he writes down the instructions. The offer for help has him waving a hand. "Nope. I can definitely find it just fine. Everything's just lovely. These stairs?" he asks, gesturing to the nearest set of stairs.
***
"Just doing my job," Fiona returns with a smile. Rules are the rules, and they prevent injury. "I didn't mean to sound so angry. I guess I get used to yelling at the teenagers all the time and if you're not stern with them, they act up." She should know. She was a teenager not long ago. "Those are the stairs. Are you sure you don't want me to call someone for you? Maybe they could bring you a swimsuit and you could actually come into the pool."
***
Todd considers this for a moment, and glances back towards the pool. "It /does/ look like fun…" He considers this for a time, then glances down, absently looking over his notebook. He catches sight of the bracelet on his wrist, and then brightens. "You could call this number," he comments, holding it out for her to see. "I bet they'd know. Ice is kind of like water…frozen, but still." The bracelet reads, 'Todd Landers, Amnesia. ICE: Hope House' followed by a phone number.
***
Fiona reads the bracelet then scratches her head. "You skate on ice, and I don't think that this here means anything about skating." The number is mouthed a few times and she nods toward the wall phone. The type for employees. Lifting the receiver, she dials the number. As it rings, she looks back at him. "Nice to meet you mister Landers, I'm Fi." Pronounced Fee.
***
Todd nods a little, "Oh…okay." He follows Fiona over to the phone, and brightens a little as she introduces herself. "Nice to meet you, too, Fi! You can call me Todd, though," he suggests. He tucks the notepad into his pocket, then shoves his hands into his pockets.
On the other end of the line, a woman's voice answers, sounding slightly bored. "Hope House. Tina speaking."
***
"That wouldn't be appropriate mister Landers." The last part of the sentence comes out as the voice picks up. "Hi, Tina. This is Fiona Carmichael over at the Fitness World in the University Park area. I've got a mister Landers here? He seems a bit confused, but he'd really like to go swimming." Like she promised, and she even left out the part about his being removed from the pool.
***
Todd looks puzzled by her response. "Why? That's my name…" The woman on the phone, on the other hand, gives an audible sigh. "That's Todd all over. Look, he doesn't know how to swim, so don't let him go in the pool, okay? Tell him he's supposed to be working out. He's got a bit of a memory problem, but he's harmless. A woman named Rose oughta be there any minute to pick him up and get him out of your hair. Sorry for the trouble…"
***
The explanation causes Fiona to nod at the phone as though this woman Tina can see her. "I'll tell him then. He's no trouble, really. Just figured it was maybe best to call so he didn't wind up in the pool with his clothing on." The phone is hung up but it takes about five seconds before she turns to smile at the man again. "Tina said that you are supposed to be working out and that Rose will be here shortly. Maybe you can come for a swim next time."
***
Todd smiles back at Fiona, and actually starts to grin by the time she's done talking. "Hey, that's silly. I wouldn't go swimming with my clothing on. Do I look like some kind of nut?" He glances toward the work out room, then back in the direction of the pool. "They're having more fun in /there/," he comments, with a jab of a finger toward the pool. "But okay. Thanks!"
***
Fiona has to agree. The pool is way more fun than the workout area. "Don't you want Rose to be able to find you? Tell you what. You go take care of your workout, and next time you come in bring Rose with you. I'll talk to her and we can see about swimming lessons, how's that sound?"
***
Todd brightens a little, and pulls out his notepad again. "That sounds great." He glances around and leans in to Fiona, voice lowered, "Don't be offended, but I probably won't remember. So I'm just going to write it here in this notebook, okay?" Then he goes to do just that, scribbling the instructions into the notebook, cheerfully. He reaches the end of the line, and then looks up, apologetically. "I'm /really/ sorry…um…what's your name?"
***
"No offense taken," Fiona says gently. "It's Fi." Again, pronounced Fee. "Just write that down, and swimming lessons under it. You show that to Rose and then tell her to call me here if she wants a chat." People should be able to swim, she's a very strong believer of that. "I don't want you getting in any trouble mister Landers. We should get you to the workout area soon."
***
Todd continues writing, and nods a little. "I'll do that," he says, making another little note. "Don't worry. I've got it all written down here," he says, with a pleased little smile. "Okay, I'm going to go work out now. Thank you, Fi. I'll see you later!" He gives a little wave and tucks the notepad into his pocket, before heading off toward the treadmills.
