So, here I am, still in deepest, darkest Peru. And, here I am walking down the busy Avenida Pardo at 6:30 in the morning thinking about CAPITALism.
I have been running along the ocean this week. Loving it. But, today, I really wanted to do weights.
So, yesterday, I saw “ENERGYM – the first Peruvian gym” according the to the sign. The man at the door yesterday said they took “walk ons” for the day.
He said it in Spanish of course.
I go upstairs, not feeling particularly perky, but ready to work out hard and see if I can get my groove on ;-)
The nice gentleman at the door, says “We no longer take walk ons for the day”. (He said it in Spanish of course). I said, “Really”. You don’t want $30 for me being here for an hour. I explained that I leave tomorrow back to the US. He insisted, pleasantly that the rules had changed, and that I had to buy 10 visits all to be used up in a month for 60 dollars if I wanted to use the gym. Again, I asked him if he’d take 30 dollars for one day. He said he couldn’t.
Dissapointed, but committed to harmony ;-) I left without making a stink, raising my voice, or causing a scene. I was disappointed. I really didn’t feel like running again. My body is feeling old today, and heavy. But, I knew it needed some physicality so I started my walk toward the ocean.
It was a nice morning, and I would make the best of it.
I was thinking to myself… sometimes Capitalism, ain’t so perfect. It wasn’t the young man’s fault. Somewhere in the company they had made a decision which probably made sense. But, it always bothers me when in business we take the ability to make intelligent decisions away from the people who are in the best position to make them. I get that we need to have rules, but why not leave some level of flexibility and common sense always at the hands of those people that are in front of our clients? I even told the guy that I would be back this year and would come back and sign up for the 10. No dice.
So… on I went… on my merry way… Smiling as I thought about the scene my dad would have made in the same situation… and then, smiling more, at the thought that my dad had probably hadn’t entered a gym in the past 80 years.
We don’t really share this “workout” thing together ;-)
And, as I walked I noticed a hotel on my right, on a small street and on the sign, it said, Sportslife. Hmm, I thought, maybe the second time could be a charm.
The young lady, Adeli, took my information, and told me that she would love to have my business. She said she would me work out for free today, and she would only charge me for tomorrow. It was something like 15 bucks.
I asked for a towel. She said, “sure, we have one”… “$5 dollars, would you like the blue, the red or the green Sportsline Embroidery?”…
Capitalism… I thought… I LOVE IT!
So, I had a great workout. I noticed Peruvian women aren’t afraid to show a little skin while they work out, and I am pretty sure skin tight gear was mandatory for women (or at least there was great adherence to that dress code). It was an unexpected motivator J
I had a great workout… Music was blasting… they had freeweights, cables, everything… My body definitely responds positively to a little grunting and pain.
After the workout, I sat in my $5 sliver of a towel in the steam room. They use Eucalyptous generously in Peru. The steam was emboldened with the scent… as a few bouquets of leaves lined the floor.
I was barely conscious smiling at my good fortune, lost in this fragrant cloud.
It is nice when things work out.
When you have someone ready to buy and someone presents the right solution, decisions are made quickly and value is transferred graciously.
I love capitalism.
On my walk home, more people had woken up. The streets at 8:30 am where busier than they were at 6:30 am.
I was smiling at the thought of harmony in motion, when a cab driver embracing his own harmony decided to move toward his want of not sitting in traffic. He drove up the sidewalk and was heading right to me. Nobody seemed bothered. I wasn’t either.
I took a step the left, as he was about to reach / hit me. He made it past the stopped buses and jumped the curb back onto the road.
The driver never made eye contact. He was sure I would move. Funny, I wasn’t so sure initially, but he convinced me somehow.
Everyone continued their quick pace toward wherever they were going.
I thought to myself, at what point does “harmony in motion” become a safety issue?
Maybe, its as soon as someone else takes offense to it, or reacts to it in disharmony.
Harmony in motion. I do love it.
Capitalism… it’s imperfect… but there is nothing better. And, when it works, it really works.
I am not sure what that taxi driver was pursuing… but I hope he found it.
While in the pursuit, occasionally stepping just to the left before disharmony hits…
Nestor Benavides