TOMMY AND THE JETS

Seven months ago I took a spin class for the first time. I have to say that I was surprised when I was ushered into the cycle room by a 67 year old man. Surely this couldn't be the teacher? It wasn't the last time I was surprised that night.

It turned out that not only was he the teacher, but he was a machine. While  I was contemplating either crying or puking, Tom, the man in question, cranked up the resistance and peddled away like he was walking on air; all the while cracking jokes, singing along to the music, and generally making my efforts look very sad indeed. (He wasn't shy about pointing it out either!)

I left that class vowing to myself that I'd never go back, but for whatever reason I found myself returning and seven months later he's not just some old guy who sits up at the front showing me up. I didn't anticipate spending several hours a week around a 67 year old man, but I'd even say we're rather good friends at this point. I find him quite amazing actually.

He volunteers to teach nine classes a week; volunteers, no payment. He's fit as a horse and strong as an ox. A civil war expert. An alcoholic who's thirty years sober. A military man with the scars of gun shot wounds to prove it. And he's about to embark on a solo motorbike trip, riding the complete perimeter of America.

I kind of feel like I owe him something since he's a huge part of how I managed to get in shape after eating anything and everything while I was pregnant. Plus, he's part of the reason that I'm teaching a class of my own now. So, with just a week to go before he speeds out of Las Vegas on his bright yellow bike, I organized a surprise farewell for him.

I passed out invitations while he wasn't looking and spread the word. Everyone seemed excited about the idea so I was expecting, and hoping for, a good turnout. I had vision of a huge crowd of us at the park, flanked by balloons and a banner. We'd all be there waiting, with big smiles on our faces, ready to shout 'surprise' in unison at the moment Tom appeared.

Why do things never work out the way you imagined them? In reality, Tom arrived early. He strolled up and caught me tying balloons to a lamp post and asked me what I was doing there? One other person arrived on time so between the two of us we gave Tom a feeble 'surprise.' It was something of an anti-climax. I told him that more people were on the way, and willed the statement to be true.

I breathed a sigh of relief as people trickled in, and in the end we had a decent crowd. It was a fun way of recognizing how many people he's affected with all of the hours he puts in. He's definitely made his mark. I'm not sure who they have lined up to take over his classes in the months that he's gone, but they certainly have big shoes to fill.