Around the Corner

The gym I was going to would not allow me to put Braille on but one of their art trainer machines, in spite of the fact that they had many.  One day I went to get on the machine to find that someone was already on it. 

“Excuse me,” I began, “Would you please be willing to move to the next machine so I can use that one with the Braille on it?”  … Silence.  After a time I tried once more with the same request.

“You can have it when I’m done,” the lady answered.

“How long will that be?” I asked.

“It’ll be when I’m done,” she said.

I walked behind her to the next machine.  After all, I could probably guess where the controls were anyway.  I positioned my dog in back of the equipment, put my water in the proper holder, put in my head set, turned on my iPod and pushed a button.  It was quite easy to get started.  Contemporary Christian music played in my ears, the song was “To God be the Glory,” done by Tommy Walker.  Almost without realizing it, when the chorus came on I began singing:  “Praise the Lord, praise the Lord”… almost immediately I felt a hard tap on my upper arm.  I turned and looked toward the tap.

“Don’t sing!” The lady on my Brailled machine said.

I continued my rhythm, but when the next chorus came up once more I began singing:  “Praise the Lord, praise the Lord” … again the punch, harder this time.  I looked in her direction.

“I said don’t sing,” she said to me.

I stopped the machine, took out my headset, looked at my Brailled machine’s occupant and said:  “Well, here’s the thing.  You see every single machine in here causes me to sing … except THAT one!”

I heard her making angry noises and muttering under her breath before she said:  “Okay!  You can have it, if 

you won’t sing.” 

“Thank you,” I said as I gathered my iPod, water and dog, and positioned myself on my machine.

“Remember, you won’t sing,” she said.

 “No, I won’t, I promise,” I said.  “I pray on this one.” 

If I don’t always do it well, I can be sure that another chance to do it better is right around the corner.