Things are Changing at the Gym

I guess it's true that the only constant thing in life is change. After about a month of not going to my beloved gym at Eko Hotel, I decided to go today. I'd been wanting to go for a while, but something or the other kept popping up.

When I say that I love this gym, I guess that's a pretty accurate statement. It's the first gym that I've belonged to here in Lagos. It might not be the prettiest or tushest gym around (infact, it's always been very, very far from that), but it has what you need and it's small and cosy. You also get to know the people who work there as well as your fellow gymmers.

However, I guess some things are changing - luckily, not the ambience. It's still as warm an environment as ever. But when I stepped in, I noticed that the old threadbare carpet had been stripped away to reveal a newly-tiled, sparkling clean floor.

- Wow! This place looks really different! You guys are really doing it up! It looks niiiiice.

- Yes, oh! And this is nothing. By the time we have finished, you won't even recognise this place. It's going to look sooopa.

- And then your prices will go up.

- Never!

The new professional finish of the reception did not prepare me for the upgrade of the ladies' changing room. The former changing room was highly utilitarian with nothing provided that you could do without. This was pretty much everything except for the lockers to store your stuff while you worked out (and I think we were all grateful that they even provided that).

While the changing room used to be dark and very bathroomy-looking (okay, it actually was just a large bathroom with parts sectioned off for changing), now it looked freshly-painted, sunny and very clean. There are now so many corners sectioned off with bright yellow curtains, that after I stepped in, I was disorientated for a few seconds.

Where am I?

A lady stood nearby putting away her things in one of the lockers, which had also been moved.

- Wow! This place looks so different. I almost don't know where I am. They really did a lot of work on it.

She sniffed.

Not really! They just moved the lockers, that's all.

Well, alrighty then! But Ms. Ore happens to think they've done a lot, especially for a gym that didn't appear willing to spend any money to make itself look nice (okay, I'm talking about the gym like it's a person). Hmmmm, I wonder if they are under new management?

Anyway, I look forward to the day they start to replace the older-than-life machines and we patrons will be able to stop saying "Yes, I go to the gym at Eko Hotel. No, not the nice one. The crappy one at the back."