BobHarris.com - How Arnold screwed a guy in my gym

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How Arnold screwed a guy in my gym

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Friday, 29 April 2005

I usually go to the gym at graveyard hours. It's quiet, and I don't have to wait around to torture myself. I can just dive right into making unpleasant faces, trying not to be crushed under large globs of iron, and wanting to cry for mercy. Much more efficient that way.

The place is usually almost empty, so I've gotten to know the night-shift guy a little. He's a private guy, so I'll call him "Donnie" here. Real guy, I promise. And you'd like him. Easygoing fellow, great laugh, Latino immigrant, English has improved amazingly in the last year, helps me with my bad Spanish sometimes. I'm always glad to see him.

Tonight, some political ad starring Arnold comes on the TV in the weight room. I don't see it, as I'm busy popping arteries clean out of their moorings. Also, I'm grunting like I'm about to pass a colony of beavers directly out of my rectum. So I didn't see the ad.

Probably one of those deals where Arnold is standing in front of Yosemite, looking noble and patriotic and explaining why feeding poor people to bears is good for our public schools.

OK, I exaggerate. But not by much.

By the time I'm standing, counting the beavers (nine this time -- almost a new record!) and rolling my vena cava back up like a garden hose, Donnie is standing there with a look of fury on his face that I've never seen before. At Arnold.

Turns out, Donnie informs me, that there have been a few changes in California law regarding Workmen's Comp and how employees get reimbursed for things like lunch hours missed and a bunch of stuff. Long story, but bottom line, Donnie found out this week from his lawyer that thanks to Arnold's "reforms," he's screwed out of a total number in the low five figures.

On a gym guy's salary, that's hefty. Roughly like somebody stealing a new car, only without any insurance. Just, poof. Gone.

You read about stuff like this in the paper, and it doesn't always register. The look on Donnie's face... oh, that went bang just now. Hard-working guy got screwed huge in the name of "reform."

Let's just say there's at least one gym Arnold should probably never set foot in.