128 ~ People Change

By Kay Heitsch

I would try to go to Planet Fitness at a time when I would see people who came in early and those who came after work. I rarely went on the weekends, but did go often during the week.

It was interesting, but I met a shirt-tail relative of Beas' at Planet Fitness. Bea did not like this guy because Joe had been in a motorcycle gang in Texas and was nothing but trouble, according to Bea.

Joe must have mellowed by the time I met him, because he was a very nice guy, but Bea refused to meet him.

Joe would walk next to me on the treadmill, so I learned a lot about him. Joe said he had been heavy, but he had lost a significant amount of weight because he had developed heart issues.

One day, Joe told me he was going to Texas to attend a reunion with his motorcycle gang. He was proud to have lost weight and couldn't wait for the guys to see him.

On several days a week, Joe would stop at Sam's Club and buy rotisserie chickens for his dog. I never asked what kind of dog he had, but he loved this dog.

Joe had a girlfriend who enjoyed cooking. I would bring in recipes for him to share with her.

One day, before I left for PF, I had the local news on. I looked up and I saw the obituaries going by. I noticed a guy's name was the same as Joe's. I thought to myself that I would ask Joe if this guy was related to him.

When I walked into PF, the manager asked to talk to me. She brought me back to her office and told me Joe had died! He had taken his girlfriend to the airport and had a heart attack in his truck on the side of the road. I felt very sad.

Joe's girlfriend had a memorial for Joe at a Country Club that I attended. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of people from Planet Fitness who were there. These Planet Fitness people were like family, and they showed it by attending Joe's memorial.

I met one of Joe's gang members at the memorial who had come from Texas to pay his respects. He mentioned how surprised the guys were to see Joe nice and slim.

Bea might have liked Joe if she had given him a chance. People change! I was happy I had met him.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2