As an occasional silent reader on this forum I always thought "Wow, that sounds embarassing, good thing I'm lucky and didn't have to happen to me yet."
As it recently turned out: yet seemed to be the operable word.
Sorry if the beginning is boring. I just wanted to add some context for more clarity.
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When I moved from my hometown to my college town I signed up in a local gym. Not because I actually wanted to, but because my parents convinced me that a little workout is a good counterpart to all the long days of sitting around and studying. I have to admit they were right about that. A huge downside in my opinion about the gym were the open shower stalls. As a rather shy person I was deterred by the thought of showering naked in a public space where others can see me. But after my mother suggested using a bikini to cover up while showering I got past that issue.
Usually I could make my days fit in a good schedule to arrange classes, study time, gym and other freetime.
But in the past few weeks my days were pretty stressfull. Between the last lectures after christmas and meeting friends to learn for the upcoming exams there was little time left during the day to go to the gym.
Being a nightowl this didn't really bother me too much. The only downside was I always had to look at the clock because the gym closes at midnight. Otherwise I was rather happy about it as I realized that the gym is far less crowded in the late evening than during the day. With mostly guys in the lifting area, the cardio section was almost empty at that time and occasionally I was the last woman in the entire gym doing my workout.
Even then... the first few times that was the case and I went to the locker room after my workout - I still showered in my bikini because "what if...". However after some days I slowly dared to do it naked if I was sure that I was the last woman and therefore had my privacy in the locker.
Last week, the day before our last exam of the winter semester, I spent the entire afternoon revising the topics with study friends. Yet there was still some information, some details that I just could not memorize so I decided to write myself little flash cards and just repeat them while doing my workout. I got to the gym in the late evening, went on the treadmill with low speed so I was able to focus on my cards and then accidentally lost track of the time in the process.
After 2 full repetitions of my cards and some more inner monologue about possible exam questions I quickly looked up on the clock by pure luck. It was 23:48. I scrambled my belongings and ran to the locker room. On the way I scanned the gym. A handful of guys were finishing their sets or were already leaving and I was - once again - the last woman. With that certainty I let the door of the womens room fall shut behind me, went to my locker, undressed, grabbed my towel and shampoo and went to the shower stalls.
Hastily I soaped myself up, shampooed my hair and then rinsed it out again. Careful enough to make sure to wash all the shampoo out, yet quick enough to not waste any time. Then I turned off the water, reached for my towel and dried off my body. After that I tied up my hair in a little towel turban and to save some seconds I left the shower stalls to go to my locker seat while doing so.
It was just then as suddenly the main door swung open and one of the gym employees came inside. With both hands securing the towel on my hair and unexpecting of that interruption I had little chance to cover up as I stood frozen from shock, face to face with the equally surprised guy I knew from the front desk. After a brief moment of shock he turned around and left as quickly as he came in. As I turned towards my locker my face felt like it was burning from shame. I quickly put on some underwear and then began sorting my stuff, putting the wet shower items in a plastic bag and then put on the rest of my clothes.
A few minutes later I was fully dressed and as I left the womens lockers he waited outside of the room, with a red face and apologised profusely, stating he didn't know I was in there and he just wanted to make sure that he didn't lock anyone inside the gym for the night.
My unlucky encounter
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Re: My unlucky encounter
That's pretty blush-worthy. How was it to be the "main character" in one of these stories, after having spent some time as a silent reader?
I'm also a night owl who has sometimes enjoyed using facilities late in the day when few other people are around. But the worst that happened to me was having to leave a school library (closing also at midnight, I think) while in the middle of something important.
I can easily imagine myself following a similar trajectory: feeling shy about using the gym shower, then eventually psyching myself into doing it bare when I felt sure that I'd be alone. It makes sense that a gym employee would do a final sweep around closing time, but the unusual circumstances leading up to this event do make it feel unlucky indeed. I'm guessing you were usually less preoccupied during workouts, hadn't brushed up against closing time before, and hadn't even considered that the front desk guy might suddenly walk in.
Do you think this will change your future gym plans - i.e. will you go back to swimsuit gym showers?
I'm also a night owl who has sometimes enjoyed using facilities late in the day when few other people are around. But the worst that happened to me was having to leave a school library (closing also at midnight, I think) while in the middle of something important.
I can easily imagine myself following a similar trajectory: feeling shy about using the gym shower, then eventually psyching myself into doing it bare when I felt sure that I'd be alone. It makes sense that a gym employee would do a final sweep around closing time, but the unusual circumstances leading up to this event do make it feel unlucky indeed. I'm guessing you were usually less preoccupied during workouts, hadn't brushed up against closing time before, and hadn't even considered that the front desk guy might suddenly walk in.
Do you think this will change your future gym plans - i.e. will you go back to swimsuit gym showers?
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Re: My unlucky encounter
In the first moment I was absolutely mortified, then I was afraid of what he might have seen or hopefully had not seen. But I definitely would have preferred to not be the "main character" as you put it.CinnabarSunset wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:52 am That's pretty blush-worthy. How was it to be the "main character" in one of these stories, after having spent some time as a silent reader?
Yes usually I stayed clear of closing time by about 30 minutes because I didn't want to be the reason they had to stay a bit longer at their work. So I also never knew they were doing a sweep and while it infact makes sense, the thought of it didn't cross my mind once that night because I was busy getting ready and out in time.CinnabarSunset wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:52 am I'm guessing you were usually less preoccupied during workouts, hadn't brushed up against closing time before, and hadn't even considered that the front desk guy might suddenly walk in.
Depends on the circumstances. I have it in my backpack anyway incase I'm not the last one and can't be sure of my privacy while showering. And if I'm the last one I will make sure to consider the time. If I'm clear of closing time I think I continue like I currently do because at that time they have no business coming in. But if I ever get to close to closing time again, I'll make sure to put my bikini on just in case.CinnabarSunset wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:52 am Do you think this will change your future gym plans - i.e. will you go back to swimsuit gym showers?
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Re: My unlucky encounter
Would you have enjoyed the scene if you were an observer, rather than the unfortunate subject?yogaMuffin wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2025 9:12 am But I definitely would have preferred to not be the "main character" as you put it.
How were you positioned relative to him? Apparently you could look at each other face to face, but was he seeing you kind of from the front or more from the side?
It was good of the guy to give a prompt apology. At the same time, I could understand if you didn't want to face him again right away. Hopefully it's not too awkward when you see him at the gym in the future.
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Re: My unlucky encounter
I mean it's always more enjoyable to observe than to be observed. Unless that's a kink of yours which is definitely not the case for me.CinnabarSunset wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2025 1:36 pmWould you have enjoyed the scene if you were an observer, rather than the unfortunate subject?yogaMuffin wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2025 9:12 am But I definitely would have preferred to not be the "main character" as you put it.
How were you positioned relative to him? Apparently you could look at each other face to face, but was he seeing you kind of from the front or more from the side?
It was good of the guy to give a prompt apology. At the same time, I could understand if you didn't want to face him again right away. Hopefully it's not too awkward when you see him at the gym in the future.
The main door and the entry to the shower stalls are on the exact opposite walls of the locker room. So apart from a little step I turned myself towards my locker it was basically frontal with like 4 meters distance between us.
Yes the apology was nice. He just did his job and I was the one running late after all. But I don't really mind either that I haven't seen him since then so far.
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Re: My unlucky encounter
Seems like that's pretty much the worst case scenario, him seeing you in a nearly full on frontal.yogaMuffin wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2025 1:50 pm The main door and the entry to the shower stalls are on the exact opposite walls of the locker room. So apart from a little step I turned myself towards my locker it was basically frontal with like 4 meters distance between us.
I understand that this was humiliating and not much fun for you, but I appreciate you writing about it. You surely realize many readers of this forum enjoy stories like this!
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Re: My unlucky encounter
Yes unfortunately. I still have a slight flicker of hope though that in his surprise he didn't really see anything other than merely noticing what the situation was.CinnabarSunset wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 9:52 am Seems like that's pretty much the worst case scenario, him seeing you in a nearly full on frontal.
I understand that this was humiliating and not much fun for you, but I appreciate you writing about it. You surely realize many readers of this forum enjoy stories like this!
It would have felt unfair to me if I enjoy reading other stories and not share my own. Also writing about it sort of helped in dealing with this incident in a weird way.