Newton's laws still hold true

I went to my gym. It was still where I left it..

I was feeling good. In fact, quite excited.

I had to have the electronic key to operate the machines re-set by the girl in charge (apparently I hadn't been for a while and it locks itself after 6 months...)

The girl asked me if I needed any explanation of how the machines worked.

I said no.

She asked my if I was training for any particular reason. I told her about the marathon and received the usual look up and down accompanied by the slight widening of the eyes.

I decided to have a quiet jog on the treadmill and watch the first half of the football on the in-built TV screen.

All was going well. Very well. I had broken into a light sweat, but no adverse feelings at all.

I then started to get slight pins and needles in my foot. New trainers, I thought, probably a bit too tight.

I decided to step off the treadmill and loosen the lace.

I didn't switch the treadmill off.

I believed I could turn and step off in one smooth movement.

I couldn't.

As if in slow motion, the impetus took my feet from under me and I ended up on the floor behind the treadmill on my backside.

I thought I had gotten away with it.

I thought no one had noticed.

I sprang back to my feet instantly with only damage done to my dignity.

But the girl in charge of the gym for the evening clearly had a health-and-safety-insurance-claim panic and ran across the gym floor saying "My goodness, Mr Mattey are you okay ?" far too loudly for my liking.

I adopted a teenager stance and mumbled I was fine without making any eye contact and wishing her away as fast as possible while she fussed about showing me how the machine worked.

Especially the big red 'STOP' button. She focussed on that one a lot.

I left shortly aftwerwards.