Chapter 20: Open Marriage Tenets

Penny brought Karolann, her newly turned ten-year-old daughter, over on Saturday. Karolann invited her BFF named Mickey – after the Disney mouse that she adored and about which she collected toys and stuffed replicas. Even her bathing suit pictured the mouse. Karolann was an outgoing child. She was polite and not afraid to ask for things that she needed – water, towel, sunscreen, and such.

As the two children played in the pool, Ellie, Erin, and I sat near the pool and talked with Penny about a wide range of subjects. Penny told us that her ex’s mother lived nearby and handled the childcare for Karolann, complete with overnights and long periods where Penny had other things going on. Penny paid her but the whole deal was a bargain. This had enabled Penny to be with us so much of the time. Her ex had moved out of state.

We learned a lot more about Penny’s legal work and talked about some things I should be doing with my gym and fitness center acquisitions. She was sharp and yet gentle in nudging me to her point of view. I gave her a dollar and told her that she was now on retainer for my company. She laughed, tucked it in her bikini bra, and kept it. Great, I had a lawyer.

I gave out memberships in my fitness centers to everyone in our group. I wanted everyone to be fit, and in a few cases to lose the emerging paunches. I strolled over to their home and gave Craig and Linda one, too. One feature at my gyms was a nutritionist that created personalized meal plans that blended with what the trainers were arranging. For those that I thought needed it, they just happened to find that they had an appointment with her. Everything was tailored to the individual. Most of the group was okay in my book, but there were a few outliers that needed attention.

The most dedicated user of the free membership turned out to be Darren. He told me what the trainer and nutritionist had worked out for him: forty-five minutes in the morning and again in late afternoon with prescribed exercises, weights, and machine workouts; and an 1,800-calorie diet based on his favorite foods. There were also multi-vitamins and some supplements recommended. He needed to lose forty-five pounds, improve his stamina and conditioning, and learn a healthy lifestyle.

Craig also got the treatment at the gym. He needed to shed thirty pounds and get some muscle tone. His desk job was killing him and he knew it. I cajoled him into workouts three or four times a week and got him a personal trainer that he had appointments with for those sessions. He kept at it, too.

Our regular group did burgers and side dishes at Saturday’s barbecue. Darren ate half a burger, ate about three tablespoons of slaw, and drank two diet cokes. I asked for a report, since he was four days into the routine. He said, “Already down four pounds and starving to death, but making a long-term commitment. If I stop, Megan has told me that she’d cut off sex with me and not let me come to these parties.” Megan was hot; that was good motivation.

Megan sidled up to me and whispered, “He needs what you’re doing. Thank you, so much. He’ll be a better husband and lover and friend to everyone. He’s been very self-conscious about his weight.”

I did one other thing after thinking hearing Megan’s comment. I got a psychologist on staff – someone that understood the dynamics of being heavy, weight gain and loss, and the mind shifts that were required to sustain a new lifestyle. I made sure that Darren became his first customer at no charge. Craig got signed up, too.

The changes in Darren appeared after a month. He’d been one of the most fun-loving men I knew but he’d usually had a beer in his hand. As he lost weight he also became more ... adult, is the best word I could think of. I wondered whether he thought he was responsible for his own life and body before the program the fitness center put him on. He changed and he had a new lifestyle. Ellie mentioned that the change at work would probably get him a promotion.

Megan reported he was a better husband, more responsible and sensitive to her needs. She said, “For the first time in our marriage, he’s been talking about starting a family. He knew deep inside that he’d have to be more mature to do that. He’s found that maturity and I am so grateful to you and your friends at the gym for what they did for him. He has promised to keep at it indefinitely. He even announced that he wanted to run a marathon. My God, the challenge that will be for him, but I know he’ll do it and be in fantastic shape.” She had tears in her eyes about the man she loved. I got a grateful hug.