Chapter 2

The sign on the wall was old and had long ago faded to a point that it was hard to make out. Most people who actually noticed the building while passing by thought it was the last of the dying dive bars. The Axel Rod. An odd name for a gym, but that was supposed to be part of the charm. A retro looking boxing gym. A throwback to a past time when testosterone was king.

Kyle had only recently moved to Wolferton. He had quit his dead end cashier job at the mall, and packed up his childhood bedroom, after his old high school friend Dave asked him to get a place together. Kyle’s parents had begged him not to go, but he was an adult and needed to take the chance. However Kyle should have listened. Fate hit him with major traffic on his way there. By the time Kyle arrived, Dave had been convinced by the long legged sex kitten at the office to take the smaller unit. Kyle was left out in the cold. Now he didn’t have a job or even an apartment. Kyle had been making do with some couch surfing, or paying for an Airbnb. He had never felt so free and so alone at the same time. But the stress of neither a job nor a regular place to stay was starting to get to him. Every day his would pound the pavement and at night he would check his dwindling bank account before falling asleep.

NOW HIRING – APPLY WITHIN

The sign on the front door was a quickly done sign made by hand which he only noticed due to the bright neon pink cardboard. Kyle had never worked in a bar before so he didn’t think he would get a job, but he was so desperate. What the hell, ya never know.

The smell caught him off guard. The powerful aroma of men was so strong Kyle swore he could taste it. Like licking your arm pit. The moment he opened the door he was knocked back from the assault on his senses. The grunting and clang of weights filled his ears while he was shocked to see so many half naked sweaty men working out.

The ripped guy at the main desk pointed me in the direction of an upstairs office to speak with Roger, the manager. As I walked thru the gym I could feel a sense of excitement and pride which filled the room. The guys were working as a large team to push each other to be bigger, and stronger. To be the best they could be. One more rep. Another 5 lbs. Faster, harder, more.

I felt like a lazy slob next to them. Standing only 5’10, I was 185 lbs. Nothing to be ashamed of, but while my belly was flat and tight, every guy I saw had at least a well-defined 6 pack if not more. Their hard bodies dripping with sweat. I wanted to be a part of it all.

Pushing past them, I climbed to stairs to Roger’s office. The door swung open just as I reached it. There was the man in charge. I openly admit I suck at telling people’s age, so when I say he was early to mid-forties, I really wasn’t sure. Roger was fine to anyone’s eyes. A gym rat by nature, he stood over 6 foot and could barely fit thru the door way. He had to turn slightly sidewise to make it. His arms and chest was like a large barrel with legs. This man clearly never missed leg day, as his tight sweat pant cutoffs showed off his well-defined tree trunk legs. A solid dusting of fur covered each leg as well as his swollen arms. Not too much to be a turn off, but enough to show the man’s vitality.

“Hrm, you’re the boy looking for job? Step in and we’ll discuss it.”

At 27 years old, I hadn’t been called a boy since I left high school as king of prom and the MVP of our lacrosse team. However hearing him speak, filled me with a warmth unknown to me before. So I simply followed him back into his office. It was a bright open office that over saw the whole of the gym. While the gym had a retro vibe, Roger’s office was very modern. Large screen tv’s showed a multitude of recordings thru out the facility. Both inside and out. The warm brown desk and heavy leather chairs added that depth and warm of home.

“So son what’s your name?”

“Kyle sir. The sign on your door said you were hiring. May I ask about which positions you have open? I’m not sure if I could be a trainer or anything like that. The guys here seem much more knowledgeable than me. This maybe a mistake.”

He laughed loudly, with a deep bellow.

“Kid, that’s what I have Bruce for. You met him at the front desk. No what I need is someone to help clean up after the men. Wipe down the equipment, run the laundry. We offer free towels to every member as well as gear washing for a small fee. Also I would need you to run the front desk.”