Participants:
| Scene Title | Infectious Cheer |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | While working out at a low key boxing gym, Monica meets a young woman with an infectious smile (and not the dangerous kind) |
| Date | March 7, 2011 |
The gym's been around so long that no one knows who Coco was. Legend has it that he was an ex-mobster or some grizzled former POW. Either story would fit with the general atmosphere of the place. This is not a trendy location that offers yoga, pilates and spin classes. The gym is grimy, run-down, perpetually smells of sweat and full of well-worn, mostly manual equipment. It offers a wide selection of weights, a wall full of bikes, an area for martial arts training and a boxing ring towards the rear of the space.
Despite its lack of modern equipment, the space is almost always busy. It has a reputation for hiring serious trainers for both weight and boxing training. A world welterweight champion once trained here, and his picture hangs over the desk. Anyone who is serious about their training would feel comfortable here.
Oh and… though the average casual visitor wouldn't realize this, the weekends see those in the know heading down to the basement for illicit fighting events at The Center Stage.
It can still technically be considered morning, but the obscene hours have long since past. Still there's a nice crowd in the boxing gym, and among them is Monica Dawson, freedom fighter turned bodyguard turned fugitive. But maybe that's why she's not at a fancier gym.
Today seems to be a weight training day, since the woman sits on a bench with barbells, drinking a bottle of water. Sure, you're not really supposed to mess with them without a spotter, but hey, what's life without a healthy invincibility complex.
The lack of a spotter did not go unnoticed. In the middle of a lift, someone's suddenly behind her, casting a small shadow down as a hand raises up to function as spotter before the young woman speaks, "Wow, you're stronger than you look!" Adel has a cheerful and infectious kind of a smile
Dressed in a simple white top, and jeans, she looks as if she's been doing a work out herself, from the way her dark hair is pulled back and slightly damp with sweat. The sweat stains on her shirt also indicate she's not just been standing around during her visit here.
"Whoa, hey," Monica says, surprised at the addition, but not taken aback. She smiles up at Adel, chuckling just a little. "I'm deceptively tiny," she notes as she lifts that bar back up to rest it in the hooks. It looks like she's pushing herself a little, as it's a challenge to get it up there. But she does it! And she lets out a heavy breath before she looks up at Adel again. "Were you wanting to use the bench?"
"Nope! I just saw you bench pressing without a spotter and I happen to be an excellent spotter! Almost of professional quality," the young woman says, continuing to smile, almost seeming to have a bounce to her stand. "I don't really do weight lifting that much, but I needed a bag to beat up for a while and this place has bags." And less in the way of security. Adel's not quite on the run, but unregistered as she is, she tries to avoid public eye in many cases. And then leap in front of it behind a drum in others. No one notices the drummer though, right?
"Almost, huh? I guess that means I won't be charged for the help." Monica smiles crookedly there before she wipes her hand off on her pant leg and offers it out toward Adel. "Monica," she starts with a little introduction, "Be good to those bags, I need them for tomorrow."
"I'll be gentle!" Adel assures, moving around for a better position so they're facing each other before she sticks her hand out and shakes the offered palm. "Adel. It's nice to meet you. You wouldn't happen to know a place where you can practice gymnastics, do you? I'm honestly more of a balance beam or a tumbler or a runner or— a bounce off the walls kinda girl than a boxer, but this is the best place I could find— I haven't been in the city very long." Though with the way things are, who would move here, really?
Who indeed. "It's nice to meet you, too. I'm afraid I don't know a place to practice that kinda stuff, but if you don't mind a few bruises, the city's got a lot of great spots tucked away here and there. Parks and abandoned buildings and places like that. Rooftops, if you're not scared of heights." Monica tilts her head a little, though, "Sort of an odd time to decide to come to New York City. Something besides curiosity bring you up here?"
There's a nod, and not one of disappointment or concern, but one that agrees with the statement. Adel's been using rooftops, or the ruins at times, but proper equipment and padding certainly would have been better for her. Bruises never killed anyone. "Oh, I totally came here cause I wanted to join a band. And I did. I'm a drummer in a band called Mad Muse, and I also play for Robyn Quinn— she just had a CD, which I helped with. But that's why! I moved here after one of my favorite musician's died. Else Kjelstrom. You ever heard of her? She was totally awesome. Wrote really insightful stuff."
"Oh yeah, Robyn Quinn, I've seen her on TV. That's great, though! Usually, you hear these stories and they don't seem to go so well, but you're defying a whole stereotype." Monica is one of those odd individuals who can truly be happy for another's success. Even a total stranger. "Oh, yeah, I had heard her stuff, too. Very talented. I'm afraid I'm not a very good critic, though. If I like it, I like it."
"Bouncy ball of defiance, that's me," Adel says with a cheerful smile, as if she's saying something that's almost an inside joke all by itself. The fact that the woman she's with is cheerful for her also seems to be causing her's to grow. "And critics never really enjoy the musics, I don't think. As long as you enjoy it that's the point, and critics always try to pick apart stuff that just shouldn't be picked apart. Either you like it or you don't, analyzing why and telling other people why kinda defeats the purpose."
"Hey, if you're going to defy things, might as well do it with a smile on your face." It's a cheerful feedback loop, as Adel's seems to make Monica grin a little more. "I never thought of it that way," she replies with a laugh, "But it makes so much sense. I always wondered why anyone'd be so negative about something they like. You'd think, signing up to be a music critic, you'd realize you're gonna be listening to a lot of music."
"Yeah, you'd totally have to like listening to music to do the job, but I've noticed most people seem to be stuck in a perpetual black hole of stupid in their chosen professions. Like they think they can't make money and have fun at the same time— cause that's childish, or something," Adel says, shaking her head as she describes this situation that she seems to see around her. "I made a vow to myself to only ever do jobs that I love. Even if it means changing jobs every so often. Which I can do in a band, too! Cause I can play the drums, the guitar, piano and I can dance. So if one thing gets old I can switch."
"I'm with you, there. Been through a few odd job changes myself." Monica brings her knees up to her chest there, wrapping her arms around them as she looks over at Adel. "I always wanted to learn the drums. I had someone was gonna teach me, but I think he got a little preoccupied. City being what it is." She opts not to start a list of what she can do, but that may just be part of laying low.
One of her hands suddenly goes up in the air, like a kid in school. "Oh, I can teach you!" Adel even stretches up a bit, as if trying to seem taller than she is, like there's other people standing in line for this opportunity. "Any fan of Quinn's is a friend of mine, and anyone willing to learn the drums is definitely a friend of mine. Though I can't teach you here, we'll have to meet up. Where there's a drum set. Do you know where The Rock Cellar is?"
That reaction makes Monica laugh just a little, warmly, but she nods, "I'd love it! I'm a pretty quick study, even." Haha. That's her little inside joke. "It's always good to have a friend, thanks, Adel." That last question gets a nod and she confirms, "Yeah, I know the place! When are you around? I happen to have tons of free time just now."
"That's great, Monica," Adel says, putting her raised hand down in a movement that seems to imply success of some kind. "How about… This Wednesday— not too late, cause curfew is a pain in the ass, but I should be there all day practicing. It's my practice day."
"Wednesday! Yeah, I can do that. Maybe toward the afternoon? I'll drop by." Monica nods, though, at the note about curfew, "It's a hassle, but don't worry too much about me and curfew. I've found they don't check the rooftops too often."
"No, they really don't," Adel says with a in a cryptic way, her cheerful smile becoming more mischevious than anything else, before she starts to move back toward the locker room, where her things likely are, "Wednesday afternoon! I'll keep an eye out for you, Monica!" And with that, she turns and starts to half-skip off toward the locker room.
Monica notes that mischief, and it makes her smile turn crooked. But she gives Adel a wink for that before she starts to move off. "I'll see you then!" she calls back with a wave of her hand. She's not heading to the locker room herself just yet, but rather, turning her attention back to the weightlifting.