Should I Know You?

Participants:

brennan_icon.gif maxwell_icon.gif

Scene Title Should I Know You?
Synopsis Brennan meets up with Jay's/Jakes roomie unknowingly.
Date October 18, 2009

Coco's Boxing Gym

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. Weekend warriors need not apply.


Coco's Boxing Gym is very busy on the weekend. Most of the machines are occupied, many of the weights are being used and the boxing ring holds a pair duking it out. Notably, the pair in the ring are women with impressive muscle tone. And they're kickboxing.

Max is currently working the desk. He's stuck there for the same reason he was going to be projected on a giant movie screen. He has a friendly face and a nice smile. Fortunately, the usual clientele who come here don't recognize him. A few people have, but it hasn't lead to any trouble - yet. One of the reasons that Max is working here in particular is the absence of computerized equipment - or even a computer for registration. Everything is done on pen and paper.

And Brennan is here because a man just needs a man's gym. A place that is occupied with women doing pilates or riding cycles with breasts that point to the sky through unnatural means. Where getting sweaty isn't a crime, it's a way of life.

Where he can just exist and not be inundated with all the estrogen that seems to populate the big name gyms. Was by pure chance that he'd heard about this place and the last few weeks, been attending once a week, let off some steam, keep up with staying relatively fit. Jogging pants, t-shirt, sneakers and a hooded sweater, Brennan ambles towards the front desk on the breeze of cool air that follows him in. "Hey" Offered to Max as he picks up a pen to sign in. "Harve Brennan. gonna also want to pay off my next couple months membership"

There are actually a good number of women who use the gym - they're just serious about their training, boxers or Olympic or college-level athletes. It is more about the work out than about looks or trends. The women kick boxers for example, or the woman working the weights who has a sprinter's body.

Max grabs a clipboard to push towards Brennan. "Just fill out this info. You can do a one, three, six or year plan if you want. The year plan's a savings of about thirty percent." Wait, that name sounds like of familiar. He looks at the signature after he's signed in, then squints up at him. "…you a doctor?"

"Already have a membership, just wanted to pay the next quarterly" Brennan answers, not hint of condescension in his voice. Pen scrawls across paper, time stamped with a glance to his wrist then abandoned when done so he can make for his bag and the check book there. "Yes indeed. Dr. Harve Brennan" He glances up towards Max with raised brows. "Something wrong?"

"No, no. Just wondered why the name was familiar, that's all." Max checks over the paperwork. He grabs for a binder and scans it until he finds Brennan's name and the amount owing. He tugs the paperwork off the clipboard and clips it in next to other paperwork from previous terms. He quotes the price owed.

"Should I be familiar with your name?" Brennan squints at max a few moments before he drops his gaze to the checkbook and starts filling out the necessary information. "Sorry if I don't recognize you. Have you come into the Suresh Center?" If he was one of his private patients, he'd be familiar, but so many people come through the center. "Have I treated you before?"

It's actually a relief for Max every time someone doesn't recognize him. That means his attempt to lie low after the shit storm of the movie implosion is working. "No, I've never been. But a friend of mine has. I did a drug store run for him. Your name was on the slip."

"Oh. Hope your friend is doing better. What's his name?" The piece of paper is torn along the perforations then slid across the counter towards him. Signature, date, amount, address in Brooklyn. Everything's in order. "Your friend is doing better?"

Max hesitates before answer that. His jaw tightens and he looks distinctly uncomfortable. "Jake," he starts, then adds on, "Vega." His name tag only says 'Max,' but the apartment that Brennan went to had a buzzer named 'M. Quinn.'

Jake Vega. The name doesn't ring a bell. "I don't remember a Jake Vega. I'm sorry. You're sure it was myself who looked in on him?" Brennan's hand tightens on the duffel bag handles and looks to the rest of the room.

"Positive," says Max. But he won't pursue it further. Maybe Jake gave a false name? If so, no harm's been done. "Anyway. You're all set. Have a good workout, Doc." He smiles with as much cheer as he can muster, but there's a touch of suspicion in his eyes.

"Well, I'm darn sorry I don't remember him. But you give him my best" Brennan offers. With business done, there's a nod from the good doctor. He digs a business card out though, his name, address for the private practice and numbers. "You have a good day then, I have a date with a mat" There's anotehr nod from the short shorn physician and he's walking away


Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License