Near catastrophe passive-aggressively averted!

There's this cute girl I've been eyeing at the gym lately. The problem with eyeing a woman at the gym is that there are very few opportunities to ever speak to her that are appropriate. Can't do it while she's on the elliptical. Can't do it while she's lifting weights. Can't really do it while she's stretching or doing crunches, either. Your choices are either during a water break or as you both are leaving (which requires a remarkable amount of timing).

Usually I'm all business once the workout gets started. I hate people that screw around just talking and all, which is probably why I never really meet anyone at the gym. I'm too busy actually doing, you know, gym stuff. Timing was on my side as I showed up for my workout today, though. I usually drink a bit of water from the fountain before I get started. Who should I see waiting for her yoga class to start, right by the water fountain? Even better, as luck would have it, I'm not sweaty-nasty. Yet. I decide to make my move, just as she reaches up to adjust her beautiful auburn-haired little ponytail.

Wait a sec. Where the hell did that ring with the big friggin' diamond on her left hand come from?

Damn. I could tell she saw me moving towards her, chances are that's why she did the not-so-subtle hair fix. I had to try and play it off like I was heading that direction anyway... But I don't think I pulled it off that well. Even with her passive-aggressive signal I was still thrown off my game a bit. At least she did that before I made myself the guy that asks out the engaged/married chicks at the gym hoping for one of those "open arrangement" type deals or something. Dammit. I only ever seem to be attracted to women who are completely unavailable. Even if I don't know it beforehand.

Defeated, I ran 3 miles on the treadmill waiting for Matt to get there then proceeded to have one of my better chest/triceps workouts ever. I guess you win some and you lose some at the gym.