Un buen día en el gimnasio

Tom is a very active man. He is forty-five years old and he lives in a small town. He works in an office during the week as a project manager. In his free time, he loves to move and exercise. His favorite hobbies are riding a bike and going to the gym. He likes feeling strong and healthy. Every day he tries to do something active.

Today is Saturday morning. The sun comes in through the window and Tom wakes up early. He stretches his arms and feels ready for the day. “Today I will go to the gym and train my legs,” he says to himself. He has a healthy breakfast: fruit, yogurt, bread, and a protein shake. He needs energy for today’s workout.

Then he packs his gym bag. He puts on his favorite sports clothes and feels excited. He drinks an extra cup of coffee to get energized. The gym is not far from his house. Tom goes there by bike. The air is clean and fresh, and he enjoys the short trip. He thinks about the exercises he wants to do. When he arrives, he parks his bike near the door. He feels full of energy and ready to start.

Tom walks to the entrance and takes out his gym card. He scans it at the turnstile, but nothing happens. He tries again, but the light turns red. On a small screen, it appears: “Card rejected”. Tom feels confused. “How strange,” he thinks. He knows he paid his membership last week. He tries one more time, but it still doesn’t work.

Tom feels a little embarrassed. Other people pass by him and go into the gym. He steps aside and checks his phone. Maybe there is a problem with the payment? He opens the bank app, but everything seems to be fine. He starts to feel a little worried. “I really want to work out today,” he says in a low voice. Then he looks toward the front desk and decides to ask for help.

At the counter, a friendly employee smiles at Tom. On her badge it says “María”. She says, “Good morning! Can I help you?” Tom explains the problem with his card. María checks her computer and types for a moment. Then she lifts her eyes and says, “Ah, now I see the problem! We just need to update your account in the system.”

Tom feels relieved. María asks him to wait a minute. She clicks some buttons and says, “Ready! Try again now.” Tom goes back to the turnstile and scans his card. The light turns green and the door opens. “Perfect!” he says. He thanks María for her help. She smiles and says, “Enjoy your workout!” Tom feels happy again and goes in.