“Let’s go to the Mall’s Gym.” you suggest to your dad.
Inside the mall was a small gym where people often came to work out at. Although you personally have never been to it, now that you were your dad, you really felt like visiting the place.
“Sure. But I don’t think I’ve ever gone inside.” your dad responds. It seems he’s also never visited the Mall’s Gym.
As the two of you begin walking to your desired location, you notice you passed a few of your favorite stores. You would definitely have to visit them later, after all, it was a trip to the mall and you couldn’t neglect doing the things you usually did whenever you went.
Making your way to the entrance of the Gym, you notice not many people inside. Just a few men lifting weights. In fact, there wasn’t even anyone at the front desk.
“What did you want to do here?” your dad asks as the both of you enter the Gym.
“Honestly I just wanted to try something.” you respond. You look at the empty front desk and realize you could use it to your advantage. “Follow me.” you whisper to your dad and make your way over to the weights.
The Gym had a few racks full of dumbbells of different amounts. Picking the smallest one, you realize it’s a breeze as you pick it up with ease. Since the Gym had the usual mirrors on the wall, you were also able to view your reflection entirely. You begin to lift heavier dumbbells, eventually with both hands, as you watch your reflection with extreme interest.
Although it was just your dad’s body staring back at you, you focus on how your arms bulge from your biceps as you lift the dumbbells. With your dad’s muscle, and perhaps also his fat, you realize just how much stronger you are now in his body.
Speaking of your dad, you turn around to see what he’s doing. You see him also attempting to lift some dumbbells. However, he did not appear to be having the same ease you did.
You watch as he struggles to lift them and how no bulge appears on his arms. Taking a closer look, you see at least a small bulge from his biceps, but it was hard to take notice of. It was pretty humiliating to watch, even more when you remembered that it was technically your scrawny body he had. Losing focus in watching your dad, you don’t notice the Gym employee walking up to the two of you.
“Excuse me, sir.” he begins to tell you as you stop being distracted and take notice of him. “Do you have a membership with us?” he asks.
“Umm… I… uh… don’t have one.” you stammer.
“Then I’m going to have to ask you and your son to leave.” he responds.
You and your dad set down the dumbbells you were currently using before heading to the exit.
“That was awesome!” you tell your dad. “Did you see how much I was able to lift?”
“Yeah. My body definitely has a fair share of muscle.” your dad answers and looks at his arms. “However, I think you need to start working out. Lifting those dumbbells was pretty hard from your lack of muscle.”
“I’m sure you’re right.” you chuckle awkwardly, a bit embarrassed of your scrawny body.
“What now?” your dad asks.
“After working out for a bit, I was thinking we hit a movie and relax.” you say.
“Sounds like a plan.”
Heading to the counter of the Mall’s Movie Theater, you try to decide which movie you want to see.
Picking a simple movie you’ve watched before and you hope your dad enjoys, you use your dad’s card to pay for the tickets.
“I hope you and your son enjoy!” the employee tells you as you both leave.
You notice how everyone in the Mall kept acting towards you. They didn’t tell you anything odd or act strangely towards you. But it did seem that they just saw you as a father taking his son out for a trip to the mall.
As this fact registers with you, you feel like you actually kinda like it. After all, if you were in your dad’s body, it would only make sense to be viewed and treated as a dad. Especially when you appeared to have your son with you.
The desolate theater is nice, a perk from coming on a weekday, as you and your dad make your way to your seats. As you watch the movie, you realize the movie doesn’t sound as loud as you remember nor does it appear as interesting.
After the movie ends and you both leave the theater, you begin to strike a new conversation with your dad over the film’s plot and effects.
“It was a lot flashier than I remember.” you tell your dad. “And a bit more dull.”
“That was one of the best movies I’ve watched in ages!” your dad exclaims. “It was so immersive and sounded amazing!”
Now this was definitely strange. Why were both of your experiences so different? Did you both just have different tastes in movies? Or, more likely, was it the result of being in new bodies that made watching the movie a different experience.
“We’ve been here quite a bit.” your dad says, interrupting your train of thought. “I guess that movie ran longer than expected. What should we do now?”