To my astonishment I have bought a home gym. I hope I use it as I have much enjoyed being reasonably fit rather than fat and old.

No matter if I use it or not because buying it was so interesting that I am already in credit. I spot it on okinawayardsales.com and contact the seller whose name is ‘navywife.’ We meet in a supermarket parking lot and I follow her across Okinawa to her apartment. Her name is Tiffany from Tennessee. She is white and I think she is about 23 years old. She has the most beautiful 3 year old daughter called Layla, who prattles to me non stop as I cast a non critical eye over the gym thing. Tiffany tells me that she and her husband are breaking up and  she just wants the gym out. She wants $100.  Can’t take it as I need a range of tools to dismantle it. Just as I am leaving Layla comes back wearing her party dress and  primps and preens  for my benefit. I hope one of my sons has a daughter.

Next evening I go back. The husband is there. He is in the Navy. His name is Luis and is 250 pounds of muscle. He comes from New York City, is  23 and black.

It was so strange. These kids seemed lost. They were in Okinawa, so far from home, they were splitting but there seemed to be no animosity, their daughter was so full of life and curiosity, he is gentle and black, she is gentle and white, they both talk to their daughter with great restraint and love, towards  me they display classic American courtesy and non- judgmentalism, they are in the military, they look to it to define how their lives will develop. Floating in a strange bubble above Okinawa.

Luis helps me bully the huge machine apart and then bully it down 3 flights of stairs and into my tiny car. It is now installed in a spare room at my place.  Who cares if I use it.

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