Steamy talk in strangers’ company

I HAVE joined a gym and the weeks since have been a mixture of slow movement and awkward gaits from muscle soreness, rushes of endorphins and some amusing chats in sauna.

The sauna is an interesting place due to the conversations held there.

Since my latest health kick started, all up I’ve had no more than 10 sweat sessions in sauna.

I like to use the time I spend sweating it up to reflect and ponder on life. Where am I? And where will I get to?

Most of the time before I’ve had a chance to get too deep and meaningful in thought, the door swings open and I’m joined by a stranger.

The conversations with these people have been thought-provoking and, at other times, a tad unsettling.

Blokes have spoken to me about their wives and girlfriends as if they were in a relationship with my sister and have known me for years.

I’ve offered relationship advice to one bloke who was warring with his long-term girlfriend. I’m not really sure what made me do that. I’m single with little long-term relationship experience. But when someone is sharing personal stuff with you, how can you not offer some sort of reassurance or advice? I’ve also chewed the fat with an engineer working on the West Gate Tunnel project about the liveability of Melbourne. We almost single-handedly mapped out Melbourne’s future infrastructure needs while marvelling at the scale of growth in our state. There’s a bit of old world cigar and brandy room about the conversations that go on between men in the sauna. (That’s a reference from the movie Titanic just in case you’re wondering).

But I’ve also chatted to women about their exercise routines and had other small talk with them.

Last week I spoke to a young woman as she worked out in the sauna.

We chatted between her squat and lunge sets.

But as soon as the conversation ramped up, off she went.

There’s something about the dimly lit small space that’s the sauna that makes opening up to a stranger easier.

But no matter the depth of the conversation had, if you see the same person on the “outside” they are almost a stranger again.

I’ll be back in the sauna this week. I’m sure there will be more interesting conversations to be had.