I arrived at the spa just after work, hoping to get there before all the other people leaving work. There are two girls working the front desk, I recognize the older one, Carol, from my previous visits. She looks up as I walk to the counter.
"Hey James, I'll check you in... all set"
She hands me a sauna towel and my locker key. I head over to the men's locker room, the spa is separated into a men's side and a women's side with the only doors I've seen in the lobby connecting the two. The locker room is fairly crowded, so much for beating the rush. I start with a shower then head for the cold plunge. I usually follow that with a nice steam in the sauna but as I go in it is only mildly warmer than the outside area. There are still plenty of people sitting in there but everyone looks a little frustrated and a few are standing around the heater trying to figure out why it isn't working. I go to the changing area, throw on a robe and head back out into the lobby.
"Hey Carol, the heater in the sauna isn't working."
"Oh yeah, sometimes we have to reset them. There is a small button under the base you need to press."
I nod to her and go to head back in to try to find that, "Thanks, I'll see if I can get it going"
"Wait, this is a good time for our trainee Natalia to learn, I showed her in the woman's sauna a few hours ago so she should be able to find it with no problem."
The younger girl, Natalia, winces at this. "I can't go into the men's side while we're open."
"You'll have to face it eventually, we are usually short-staffed and when there is an issue someone has to go in and fix it. I can't always do it."
Natalia is clearly uncomfortable with the idea of walking through the men's side of the spa, but as Carol is the manager she has to stay at the front desk and they are understaffed today.
Natalia looks back and forth between me and Carol, looking for some help or a way out. Seeing none she caves. "Fine, I'll go, it should only take a minute anyway."
Natalia is turning to go into the men's locker room but Carol stops her.
"You'll need a towel, no clothes in the sauna." Carol says nonchalantly as she tosses her a towel. Natalia is speechless
"I can't wear only a towel in there." She says while shaking her head vigorously.
"Like you said it will only be a minute." Carol ushers her towards the door as she looks and sees more customers coming in.
"Fine, I'll just go change real quick." As Natalia starts for the women's locker room.
"Just change in the men's, we can't have you walking through the lobby in just a towel. Besides 'it will only take a minute'" Carol emphasizes Natalia's rationalization.
"You can store your stuff in my locker, but if you don't mind I would like to get back in there." I pipe up, trying to speed things along while also hoping for a little peek at Natalia's petite form.
As we walk in the men in the changing area notice her immediately, "She's just here to fix the sauna, she'll be in and out." I shout out.
"Yup, just fixing the sauna." She mumbles following my statement. This is greeted with some half-hearted cheers.
She seems embarrassed but also transfixed by the many nude men around her, some are trying to cover themselves and others are just hanging out with no shame. I lead her to my locker while she is in a daze.
I clear my throat "Still want to use my locker to store your stuff?"
She is startled out of her reverie and looks a little confused.
"Do you still want to use my locker to store your clothes while fixing the sauna?" I repeat myself loud enough for all of the men nearby to hear, and most of them glance over questioningly. Natalia then understands the gravity of her situation and that she is about to undress in front of all of these men.
"Umm... yeah, I guess I should get to it so I can get back to Carol" She sets her towel down on the bench, and steels herself for the task at hand.