Travis woke up Saturday morning not knowing his best friend for over ten years was going to die. He wouldn't have any way of knowing unless he could somehow intuit this information from the way his dog looked at him while he brushed his teeth and generally got ready for the day.
No, instead he just went along his regular way of doing things. Cereal and eggs before swishing down his twice-daily protein shake. Then it was to the gym.
Travis was no ordinary weight-lifter. He was emphatic about it, obsessive some would say. Indeed his day would worsen by the minute up until tragedy, but that's beyond what was happening early in the morning.
At the gym, Travis worked out his shoulders, his legs, and ran on the treadmill for about a half an hour. He sweat and strained, listening to Moby and Aphex Twin on his portable mp3 player.
Travis was alone usually. He didn't have the stereotypical "lifting partner," as gay as that sounds. Lifting was a way to get away from things for Travis. In fact, most of his daily routine was a way of getting away from the things in his life he deemed stressful or painful.
Five years earlier, Travis lost his sister to an ugly car accident in Tennessee. He was a skinny, pale kid back then. Easily impressionable and liked by most, though misunderstood, Travis went through life without a care.
No, instead he just went along his regular way of doing things. Cereal and eggs before swishing down his twice-daily protein shake. Then it was to the gym.
Travis was no ordinary weight-lifter. He was emphatic about it, obsessive some would say. Indeed his day would worsen by the minute up until tragedy, but that's beyond what was happening early in the morning.
At the gym, Travis worked out his shoulders, his legs, and ran on the treadmill for about a half an hour. He sweat and strained, listening to Moby and Aphex Twin on his portable mp3 player.
Travis was alone usually. He didn't have the stereotypical "lifting partner," as gay as that sounds. Lifting was a way to get away from things for Travis. In fact, most of his daily routine was a way of getting away from the things in his life he deemed stressful or painful.
Five years earlier, Travis lost his sister to an ugly car accident in Tennessee. He was a skinny, pale kid back then. Easily impressionable and liked by most, though misunderstood, Travis went through life without a care.