My gym drew a line. Wearing masks is compulsory. Unless you don’t feel like it.

That’s not exactly what the message they broadcast through the speakers says. They actually say that wearing a mask is compulsory unless you’re doing vigorous exercise.

The problem is that they thought they drew a line in the sand, but they didn’t. They heaped the sand up into a pile instead.

Lines are clear. Get 50% on the test and you’re in, get 49% and you’re out.

But a heap, well that’s not so clear. Have 50 grains of sand in the pile and that’s a heap. Have 49 grains of sand in the pile – still a heap. 2 grains of sand – probably not a heap. What about 3? 10? 25?

How hard do I have to be breathing for it be vigourous exercise? Can I take off my mask if I’m walking on the treadmill while reading my book? What if I put the book down and turn the incline up?

And so everyone just does whatever they want because nobody knows where the line is, and nobody knows because the gym didn’t draw a line – they piled up a heap instead.