From the New York Times, I'm Anna Martin. This is Modern Love. Today, relationship drama

in spin class. Before we get into it, I just got to say I take a lot of spin classes.

Three, two, one, let's go. And there are so many social dynamics in these

sweaty, dark rooms. The dynamics between you and the other writers,

between you and yourself, between you and the instructor, the spin instructor is your leader,

your idol, your drill sergeant. I'm the dominatrix.

Christy Clancy knows all about this relationship because she herself is a spin instructor.

And what I love about it is you're sitting in the front of the room. Everybody's there. They're all

waiting to begin. They chit chat. And then my favorite moment is when I walk to the door and I

shut it. I'm getting chills. I'm getting chills because the power shifts to you at that moment.

They're waiting for you to tell them what to do. So you're the god of the spin room for

50 minutes or an hour, however long the class is. For Christy, the studio is a kind of alternate

reality. It's a place where she can control a lot. The pace of her class, her music, how hard she

gets people to work. But years ago, when someone unexpected walked into her class, Christy decided

to exercise her power in a different way. So Christy, your modern love essay was published

in 2011 and it starts with you getting ready to teach your spin class just like usual.

You're dimming the lights, you're queuing your music. But then someone walks in who totally

throws you off. It's your best friend's ex-husband. This is a guy who two years ago left your best

friend for another woman, right? Yes. And not only was he there, but he showed up with

his new girlfriend. Oh my god, he showed up with the woman he'd left your best friend for.

Exactly. I was not at all prepared to encounter that I couldn't imagine

why on earth, of all the classes they could go to, of every exercise they could do, why were they

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