AKRON, OH — Local accountant Derek Paulson, 38, discovered Tuesday that FitZone Express on Tallmadge Avenue has been withdrawing $34.99 from his checking account every month since March 2022, a period during which he visited the facility exactly once to use the bathroom.

The charge, which had blended seamlessly into Paulson’s monthly statement between a streaming service he also doesn’t use and a parking app for a city he no longer lives in, was identified only after Paulson sat down to prepare his taxes and noticed a line item totaling $1,679.52 over 48 months.

“I thought about canceling in January 2023,” said Paulson, staring at a printed bank statement he had highlighted in three colors. “And then I thought about it again in January 2024. I’ve been very consistent about thinking about it.”

“He was technically a four-year member. One of our most loyal.”

FitZone General Manager Stacey Howell, 44, confirmed Paulson’s account was in good standing and noted that under the membership agreement, cancellation requires a notarized letter, 30 days’ notice, and an in-person visit to the original branch during non-peak hours, which are Tuesdays between 2:00 and 2:45 p.m.

Paulson has calculated that the $1,679.52 would have covered six months of actual personal training, four plane tickets, or approximately 167 rotisserie chickens. He has not yet decided which comparison is more painful.

At press time, Paulson had located the cancellation form online, printed it, and placed it on his desk, where it will join the 2023 form in the folder he calls “Active.”