Y Crimes

As a serious swimmer and frequent visitor to my local YMCA, I have seen all sorts of offenses committed against decency, public health and the Golden Rule. Here are a couple of cases-in-point.

1. Nowadays, many people are concerned about contracting antibiotic-resistant staph, flesh-eating bacteria, athlete's foot, et al. from sweaty gym clothes, towels and exercise equipment. That's why they are spraying and wiping equipment in the weight room and surfaces in the locker room before and after they use them.

Now, I'm not too squeamish about these things, but I was appalled to see one fellow, dripping with sweat after his workout, strip down and put his sweaty exercise clothes in the swimsuit drying centrifuge! I was coming in from the pool at the time. Needless to say, I did not spin-dry my suit.


2. The signs on the wall at every public pool I've ever been in say that everyone should shower before swimming and all kids in diapers should wear plastic/ rubber/ waterproof pants when they use the pool. That way we can all pretend that we are not swimming in toilet water.

Unfortunately, even if they have to walk through the showers to get to the pool, many people don't stop to shower before swimming. Even if they do, the shower often amounts to little more than a quick rinse. Few of us actually wash where it counts.

My confidence in the condition of the water I swim in took another hit recently when I saw an old man in the locker room change out of his unremarkable swimsuit and climb into an adult diaper. My problem with this is not that the man is incontinent; it is that he is not taking precautions against "accidents" in the pool.