My dad loved the idea of my older brother and me swimming together, and he always bought us the coolest speedos. We used to swim at out swimming pool every day. I loved to swim so much that I used to wear my speedos instead of my superhero briefs to school, so that I could undress in the car and go direclty to the pool after school. However, when my brother grew to be 12, he fell to peer pressure and asked not to be forced to use "thongs" anymore. As it's natural for all little brothers, I asked for the same. In the next moths we traded briefs for boxers and speedos for board shorts. I could see the sadness in my dad's face: his two sons rebelling against something he loved.
I started using boardshorts to every event which included a pool. At the time, I didnt think much about it since it was what everyone wore. But after a few years, when I was about 14, I decided to accompany my dad to the pool and do laps with him. He was excited and asked if I wanted to try speedos out, a proposition which I refused. I did, however, go with him to the swim shop and got some Jammers. My dad was so happy that I was ditching the board shorts! We swam a couple of weeks and we enjoyed all the time together.
Fast forward 10 years and I find myself in Germany. I started living by myself for the first time and decided that life is too short not to enjoy the things you like. I always hated boxers, but peer pressure at home was too much. However, in Germany I could build my own personality however I saw fit. So I threw away all of my boxers and got briefs instead. It was so liberating to actually use something that YOU think is confortable and not worrying about what OTHERS might think.
One fine day, my class mates invite me to the local pool do some laps. I wasn't sure what the "clothing protocol" was in Germany, as I had never been in a public pool in Europe. So I took my swimming shorts, the kind that go half way to the thigh. As we undressed in the locker room, I saw my friends get their speedos and jammers out of their backpacks. To which I could only think: "Crap... wrong choice". As I slip my swimming shorts on, my friends look at me with some kind of confusion in their faces. "Are you really swimming with that? It's gonna slow you down, but OK!".
On the next day I went directly to the sports shop and bought my very first pair of speedos in 15+ years. I even took a picture of my self at the swimming pool and sent it to my dad. He was so excited, he called me on the phone congratulating me on "getting on the right track". I still own a pair of boardshorts and a pair of swimming shorts, but Im glad to say that they have stayed dry for some years now. It's speedos for me from now on!
- Speedo 3.jpg (82.44 KiB) Viewed 4830 times
very inspirational...
