My Swimming Trunks Have Been Sucked Off Direct

If there’s a moral to be extracted, it’s not about preparation or shame. It’s about the thinness of the boundary we treat as sacred. Clothes, for all their weight, are negotiable. The current is not mean; it’s just indifferent. And in that indifference there’s a kind of permission to be unexpectedly small and to laugh, loudly, at the world and at yourself.

"No, Chad. My swimming trunks have been sucked off." My Swimming Trunks Have Been Sucked Off

In many modern pools, safety regulations regarding suction entrapment have improved dramatically. Anti-entrapment drain covers—large, raised domes that make it difficult to create a complete seal—are now standard in most public facilities. These devices were designed to prevent the tragic drowning of children, but they have the happy side effect of saving the dignity of grown men in oversized shorts. If there’s a moral to be extracted, it’s

Another possible explanation is the use of certain types of pool equipment, such as a pool cleaner or a hot tub. These devices can create strong currents or suction that can catch and pull off loose clothing. The current is not mean; it’s just indifferent

A teenage lifeguard named Chad noticed my distress. Chad was seventeen, wore mirrored sunglasses, and had probably never experienced a moment of vulnerability in his life.