Today I shook hands with a naked man. Okay, so it seemed odd as it was happening because it’s never happened to me, shaking hands with a completely naked man. I’ve had the opportunity, but never the inclination. Yet, today, it just happened in the most common way that two dressed men would do it.
“Hey, Steve, is that you”, he asked while reaching out his hand as a courtesy. I responded likewise, with my own extended arm and hand, completing the traditional up and down hand shake…all the time maintaining good eye contact.
It had been several years since we last saw each other. He transferred to a new health center, where I was today for a swim. So, you can imagine the exuberance in our encounter, spontaneous for him, a little less so for me. What was he thinking? Then again, I believe he’s Italian. My mother, an Italian, herself, proudly described that ethnic group as a ‘touchy-feely’ kind of people. There was no ‘touchy-feely’ today, as he stepped out of the shower and approached me before I could escape to the pool. So, not only was he naked, he was dripping wet, as well.
The encounter wasn’t quite the same for him because I was wearing a swimsuit. He didn’t have to think, “Gee, I just shook hands with a naked man.”
His complete lack of modesty didn’t surprise me, at all. Each of us had honed our locker room mannerisms in the manliest of locker rooms, an old gym with 4 man shower posts, not unlike my basic training barracks. The handshake was over quickly and we went our separate ways. I headed for the pool thinking about the whole experience, while he went back to his shower with a spring in his step and a whistle on his lips. I didn’t the have slightest clue how he felt about this odd exchange, nor did I want to know.
But, it’s experiences like this that help create the grand camaraderie and atmosphere in a men’s locker room. So, while shaking hands with a naked man wasn’t terribly traumatic, it did make me take pause and think…do women shake hands in a locker room?
srbottch
S'amusing 
At least you didn’t hug a naked man!!!!
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The line has to be drawn somewhere. But, if I had, then I still would have had the same curiosity I noted at the end, but in that context. 😉
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I used to have a man who worked for me who would tell me one of our company directors worked out at his health club. And would always strike up a conversation while naked in the locker room. He found it quite disconcerting:).
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There is always a couple of guys in any locker room who wait to the last minute to cover up. They’ll talk to you, shave in front of the mirror, parade around and the rest of us just accept it and go about our business. I thought the essay captured it and I’m glad to enjoyed it.
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No I don’t recall women or girls hugging in the locker room, but I’ve been in some odd-ball situations where people were naked or nearly so and it was perceived – by even me – as normal at the time. Actually, I have some fun stories which I was just sharing around a similar topic only last night. Great story Steve, thanks for passing it along!
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Mary, you are the only one to answer my question, a funny question, at that. Nudity can be a funny topic but the conversation in locker rooms is worth half the price of membership. Glad you liked it and ‘follow me ‘ for more.
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