IT'S A MANZ WORLD

THE BLACK STRAP - Note: Most of my Manz World stories are fictionalized accounts of how the painting shown here came to be. However, some of the stories are rooted in truth.

To me a jock strap is one of the most masculine things that a guy could wear. Not only does it provide a wonderful manner in which a man can present his masculinity to the world but, obviously, it brings forth visions of athletic guys playing a sport. There are various types and styles of jock straps. Most are made of nylon, spandex or cotton. Many have a solid but elastic pouch while others may be made with a pouch of loose netting. Depending on the sport, some may be bigger than others. Some even have protective cups. And, of course, they come in a variety of colors.

It wasn’t until my family moved from Ohio to Florida in the early 1960s that I became aware of this most masculine wearable. I was 12-years-old, soon to be 13, when we made that move. I had already started puberty. That happened when I was about midway through my 11th year. It came on quickly so it took me some time to get used to my growing genitalia. Almost overnight ‘things’ felt different and sometimes reacted in surprising ways!

In Ohio I went to an inner city elementary school where we had only a small, paved playground to play on. Recess there included playing marbles, hacky-sac and dodge ball for the boys and skip rope, jacks and hopscotch for the girls. My new school, one that was in the suburbs of Orlando, was totally different: a large campus, open classroom layout, a big locker room complete with gang shower and a huge outdoor field where they played soccer, flag football and softball.

After enrolling for the new school year—I was entering 7th grade—a list of needed items was given to my parents. In addition to the necessary school books and classroom items—pencils, notebook, etc—the list included the gym uniform I would need: T-shirt and shorts with the school colors and logo on them. In addition there was a thing called an “athletic supporter,” which was the old term for a jockstrap. Only one store in town carried the official school gear so that’s where my mother and I went to buy the needed items.

I had not seen the list. So when the lady clerk asked my mother what size athletic supporter I would need I didn’t even know what she was talking about. My mother and the clerk both looked at me, eyed my skinny body and decided on a “boys small.” Since I didn’t even know what they were talking about, I was no help in giving guidance on size. However, I quickly found out what that item was because, after my mother handed me the package of clothing I saw the box with the jockstrap. It had a photo of a young man wearing the item in the box. Still I wasn’t sure what it was that I would find inside. But that mystery was solved when took the item out of the box and held in my hands the thin straps with the small pouch.

I have to admit to getting an erection when I suddenly recognized what I was holding. I was even harder as I tried on it since I found the item quite erotic. Obviously, that erection did not help since I couldn’t fit it into the pouch. Even later, when I was flaccid, I found the pouch so small that my penis and testicles did not fit comfortably in it. That made it a problem when wearing it since my penis, and sometimes my testicles, would hang out so that they were exposed, especially if I was sitting down on the bench. Because our gym shorts were so short it would be very obvious to others what was hanging out.

It did not take long before my P.E. teacher saw my problem because one day he handed me a sealed note and told me to give it to my father. He assured me I was not in trouble by saying, “I think this will help you out.” I handed the note to my father who immediately read it. Seeing the worried look on my face he assured me that the note was a good thing. Never did I know exactly what my teacher had written. However, the next evening, after dinner, I went to my room and saw a package on my bed. I opened it and there I saw a box with the same muscled jockstrap model on the front. But this time the label was marked “BOYS LARGE.”

That larger model, with the larger pouch, was much more comfortable for me and was the start of my wearing a jock strap for the rest of my school experience. I so loved wearing my strap that sometimes, when my parents were gone, I would get naked, put one of my favorite straps on at home. I so enjoyed the feeling as a walked around the house. And, I have to admit, I would also stop in front of a mirror to admire the look that I saw as it reflected my rather skinny but growing body.

I still like jockstraps and sometimes wear one of the several I have in my collection. Now in my 70s I no longer have the perky butt of my youth but I still enjoy the feeling of those straps on my rear. And the feeling of the supportive netting holding my genitalia is nice, too.