He's probably standing that way to keep his feet on the cooler wood slats. If he stood on the concrete his feet would be scorched in about 2 seconds.

The weird thing is the two guys laying down don't seem to look uneasy at all, like this is all normal.

As a gay man, it is well within my imagination to stand this way. Being able to stand over another man like this(and not arouse suspicion) may have been one of the few "perks" in pre-Stonewall America. Just sayin'...

This one is a Farkster's dream come true. Can't wait to see
what they do to it!

Never ever stand like this over another guy.

Ever.

This is probably not a locker key; its way too small. It is probably just a round brass tag with the locker, or likely basket, number.

The public pool I went to as a kid in Louisville back in the '50s had wire baskets for you to put your close in. You got them from the clerk at a desk and after you'd changed you took it back to the desk for them to file. If you wanted to lock the baskets cover you brought your own lock. Each basket came with an elastic strap, like the one in the pic that had a brass tag numbered to match the basket. it functioned as your claim check.

Cigarettes and matches are on the wooden pallet beside the guy on the left and more cigs and matches are on the ledge behind them where a lady seems to be searching her purse for something. There also appears to be smashed cigarette butts littering the concrete pavement. Where are all the health police to tell them they cannot do that?

This is without a doubt the oddest picture on shorpy since this.

Notice what they're laying on? I guess before anyone thought of bringing towels to the pool, they'd just bring part of the porch to sit on. Maybe this is why the fellow is standing like he is: he's trying to stay off the hot concrete. Maybe.

And the paper hat is amusing to me, but seems to be taken seriously by them.

How times change.

Next pic please.

The guy standing is in SERIOUS need of toenail trimming!

I agree that that is probably a key attached to the strap around his ankle. It looks like the guy in the newspaper hat has something similar peeking out of the side of his trunks.

"The water looks pretty cold"

Remember this?

It's a David Lynch movie.

Is being invaded here.

Much is being said without the use of words.

What is that?

[Looks like a key to a locker. - tterrace]