Interviews with people whose careers we envy.

Keith Dollard

Pool man, Natatorium at IUPUI.

What’s the best part about your job?

That has to be the flexibility and the benefits, but my friend insists it’s the scenery.

Biggest misconception?

“So you clean Baby Ruths out of pools?” This is the typical response I get when I tell people what I do. Darn you, Bill Murray!

So how often do you sneak into the pool for covert pool parties?

I’m not touching this one!

What’s the strangest or most interesting thing that’s happened to you on the job?

It’s never a dull day. I would have to say the funniest situation is when the old-timers walk out onto the pool deck, take their towel off and you’re the one having to tell them they forgot to put on their suit.

So what’s the craziest story about Michael Phelps or Mark Spitz or some other famous swimmer?

Stories, I got a few. I don’t want to mention any names but one involved beer, an Olympic swimmer, a world record, bathroom etiquette and a drunk urinating on my shoe. Another includes beer (I think a pattern is developing), an Olympic swimmer, “hey, beer wench” being yelled across the restaurant, radishes and a wheel-chair-walker. I leave it to the readers to fill in the blanks.