My city has been menaced by a “flasher” for months now. A flasher is a person (usually a man) who exposes his private parts in public places to shock unsuspecting people. Of course the police, parents, and the media react to this guy like he’s on a 3-state killing spree but I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing.
Today Paul Goodrell, 41, of a local, small town, was arrested and charged with exposure and disorderly conduct. He was imprisoned once before for similar charges.
The court papers say Goodrell “while in the public Laundromat of ‘Washboard Willey’s’ (I swear I’m not making this up) did stand in the doorway wearing only a sweatshirt, without any pants thereby exposing himself.”
An unidentified witness told police as she was walking out of Willie’s she saw bare feet. “Then I looked up slowly and saw bare legs and realized that a male was standing in the door way with no pants on.” Later the woman identified the suspect although he remained clothed for the ID.
This stunt, of course, is only good for shock value in our culture founded by pilgrims, puritans, and prigs. If the woman had burst out laughing and said “it was no big thing”, the guy probably would have zipped up his willie for the rest of his life.
