A Matter of Etiquette
Walking up Flatbush toward Empire, you spot a woman naked from the waist
down, sitting on a park bench and lifting one of her buttocks as
she wipes off excess urine. Do you:
a) Avoid making eye contact, steering clear of the wet sidewalk surrounding her, and continue onward
b) Stare at her, mouth agape, in disbelief
c) Offer her toilet tissue in an effort to teach your toddler son good manners
d) Do nothing, but blog about it later.
a) Avoid making eye contact, steering clear of the wet sidewalk surrounding her, and continue onward
b) Stare at her, mouth agape, in disbelief
c) Offer her toilet tissue in an effort to teach your toddler son good manners
d) Do nothing, but blog about it later.
Now this has happened to both of us.
Last month as I came home from work, I locked eyes with a woman squatting in the gutter directly in front of Patio Gardens and preparing to relieve herself. She apologized but did not stand up as I shook my head and kept walking.
Posted by: Charles Star | July 21, 2010 at 04:22 PM
I guess I agree with you and choose "D."
Your experience should be good news to those who fret that the neighborhood is gentrifying too quickly!
Posted by: diak | July 21, 2010 at 05:40 PM
when you say naked from the waist down, do you mean she had her dress hiked up? or was she wearing an outfit that dictated pants? what was she wiping with? when you say lifted her buttocks, did you mean like the Lorax, or was this more of a roll-to-the-side kinda thing? I'm just having a hard time picturing it. So I'd have to go with e. snap a picture or take a video and slap it up on youtube with a carl stalling soundtrack! we ain't in kansas anymore!
Posted by: Tim Thomas | July 21, 2010 at 07:33 PM
Ha!
She had her skirt hiked up and a big wad of tissue in hand. But let's be clear: this isn't about public urination or even female public urination (its own curiosity). What struck me about the encounter was the vainglorious butt-wiping. This woman was quite literally gloating -- my CAT isn't that immodest!
Posted by: carrie | July 21, 2010 at 09:17 PM
Could this be the same woman who was relieving herself early this morning right outside of my building on Lincoln Road? Much to my dismay she was not just urinating... As I was taking my dog to do her morning business it seemed that this woman was doing the same!
My immediate reaction was b) followed by a) but thank you Hawthorne Street Blog for d!
Posted by: sam | July 21, 2010 at 10:50 PM
Does this person seem to be homeless/a drug user/mentally disturbed? I'm thinking a phone call to the police/social services would be in order, especially in Sam's case.
Posted by: babs | July 22, 2010 at 02:02 PM
so funny.... right after i read this, i left my house, and was on flatbush in park slope and saw a woman with no pants on...
Posted by: nora | July 22, 2010 at 02:31 PM
Sam, the first time I saw our Lincoln Road public defecator in flagrante delicto I actually tried to get her to stop. Didn't work. But while continuing, she explained the life philosophy that the public pooping fits into. One of the more surreal moments of my Brooklyn life.
Posted by: Dynishal | July 23, 2010 at 12:06 PM
Dynishal, please share the Zen of Public Shitting with our readers.
Posted by: Charles Star | July 23, 2010 at 05:05 PM
This is very disturbing. I'd call the cops if I'd seen that.
Posted by: Roci | July 23, 2010 at 11:19 PM