The Q at Parkside

(for those for whom the Parkside Q is their hometrain)

News and Nonsense from the Brooklyn neighborhood of Lefferts and environs, or more specifically a neighborhood once known as Melrose Park. Sometimes called Lefferts Gardens. Or Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. Or PLG. Or North Flatbush. Or Caledonia (west of Ocean). Or West Pigtown. Across From Park Slope. Under Crown Heights. Near Drummer's Grove. The Side of the Park With the McDonalds. Jackie Robinson Town. Home of Lefferts Manor. West Wingate. Near Kings County Hospital. Or if you're coming from the airport in taxi, maybe just Flatbush is best.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

The Flatbush Flasher

Very interesting thread happening on Flatbush Family Network, a Yahoo Group serving a wide swath of central Brooklyn. Seems somebody's been exposing himself and many folks are (understandably) upset.

A photo was taken, but the moderator of the Group asked that the picture not be posted, presumably not wanting to incite the mob against someone innocent-til-proven-guilty. Other comments focused on whether it was appropriate to describe the culprit on the basis of race. Still others have wondered aloud whether he's a pedophile; others seem convinced by their advanced armchair psychologist degrees that flashing is unrelated to pedophilia, which is more a mental illness or fetish.

Worse, the flasher has a goatee.

Another saw him masturbating near Brooklyn College. Yes, THAT Brooklyn College.

As I followed the thread back in time I noticed others concerned about an unaccompanied older guy hanging out in the playground next to the school on Cortelyou. He was a ""creepy guy in the outdated suit who was hanging around the tot lot today, a camera dangling off his wrist, opening the gate for people going in and out but acting surly when his help was refused."

It's really quite remarkable what happens when private thoughts become public on a listserve or blog. The "good" is obvious - ideas shared, community built, old items sold or given away. But spreading fear or misinformation is troubling - like gossip gone digital viral wildfire.

I hope the cops catch the flasher. I hope the creepy guy turns out to be the non-harmful guy "who has the key to the tot lot and opens and locks it."

But just as creepy old Geraldo Rivera suggested that ALL young black men not where hoodies, the Q thinks it would be wise if old men not act creepy or incriminate themselves by wearing seriously outdated suits.   

Come to think of it, has Geraldo been seen sporting a goatee lately? Near Brooklyn College?

5 comments:

The Curmudgeon said...

This guy was working his way up and down Cortelyou a few weeks ago - he flashed me through the window of my lobby, and ran away when I tried to get a picture of his face.

ElizabethC said...

http://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/exhibitionism

FlatFlash said...

OK. I'm sorry. It was me. I'll try hard not to do it again.

Btw, is there a way I could post my picture as a comment? There is something visual I'm just dying to say.

FlatFlash

ElizabethC said...

!!!!

Kim said...

I was flashed on the train once, as I was trying to catch some zz's. I didn't notice at first, but then I realized the guy across from me was covering himself with a newspaper so only I could see him masturbating. Well, I screamed really loudly to everyone else on the train, " LOOK WHAT THIS GUY IS DOING!!!!" He ran off the train. Fine. But guess what? He lives right here in PLG and I see him all the time. He's tall and has a newspaper in his backpocket. I wonder if it's the same guy..