Tuesday, October 27, 2009

The Sound of One Hand (NOT) Clapping

Reminder: tonight, seven o'clock in the Slater Auditorium on the campus of the Norwich Free Academy, it's part two of the Norwich Bulletin-sponsored Norwich Mayoral Debate among Mark Bettencourt, Peter Nystrom, Joseph Radecki and Bob Zarnetske. It's your city-so how come you're letting so many other people make all the decisions about who should run it? See you there.

Speaking of the Bulletin, here's an item that could be called "Torn from the Pages of Crimestoppers' Textbook" or "Keep Your Hands Where I Can See Them", I haven't decided which and I'm not in any especial hurry to do so.

I came across this in my hometown paper in the "local" section under "crime", above a story datelined "Norwich" about "Tickets on sale for tribute to Mayor" (who is, to my knowledge and his vast relief, very much alive. I hope for his sake, the tribute doesn't turn into a Viking funeral).

"Driver charged with indecency" is the half-haikuesque headline about Dean Mansfield who 'was charged with public indecency early Sunday after someone complained he was committing a sexual act in his car with the interior dome light on while driving alone down Interstate 95.' It was only three years ago that Connecticut went to a mandatory hands-free cellphone law. They grow up so fast, don't they?

I'm a bit stuck on the mechanics and particulars of the report to the police, who acted with alacrity, according to the story. Just how close was whatever vehicle the 'complainant' was in to Dean's vehicle? It sure must have been a tall vehicle, to see what was going on. And Dean obviously had an automatic transmission. Did the complainant use a hands-free phone to alert the police? And is it a crime if the interior dome light wasn't on? Inquiring minds want to know.

When the police pulled him over, did they tell Mr. Mansfield to keep his hands where they could see them? Ewwww. You know someone asked him what he thought he was doing, right? What do you suppose he answered? And for his appearance in New London Superior Court, is he better off taking a bus, or perhaps wearing gloves? He's probably lost any possibility of scoring that M & M endorsement deal. Roll, baby, roll.
-bill kenny

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