Public Love Note, Written in Pink, Leads to Arrest

By TChris, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 04:05:30 PM EST
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Our coverage of "crimes in the news" would not be complete without mentioning the man in Aberdeen, Washington who used pink paint to write "Liz, call home, I love you" on Boone Street. The man was arrested for "suspicion of malicious mischief" after police officers spied incriminating evidence: pink paint on his hands and shoes and a can of pink paint in his car.

If the note had been written on Valentine's Day, perhaps the police would have been more forgiving. Unless the guy is stalking Liz, his mischievous writing doesn't seem particularly malicious. A sensible prosecutor would probably agree to defer any charges if the note writer finds an environmentally friendly way to remove or mask the message.

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Public Love Note, Written in Pink, Leads to Arrest | 25 comments (25 topical)

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stupid (5.00 / 1) (#1)
by Capt Howdy on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 04:09:10 PM EST

the guy deserves to be arrested. ever heard of texting dude?

Speaking as someone who has (5.00 / 2) (#2)
by scribe on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 04:25:17 PM EST

many, many years ago (any statute of limitations has long since run out), engaged in a bit of road-painting, the locals out there should take notice of this fact:

if you paint over it, say with some asphalt substance like driveway sealer that will "mask" it, that message will be there for many, many years, and will likely outlast the pavement itself.

Cheap interior latex wall paint put down in the late 70s was there more than 20 years later, poking out from beneath the successive coats of driveway sealer that only served to preserve it until they finally repaved....

College.

Proud of your work, I see. Good quality. (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by oculus on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 04:28:21 PM EST

: It was particularly witty, too. (none / 0) (#5)
by scribe on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 04:30:12 PM EST

But if I told you what it was, I'd likely blow my pseudonymity because it was, for years, a local legend.

Of course, it you're going to do some (none / 0) (#4)
by scribe on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 04:28:48 PM EST

painting (and I'm not suggesting it, mind you - in fact, I advocate against it, given the draconian, humorless approach law enforcement takes to anything these days) note that strong pastel colors - pink, light blues, seafoamy greens - tend to show up better on asphalt than pedestrian white.

Use a roller, too. It's a lot faster and easier to handle than a brush when you're drunked up. And pick a road with the lightest of traffic, so you don't wind up getting hit.


This is not my work, (none / 0) (#7)
by scribe on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 04:37:45 PM EST

but is one instance I'm aware of. This painting (underneath the covering paint, it says "Pick up the Red Flag") has been there since the early 1980s.


I have no problem (5.00 / 0) (#8)
by Capt Howdy on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 04:41:50 PM EST

with signs. cardboard or otherwise. but if it was on the street in front of my house and I had to look at it every day I would be pi$$ed.


In my neighborhood, the city painted over (none / 0) (#9)
by oculus on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 04:45:52 PM EST

"yield" on the asphalt and put up a stop sign and limit line. Except the "yield" was still visible. So I called a friend in the City Attorney's office. City painted it over again but didn't solve the problem; but my friend didn't want to hear anymore about it.


does this mean (5.00 / 1) (#12)
by Jen M on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 04:57:18 PM EST

people can get out of tickets for a California stop?

"it said yield"


: Not now. City had the street repaved.. (none / 0) (#15)
by oculus on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 05:12:49 PM EST

Then, of course, the cable guys tore it all up.

This illustrates exactly (none / 0) (#11)
by scribe on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 04:49:33 PM EST

my point about painting over it. It actually makes matters worse. Or, at least, longer lasting.


I'm not seeing it (none / 0) (#24)
by sj on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 06:06:16 PM EST

Dude (5.00 / 2) (#6)
by Steve M on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 04:31:04 PM EST

This is why God created chalk! No muss, no fuss.

plus (none / 0) (#13)
by Jen M on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 04:58:29 PM EST

crayola makes it in many colors!

That reminds me, my nephew is probably getting just about old enough for sidewalk chalk...


No segue here, but a friend told (none / 0) (#16)
by oculus on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 05:14:26 PM EST

me about a citation campus police issued because person who marked out the date she was using a temp. parking pass with eyeliner. Supposed to use black ink.


obligatory (none / 0) (#19)
by Capt Howdy on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 05:31:11 PM EST

link to this guy


: Oh, thanks. Wonderful. (none / 0) (#21)
by oculus on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 05:39:06 PM EST

Certainly (5.00 / 2) (#10)
by CoralGables on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 04:49:05 PM EST

more romantic than last week's suggestions of beer at the local bar or under a bridge, and he gets extra credit for going pink.

Don't knock it till you try it C.G....:) n/t (none / 0) (#14)
by kdog on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 05:05:59 PM EST

I guess I should (none / 0) (#20)
by CoralGables on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 05:37:14 PM EST

have had you clarify. Were you referring to a bridge over water or the bridge of an expressway? A bridge over water could have merit.

I will still stand by Strawberry Hill at the beach though. Throw in a blanket and candles in the sand and you will be the talk of her friends. A cold one on a sea wall on a moonlit night would be a distant runner up.


: As a younger man... (none / 0) (#25)
by kdog on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 07:00:59 PM EST

me and some friends used to take our ladyfriends underneath the Whitestone Bridge, which could be gotten at through a hole in the fence behind the handball courts at Whitestone Park, build a fire in a trashcan we dragged back there, pass a cheap 40 oz of Olde E between us, taking turns reading poetry to each other by firelight to the sound of the water kissing the rocks and the cars whizzing overhead to the Bronx and back.
I thought, and think, it was romantic as hell. This case here is more sad...the guy must be feeling some serious heartache...poor dude. And now he's got John Law on his case...sometimes you're just born to lose.

Did you catch the article in NYT Sun. (none / 0) (#17)
by oculus on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 05:15:50 PM EST

Style section about the effect of Obama's grand gesture on husbands and wives who aren't the Obamas?


I did not (none / 0) (#22)
by CoralGables on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 05:44:08 PM EST

Could you steer me to it? I was rather impressed with the Broadway run. The average Joe like myself can still pull that move by using Jet Blue and getting cheap tickets at the TKTS booth in Times Square. (but gotta save that trip for when the Boones Farm at the beach isn't classy enough))


: Here you go: (none / 0) (#23)
by oculus on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 06:00:45 PM EST

NYT

Curt Cobain left the Harbor (none / 0) (#18)
by oldpro on Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 05:19:56 PM EST

for a reason.

Sheesh, Aberdeen in pink paint...