By: Daiyu Tang
There are days when journalism involves homicide, HPD corruption, gunfire and the careful reconstruction of events nobody particularly wants to remember. Like when that cop pissed on my office floor…
Then there are days when you are standing around Columtreal University, mildly bored, and two attractive people wander past naked (a much better day right?)
Naturally, I had my camera.
Before anybody writes an angry letter about the collapse of Observer journalistic standards, there was considerably less scandal here than the photographs might suggest. What appeared at first to be spontaneous campus streaking had begun with a lost bet, a little bravado and the apparently irresistible logic that if you are already naked beside a taco truck, you may as well commit properly to the theme. TACO TUESDAY!
“I lost a bet, and I’m proud of my body, so here I am, flaunting it and enjoying life.”— One participant explains the afternoon
Her companion proved equally unconcerned by the sudden arrival of a photographer, casually explaining that being in front of a camera was hardly unusual when she already streamed on OnlyFans.
Their male friend showed rather better survival instincts. Having spotted an unknown woman (how am I still unknown these days!) with a camera, he declined invitations to join the nudity until he knew exactly who was behind the lens.
Which, regrettably for everybody’s dignity, was me.
Once I introduced myself as being from the Hathian Observer, the conversation became less about public indecency and considerably more about whether photographs of the whole ridiculous scene might actually make the newspaper.
I did point out that publication would involve censoring anything our more delicate readers (lol Krystal) or their employers might reasonably object to seeing over breakfast. One participant nevertheless gave an enthusiastic “go for it”, while the other seemed considerably more interested in the possibility of turning the whole affair into proper artistic photography at the Performing Arts Centre.
So here we are.
Nobody was hurt. Nobody appeared distressed. Nobody was being coerced and, once everyone understood that a journalist rather than a random voyeur was holding the camera, consent to publication was actually discussed rather than assumed.
Columtreal, mercifully, gave me something gentler in this story: a lost bet, a public dare, a taco truck, two people remarkably comfortable without clothes and one man sensible enough to keep his on (maybe sadly… yum)
Sometimes the news can simply be silly.
And after the week I’ve had, I’ll take it.
