Public Masturbator at Dupont Starbucks
“Public Masturbator at Dupont Starbucks”
“It wasn’t physical abuse, but I feel very, very violated.”
Location: Dupont Circle Starbucks (1501 Connecticut Avenue, NW)
Time: Daytime (9:30am-3:30pm)
I was sitting in the upstairs corner at the Starbucks at DuPont Circle on a weekday morning for a couple of hours when I noticed that the man sitting directly across from me hadn’t turned the page of his newspaper in over an hour. I thought there was something suspicious about him when people kept coming over to him to ask to use the seat next to him (which he had his coat hanging over) and he would mumble and not look them in the eye. Also, every time I looked up he was glancing at me. I thought this was just coincidental eye contact, or maybe he was checking me out, but now I know it was something more…
When I looked closer I saw that the man was masturbating under the newspaper. He had a pink bandana he was wiping his hands with, he was about 5-7 feet away from me, and had his chair facing directly me and only me. Also, he was seated in such a way that “it” was pointed directly at me so where only I could see it, and it was hidden from the rest of the room.
I was so shocked, I got up (though was scared to because that would mean he could see more of my body), grabbed my things and flew downstairs. I told the barista working, and he said he would call the police. He asked me to stay around to identify the man, but I was so startled I just wanted to get out of there and get away.
I later called the police and they were not very helpful. They just assured me that they had sent officers over there, but would not allow me to describe the man or give any of my information to get in contact with me. It was revolting. I can’t believe I sat there for hours and didn’t notice what he was doing. I feel like I should have realized that it was suspicious that his chair was facing only me, that his glances were not coincidence. It wasn’t physical abuse, but I feel very, very violated.
Apparently this has happened at this location before. [Editor’s note: See here and here.] PLEASE be careful at this location. PLEASE say something if you see something. Let’s try to get this guy off the streets.
Submitted 2/17/14 by Anonymous.
Emphases by CASS.
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