One word: vagina.

That's what one prolific little graffiti tagger decided his 'moniker' would be out on the streets. So, he went about spraying it everywhere - up on billboards, low on walls, and out in everyone's face.



I gotta admit, it was funny in the beginning. At first glance, Vagina just seemed like something a fourteen year-old would spray on the wall, and then laugh with his little friends. But, there was a weird-genius about it - as if he was somehow mocking the whole graffiti genre. Eventually, it got old after vagina ended up in over 100 places around town.

When we first covered the story, it brought out all the juvenile giggles and stuff around the news room. Some stations (even to this day) refused to even SAY vagina in their coverage of the story. Tonight one reporter in town said, "...the vandalism that begins with the letters V-A-G..."

There was the usual discourse before covering the story. Do we say...'the word.' We decided to just say Vagina on air, and not dance around it. It's a clinical word, so it's okay. My reporter, Wilson and I had to say it about a million times in the news van before we had to get out and talk to people about it. Just to get it out of our system. And even then, he still had a weird little grin on his face.



Last night they caught the guy (and his friend). Who wasn't 14, but turned out to be 20. We met his parents for a moment today, and they seemed very nice. I remember hearing the father was a minister, which I guess explains all the rebellion, or whatever.

And here's what "Vagina" [aka: Paul Thomas Langston] looks like in a mug shot:



Nothing like I expected - and, at the same time: exactly what I expected.

And for one last time...

VAGINA.


That is all.