Thrill is in the chase

By Antoinette Connell | Tue, January 31, 2012 - 12:00 AM

Streakers are a fascinating lot.

A friend questioned me the other day about the mind of a streaker after the recent X-rated show at Kensington Oval.

There was no amount of money, she said, that could so move her she would feel compelled to run naked across a field in full view of a few people, far less a couple thousand, and TV cameras.

Ditto for me.

I find streaking one of the most amusing sideshows in sports, particularly the chase scene. The security officer is always in a big hurry to get to the catch-me-if-you-can streaker. But once the security officer is upon the streaker, there’s that awkward moment – particularly if it is a woman.

Both parties are now aware of the thousands of eyes upon them and the photographers going berserk.

There’s no shame in the streaker being caught – the cat-and-mouse game is really just delaying the inevitable – the real thrill, as we know, is in the chase. The real challenge now is for the pursuer to find the appropriate way to apprehend the subject.

Moments earlier, this was a perfectly sane spectator.

How did the streaker get to this point? How?

I figure that after years of posing in the mirror, the streaker finally built up enough courage to take the show on the road. Still, there must have been some small voice of doubt.

For instance, the streaker has to first remove his clothes in front of a group. But is there no one saying “that is foolishness”? Is there no one, having viewed the overall presentation, who cannot entreat the offender to put back on his clothes?

At which point did he/she look at their watch and decide this is the perfect time to begin the sprint?

Does the streaker not consider that in this Internet age the camera might possibly catch him at a bad angle – forever condemning him to a life of being mercilessly made fun of?

On Sunday, Al Gilkes in his column managed to shed some light on why you are less likely to see a black man flashing across the field. For some reason, he also seemed to have remembered the first regional streaker, but I’m not here to judge.

But back to the point where the streaker has disrobed and has begun scampering into infamy to the delight of the roaring crowd. Is there no point where he feels to turn back?

Then, there’s the moment of truth when sometimes exhaustion causes this valiant soul to give up. What is in his mind? Has he regretted the move?

Reality has to step in at some point, for as much as streaking is amusing, it is also a crime.

In most cases, the streaker gets off with a slap on the wrist having endured the indignity of public ridicule and in cases like these women can be especially vicious.

Potential streakers in England who use their bodies to advertise have been warned not to expect any mercy for the upcoming Olympic Games. Fines for such public exhibitions have been pegged at £20 000. That is 20 000 reasons not to – for some – but we may yet see the others.

Interestingly enough, according to Internet research, the first recorded case of streaking was in England as part of a bet of ten guineas (£735 today) to run naked from Cornhill to Cheapside. That was back in the the 1700s.

Antoinette Connell is the Daily Nation Editor. Email her at antoinetteconnell@nationnews.com