An Oklahoma drunk was hauled off by Ardmore police after local Girl Scouts reported he tried to negotiate a deal: vodka for cookies.
Young girls with the local Girl Scouts were selling cookies inside a mall off Commerce and 12th streets around 3:30 p.m. Saturday, when they reported a middle-aged man stumbled up to their booth reeking of booze and offered an inappropriate proposal.
“They were trying to sell their Girl Scout cookies and apparently a male subject approached them, asked them if he could trade vodka for Girl Scout cookies,” Ardmore Police Capt. Keith Ingle told KXII.
Ingle said officers identified the subject as 45-year-old Jerry Swanson, who was allegedly so intoxicated he could hardly stand up straight.
“He didn’t have anything to say about it, he didn’t even know what they were talking about,” Ingle said. “He was unsteady on his feet and basically had to place him in the police car … barely able to walk.”
Police report none of the girls were harmed in the incident, though several locals were disgusted by the situation.
“I think he’s very insane in the brain for him to come up to some kids and say some stuff like that, ya know,” Kashia Hutson said. “So thank God he was able to … get moved out of the way.”
Others at the mall agreed. Kylie Dixon and Angel Sanchez told KXII young kids shouldn’t have to worry about roaming drunks or creepers in a public place.
“These kids should feel safe here. They go trick-or-treating here,” Dixon said. “This is the way it should be, they should be able to post up and sell some cookies, not worry about people and the fear of creepy men.”
Swanson was not in possession of alcohol at the time of his arrest, presumably for public intoxication, officials said.
“You shouldn’t say things like that to underage kids … even if you are joking,” Ingle said.
Swanson’s antics generated quite a discussion on social media, with many folks poking fun at his plight.
“I mean … are we talking plastic bottle or top shelf here cause those thin mints are top shelf and if he tried to pass off filtered cheap stuff, I’d call the fuzz too,” Daryn Rodriguez posted to Facebook.
“Seems like a fair trade,” Kevin Head joked. “You know one of the parents was like hey, let me talk to ya over hear real quick lol!”
“The struggle is real #thinmintjunkie,” Shala Wood added.
Others alleged it wasn’t the first time Swanson had approached people at the mall with disturbing suggestions.
“A few years ago my daughter was waiting in the line for the bathroom and he asked my 10-year-old daughter if she wanted to go with him to ride his magic bike at Braums,” Scott-Sally Hunley wrote.
“I told … my husband about the exact same man making rude comments to women that worked at the mall,” Cristal Jackson added. “How scary is that.”
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