Even in San Francisco
• Zealots, Crusaders, Pests
The Castro in San Francisco is possibly the most famous gay neighborhood in America.
One shop has a Balinese teakwood sculpture of a naked man with an eight inch penis in the window. For a time the penis was hidden but the owner wanting to get the $3,800 he's asking for it decided to let all of the work be visible in his shop window.
[The police told the shopkeeper] that the item violates certain city codes and is considered to be pornography. Hedric said he was told if he didn't cover up or remove the piece he would be cited and the piece possibly confiscated. Once again Hedric used the loincloth to obscure views of the wooden phallus but the police visited the store to inform him the covering was inadequate.
"I complied immediately, but I had 1-inch of the tip of the penis showing. The police came and said I need to really cover it up completely," said Hedric, who is using the penis tip to hang the piece's price tag. "I am puzzled and disturbed. Somehow I am in disbelief over the whole thing."