Glenrock, Wy – An incident which can only be characterized as unusual took place last month at the Edgar J. Herschler Memorial Rest Stop just outside of Glenrock on the northbound side of Interstate 25.
According to documents obtained from the Wyoming Department of Highway Safety via a Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) request, the incident occurred in the men’s room at the rest stop.
All details of the incident are not readily available within the documents, as several words, sentences, and even whole paragraphs of the report are blacked out. Even still, the basics of the incident remain free of redaction.
At approximately 1:30 pm Mountain time on the 27th, two men walked into the restroom within a minute of each other. As they both proceeded to use the urinals, one man initiated a conversation with the other man with a greeting known to be standard in a Wyoming men’s room. “Man, this water is cold.”
The breach in etiquette occurred when the other man did not respond with the requisite statement; “Deep, too.”
The rest stop was named for Wyoming’s only three term governor shortly after his passing in 1990. Herschler was a strong advocate for the preservation of the customs and practices which trace their origins to the great plains state.
Last month’s incident in a restroom named after the late governor presents a challenging faux pas for the Herschler legacy. A spokesman of the Herschler museum in Kemmerer, Wyoming released a statement prepared by the governors family.
“It’s sad, especially on what would have been the late governor’s 93rd birthday, that gentlemen today fail to hold to the customs, practices, and traditions established by the pioneers who made the great state of Wyoming their home. We can only hope the gentleman involved in this unfortunate event was from out of state, and unfamiliar with proper behavior in Wyoming public restrooms.”
The man who initiated the conversation has refused to provide any commentary about the incident, short of comparing the event to putting his hand up to someone else in expectation of a high-five, only to not have it returned.
The other man has yet to be located, however Wyoming State Police continue to investigate the matter in order to determine if any charges should be filed.