Crouch-Peck, continued

While most of us were content to sit back and throw peanuts into the proverbial gallery, Ed chose a different tack–he went fishing, and got corroboration in the form of Peck’s lunch companion, West Village-based writer Linda Yablonsky:

“Are you Dale Peck?” Peck was a little flushed, but prepared. The two of them stared at each other. There was silence. Peck asked, “So what?”

Crouch didn’t know what. He then replied, “I just wanted to meet you. I just wanted to know what you were.”

Peck didn’t react. Then there was a brief beat, and Crouch slapped Peck in the face, leaving a mark.

Everyone in Tartine grew silent. The busboy cowered (which may explain why the restaurant owner knew nothing about it). Crouch said something else — what he said, Yablonsky does not know. Then he apologized and said to Peck, “Now you have something on me.”

Peck then said something along the lines of “If you hit me again, you’ll…”

Crouch then said that he shouldn’t have slapped Peck, but suggested that the two of them step outside. Peck refused and Crouch left.

As it happens, Crouch declined comment when Newsday attempted to reach him, but did say that “I think he should make the charges. If that’s what he wants to do, that’s what he should do.”