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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

The Slice Good Thing He Wears It Only When He’s Outdoors

Let’s start with the story of a boy and his magical light jacket.

One of Ginny Ressel’s kindergarten students in Sprague recently announced he has a new coat that, as he put it, “breaks wind.”

One thing Spokane has going for it: Plenty of people running small businesses who really know how to call out, “There he is,” when a regular customer walks in. (It requires just the right combination of good cheer and mock foreboding.)

It gets confusing: There are 18 employees in the machine shop at MIDDCO Tool & Equipment in Spokane. Five are named Mike.

There are five Katherines in Sue Ann Harnetiaux’s class at Hutton Elementary School.

Linda Delaney’s sixth period eighth-grade U.S. History class at Sacajawea Middle School has two Franks, two Beths, two Emilys, two Jackies, two Christophers, two Kristens and one Krista.

Kitt Fleming’s class at Balboa Elementary School has three Nicks, two Jessicas, two Melissas, two Patricks, two Ryans and one Ryne.

Follow-up: We asked why women bother trying to drag guys away from football on TV. And one reader responded with a question. “Why do you always make generalities? Believe it or not, a lot of women don’t ‘drag’ their husbands anywhere, and not all men watch football or even like the sport.”

OK, fair enough. We hadn’t really intended to suggest that all men care about football or to imply that we believe all women try to pull their husbands away from the tube.

But we know there are wives who fit that profile. And it has always amazed us that at least some of these women apparently expect their football-addicted husbands to then be pleasant company after switching off the TV under duress.

Overheard on the STA Route No. 33 bus (two high school boys talking about their love lives): “I’ve gone almost 18 years without a girlfriend.”

“That’s a long time.”

Real life in Spokane: After a teller you know and like is targeted in a bank robbery, your willingness to see even more tax money designated for prison-building tends to increase.

One Spokane first-grader’s putdown: “You preschooler.”

Failure to communicate: We heard about a 10-year-old local boy who was asked to fetch a Phillips screwdriver. He looked but then had to report, “All you have are Stanley.”

Today’s Slice question: Who around here has a blind-date story that ought to be turned into a movie?

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Drawing

MEMO: The Slice appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Write The Slice at P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; fax (509) 459-5098. The fact that you root against your ex’s favorite team doesn’t necessarily mean you need more counseling.

The Slice appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Write The Slice at P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; fax (509) 459-5098. The fact that you root against your ex’s favorite team doesn’t necessarily mean you need more counseling.