The Slice: Let’s hope he’s still holding doors open

Paul Turner is taking some time off this summer. In his absence, we’re diving into the archives here at Slice Central. Today we revisit Aug. 2, 2005.

Good manners can be hit or miss. A few days ago, Arlene Stromberger was headed into a fabric store on East Sprague when she noticed a preschool boy holding the door open for his mom, who was pushing a baby girl in a stroller.

This young gentleman then continued to hold the door for Stromberger. And she complimented him.

So he explained his policy: “I do it for old ladies, too.”

Thanks a lot, kid.

Stromberger is 55.

When pop culture attacks: The following email arrived after The Slice asked about the burden of sharing a name with a movie character.

“My name is Luke Green, I’m 15 years old and I speak on behalf of Lukes all over the world. This is just a message for all those people who think they are clever when they are introduced to me and say, ‘Luke, I am your father.’ 

“Please stop.

“I mean, do these people actually think that they are the first people ever to say that to me?”

Luke offered a few more words on the subject before signing off. But he added a postscript.

“Oh yeah, may the force be with you.”

Newport truck driver Stuart Little hears a lot about the famous mouse with the same name. One time, a young boy called him and asked if he was the real Stuart Little. (The human Stuart played along.)

Another time, a telemarketer was so amused by the name that he practically forgot about trying to sell something.

And there was a time when Carol and Ted Hilderman heard a lot of references to “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice,” a movie they’ve never seen.

Slice answer: One reader said she wished co-workers would not assume that people at the office want to hear about spouses’ views on every topic.

Mangled Sayings Department: “My former husband unknowingly came up with the best one I’ve ever heard,” wrote Molly Cook.

He said, “There’s no use beating your head against a dead horse.”

And Shauna Linde’s father has been known to say, “It’s a mute point.”

Three for Tuesday: 1. Jeri Hershberger once had a hospital roommate who was whacked out on pain meds. The woman stayed up all night, insisting that her cat was under her bed.

2. Ina Redd estimates that, over the past two years, she has lost her watch (and then found it again) 17 or 18 times.

3. A friend who sees a lot of driver’s licenses said Californians seem to wind up with the most flattering pictures.

Today’s Slice question: What if, instead of being the darlings of practically every “Best Places” list, the Northwest’s two big cities had images more like, say, Buffalo and Baltimore? What would that mean for Spokane?