The Slice: Smitten salesgirl gave card crook more credit than he deserved

South Hill’s John Sayles learned someone had been using his lost credit card when a flirtatious note from a salesgirl arrived at his home.

“She hoped maybe we could get together sometime,” said Sayles. “Apparently the thief was smooth with the ladies.”

His wife was the one who first saw the note, though. So Sayles had a bit of explaining to do.

The fact that he had been out of town at the time the local purchases were made helped his case. “Also, she was quite sure the real me wouldn’t have been that big of a hit.”

•A friend writes: “So I was getting a sandwich at this deli and the song ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ came on and a woman behind the counter, who seemed to be about my age (40s), burst into laughter at the sound of that singer’s overwrought voice.

“It made me start laughing, but the girl who was helping me didn’t seem to get the joke. A generational thing, I assume, although anyone could hear that voice and laugh. Anyway, I thought there might be a Slice question in there somewhere.”

Hmmm. Maybe there is.

How about this: Are you now terrified that you are going to start your week with 1983’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” stuck in your head?

Well, if that’s the case, I just have one thing to say: Turn around, bright eyes.

•Speaking of old songs: A colleague suggested that ’60s oldies are piped out to the area near the entrance to River Park Square to discourage teenagers from loitering there.

•When going through the pockets of clothes you haven’t worn in a while: “I find what I find in any pocket of any garment – a couple of plastic bags and a baggie of dog treats,” wrote Marty Mullen of Pullman.

•Speaking of pets: Here are a few potential names for dogs or cats, inspired by the fact that it is Easter week and the great Charlton Heston version of “Ben-Hur” turns 50 this year:

Judah Ben-Hur, Sheik Ilderim, Balthasar, Quintus Arrius, Messala, Sextus, Tirzah, Rower No. 42.

•Speaking of names: What’s your theory about the real reason local hospitals have declared an intention to no longer share birth notices with the newspaper?

•Something that made accountant Mary Cayer cry: “Seeing a crib mattress, colorful blankies and huge stuffed panda bear among the furniture and clothing strewn on the curb in front of a duplex.”

•Today’s Slice question: What percent of the parties you attend are for co-workers who have left your company?