The Slice: Mom Ears rarely need fine-tuning

So I was walking up behind a colleague sitting with her back to me.

My shoes don’t make any noise, as far as I know. And I was on sound-smothering carpet.

Yet, before I reached her, she turned to greet me.

How did she know I was approaching?

“I have Mom Ears,” she explained.

So here are my questions. Have Slice readers heard of this superpower? Is it typically used for good? What sorts of things can someone endowed with Mom Ears hear that mere mortals cannot? If mothers have Mom Ears, what do dads have?

Longtime Spokane resident Barry Smith suggested a new civic slogan: “Spokane: Near Pot, Near Potholes.”

What the birds in the nest by the door to the cat clinic (Thursday’s Slice) might have said to felines arriving in pet carriers: “Don’t even think about it.” – Tim Groh

“Is that a hairball in your throat, or are you just happy to see me.” – Kevin Fletcher

“Now who’s in the ‘bird’ cage?” – Marje Peterson

“Neener neener!” – Linda Waud

“I think the cat would recite ‘The Caged Cat Sings.’ ” – Molly Zammit

“Dead cat walking.” – Jeannie Maki

“Look what happens when you flunk out of cat obedience school.” – Paul Campbell

“Say ciao meow to the libido, Figaro.” – John R. Nelson

“Lucky you! You win today’s door prize of a free spay or neuter.” – Charlotte Applegate

“Someone tweeted me that you were coming.” – Victor Buksbazen

“This tweet’s for you!” – Larry Seiger

Speaking of birds: Rick Barth remembers hummingbirds building a nest around a porch-ceiling sprinkler head at a Forest Service ranger station in North Idaho. “Thankfully, the system never did activate.”

Then there was this from a Silver Valley friend, Janet Lake. “After seeing a bird swooping under our camper, our son and daughter-in-law investigated and found a flycatcher’s nest perched on top of one of the camper tires. Fortunately, we don’t need to move the camper for a few weeks. The chicks should have plenty of time to develop and fledge.”

Today’s Slice question: Are you gathering firewood?