The Slice: There are different kinds of growing up

Sometimes kids know how to solve a problem.

First-grade teacher Anne Remien is not tall but she usually thinks of herself as an adult. Apparently though, that’s open to question.

“One of my students asked me why I hadn’t finished putting up some art work the class had done. I replied that I wanted to hang the rest up high and I was too short to reach so would finish after school. His advice was, ‘You should just get a grown-up to do it.’ ”

Anne thought that was a fabulous idea.

Another reason to wash your hands: “The primary symptom of the dreaded newspaper virus would be the propensity to inappropriately hyphenate words,” wrote Carol Stobie. “In the critical and final stages of the virus, one would actually hyphenate a word to the following page.”

And in this report from Becky Hines of Clayton, Wash., “carrier” is somewhat redefined.

“It was confirmed today by a rural carrier that one Mr. Phil H. has been confined to his recliner by nurse, Mrs. H, because he has contracted the dreaded newspaper virus.

“The carrier found Phil in his recliner with small contusions from spectacles on either side of the bridge of the nose and black streaks on all five fingers of both hands. Additionally the patient kept muttering ‘What’s the answer to 22 down?’ over and over. Carrier and nurse gently took the paper from his crippled fingers and covered him with his favorite crochet purple afghan.”

Remembering the day before: “In Saturday’s column (Sept. 10), you asked if anyone remembered what they were doing that day 15 years ago,” wrote Janet Zaborski. “I was sending an email to my siblings with the final arrangements and assignments for Mom’s surprise 60th birthday party later that week. Sent it right before I went to bed, and was giddy about how over-the-top drill sergeanty it was, giving orders and such, which is not me. It was so silly and fun when it was sent, but was going to feel so inappropriate when it was read.”

Today’s Slice question: How would you explain the fact that people in and around Spokane seem to value wide open spaces and having plenty of elbow room but at the same time are attracted, at least a few times a year, to large gatherings and big crowds of people?

A) Spokane residents crave occasional fix of homegrown hustle-bustle. B) Love-hate relationship with “the others.” C) Recessive urban gene. D) Begrudging recognition that people are our only hope. E) Other.

Write The Slice at P. O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. For your family, this was the summer of …