Here's an answer to a finish-the-sentence exercise for which I didn't have room in Sunday's Slice.

Things haven't been the same around here since ...

"Those outsiders came in with their fancy ideas," wrote Georgie Ann Weatherby. "I speak from the standpoint of BEING an outsider. I moved here from the Portland/Vancouver area in 1996 -- due to my career. I recall being at Huckleberry's not long after my arrival, inquiring about a specific type of sushi I was seeking. The store employees were very kind and helpful, but the locals in line where I stood started reminiscing about what it was like before all these 'big city folks' moved to Spokane (complete with diatribes on 'wide open spaces'). I politely mentioned that we bring revenues with us, which enriches the city. My retort was met with cold stares. There were many more incidents to follow."

My first thought? Huck's seems like an odd place to encounter that attitude. I would have guessed a fair number of shoppers there (I'm one) would do back-flips to at least affect the opposite outlook. But that was the first year the store was open, so maybe some in Spokane hadn't figured out the vibe yet.

Anyway, Weatherby went on to say she thinks Spokane is changing. "Things have brightened up a bit as this city has slowly become more diverse, but it still has a long way to go."

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