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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

The Slice A Few Signs Of Life In Our Fair City

Maybe these are signs of the times.

Mike Lynch smiles when he sees the North Side billboard next to the religious books and supplies store. You know, the one pitching “Witches, Warlocks and Wigs.”

And Tom Sofio gets a kick out of the Spokane street sign pointing toward the jail. The one that says “Dead End.”

Slice answers: It’s not really a ticket stub, which was what we asked about. But several readers said Bloomsday numbers would rank as the most-saved reminder of a local event. Others mentioned stubs from various final games and concerts at the Coliseum and inaugural events at the Arena. And a couple of readers nominated Expo ‘74 season passes.

A caller named Jim said firefighters wear the coolest hats.

Readers told about several failed attempts to get out of traffic tickets. One Newport woman informed an Idaho state trooper that she was speeding because, when she saw his headlights behind her, she feared it was someone trying to catch up to her and rob her.

Another guy tried saying he shouldn’t get a ticket because he was just returning a repossessed car.

Stories that for some reason did work included telling an officer that the stop signs in his state were a different size than the driver was used to seeing, prompting the cop to laugh. And a woman pulled over on a narrow highway got away without a citation when the officer leaned through the open passenger’s-side window and the woman’s 18-monthold daughter in a baby seat reached up and grabbed him by the nose.

Nominations for the most demoralizing public restrooms included Riverfront Park by the gondolas, Minnehaha Park, the East Sprague Cinemas, Newberry’s at U-City, Manito Park and the ones by the football field in St. Maries.

Then there was this, from a reader who wishes to remain anonymous: “You were wondering about demoralizing restrooms? Well, one of the most gorgeous restrooms in all of Spokane is the ladies room at Ankeny’s. However, the smoked-mirror ceiling makes it possible to look up for a bird’s-eye view of the interior of the toilet stalls. I first became aware of this the time I was wearing a jumpsuit and looked up to see my nearly naked reflection.”

And Betty Lans said that if Spokane and Coeur d’Alene were married, people would say “It couldn’t happen to a nicer couple.”

Today’s Slice question: Who is the scariest person in Spokane?

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Drawing

MEMO: The Slice appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Write The Slice at P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; fax (509) 459-5098.

The Slice appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Write The Slice at P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; fax (509) 459-5098.