The Slice: That should just about cover it

A cashier gave a friend’s 3-year-old son some free stickers.

“What do you say?” his mom prompted.

The lad thought about it. Then he tentatively voiced the options that came to mind.

“Please? Thank you? I love you?”

Close enough.

“Free advice: Gary Smith thinks that when local governments or businesses contract with out-of-state pollsters to conduct market research, they ought to insist that the people who actually call area households know how to pronounce “Spokane.”

“Pet peeve: North Idaho’s Susan Boren can’t stand it when people use “issues” as a synonym for personality quirks, behavioral problems, strong reservations, et cetera.

“Recapping the college basketball season: “I’m sure I’m not the only Spokane area woman who thinks WSU basketball coach Tony Bennett is HOT, HOT, HOT,” wrote a reader named Liana. “I happen to be 53 years old, by the way. But I’m not dead.”

“Ten for Tuesday: 1. Power screwdrivers might be one of mankind’s top 10 inventions.

2. “Humans are the loudest mammals,” wrote Lan Hellie.

3. Slice reader Meredith Elsensohn thinks the river falls downtown are underpromoted.

4. Use more onions in your meatloaf.

5. Hey, if parents can’t spell baby names reasonably, the newspaper can label the newborns list “BRITHS.” (Friday’s Today section.)

6. It’s just you. Everyone else already knew about this concert ticket “presale” thing.

7. What is your yardwork mission statement?

8. Which gas station is the Inland Northwest’s friendliest?

9. Could every college student identify a most annoying classmate?

10. If you live on a street named after an Indian tribe, you ought to know a little about that tribe’s history.

“Spokane isn’t the only place that can play this game: College student Stevie Dunton said the name of the town where she grew up — Klamath Falls, Ore. — is also attached to a county, lake, river and mountain range. Well, the “Klamath” part anyway.

David Williams noted that “Shasta” is the name of a California county, town, lake, mountain, river and dam.

“Following up: “I wonder how many people believed your Dorothy Dean story,” wrote Mary Enders.

Well, that April Fool’s item was obviously a put-on. But one reader said I had made a horrible mistake and had run a picture of Rita Hayworth instead of Dorothy Dean.

“Today’s Slice question: What can you tell about a driver’s personality from the way he or she grips the steering wheel?