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The Slice: They’re really out there
There is a competition in Spokane each summer.
Parents who tend to be reasonably well-off try to top one another by listing the far-flung exotic and consciousness-raising places their kids visited.
But The Slice has it on good authority that Spokane’s version of this one-upmanship is tame compared to the competition in Pullman.
Speaking of parents talking about their kids: A friend noted last week that listening to local moms and dads boast about their grown kids having moved away to various exciting cities can get old.
Sure, high-achieving children leaving for greener pastures is a time-honored migratory pattern. But let’s hope it hasn’t gotten to the point where parents here feel that they (or their children) are failures if the kids stick around or perhaps come back after college.
Yes, certain opportunities exist elsewhere that might not be found in abundance here. Obviously, there’s nothing wrong with taking a great job in San Francisco or the Twin Cities or moving with a spouse to Denver.
Still, Spokane can use energy and ideas. We all benefit from fresh perspectives informed by a deep-roots relationship with this city. So let’s not train young people to believe that success inherently means getting the heck out of here.
Maybe certain parental ego needs could be satisfied by being able to say, “It turned out that my kids didn’t need to be a thousand miles away from me to be happy. Who knew?”
Just wondering: What record album did you almost play the grooves off? I’ll open the bidding with 1971’s “Who’s Next.”
Bear with me: A couple of airline employees working at a customer service counter at Spokane International Airport discussed lunch plans. One of them mentioned the restaurant Panda Express.
In the spirit of friendly banter, he then asked a Louisiana-bound passenger if they had Panda Express down in New Orleans.
“No,” said the passenger. “It’s primarily American and Delta.”
Today’s Slice question: If Elvis was alive and residing in the Inland Northwest, where would you find him?