The Slice: Hubby learned quickly that dancing wasn’t too square

Recent allusions to square dancing reminded Sandy Tarbox of a story.

“Back in 1979, we moved to Elk City, Idaho, population 200,” she wrote. “My husband worked at the sawmill and I spent long days trapped in a hotel room with my 15-month-old daughter. Houses were scarce and took months to get.

“In a few weeks, I was so starved for adult contact and conversation that I jumped at a chance to join some of the locals for square dancing lessons.

“My husband, an Italian boy from New York City, snorted and said ‘I’m from the Bronx, we don’t square dance.’ ”

(Actually, that’s a tamed-down version of what he said.)

“Well, with a ratio of three men for every female in our remote town, Mike soon decided he’d better come along. We danced all winter and had a blast.”

The two are no longer together. But Tarbox knows her ex remembers the square dancing fondly.

“Michael still says with pride that he’s probably the only guy from the Bronx who knows how to do a whirl away with a half sashay.”

Spokane exit interview: I received a completed survey from an older Minnesota gentleman who lived in Spokane in the 1960s. His recollections were warm and positive. He seemed bright, experienced and thoughtful.

But then he jumped the rails, at least in my eyes, by going off on the news media being socialist. Of course, I would object to that, being a member of the collective and all.

Yes, after all these years of pretending to be decidedly capitalist organizations, people are finally starting to see through us.

Following up: It has been suggested by some nice, knowledgeable people that the creature-figures adorning the Chronicle Building are printer’s devils, not gargoyles.

The back-and-forth details of this could be argued to a coma-inducing extent. So let’s try this instead.

I say they’re gargoyles.

Let’s move on.

Today’s Slice question: What ever happened to the Lisa and Rick who got married in Spokane on Feb. 8, 1997?

A reader who came across a personalized matchbook from their reception wants to know.