The Slice: This discount can wait 11 years

Pete Black was watching his order being rung up at a South Hill fast-food place.

He noticed the guy at the register tap in a few final keystrokes which resulted in a small deduction from the total charge.

Black asked about it. The cashier told him it was a senior discount.

Black noted that he is not a senior. The cashier replied, “We give it to 55-plus.”

“But I am only 44,” said Black.

“Close enough,” said the cashier.

Alive and kicking: “You know you’re getting old when you receive a no-nonsense guide to the benefits of advance funeral planning from your local funeral home,” wrote Karen Botker of Hayden. “For goodness sake! My honey is only 53 years old! Do they know something we don’t know?”

Little League memories: “It was at least 53 years ago that I tried out for Little League,” wrote Arlin Migliazzo, a college professor. “I knew I would be the next Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays, patrolling center for the team. Unfortunately, those were the days when underachievers were shown the door. I can’t even remember if I survived the first cut. Willie and Mickey had nothing to fear from me.”

But life went on.

“A few years later, now in upper elementary school, I played a pivotal role in turning a triple play during P.E. Though not technically a Little League memory, I thought you would like to know that it should have been Maury Wills watching his back in the early ’60s.”

Alisa Cook’s story is a little different.

It was about 50 years ago, in tiny Pine City, Wash. She was sitting behind the backstop watching her brother play on a Little League team she thinks their dad might have helped coach.

“A fly ball popped up and over the top of the backstop finding my nose,” said the Spokane nurse.

She didn’t cry.

Because of that, years later, people would remind her that she had been a tough little girl.

Today’s Slice question: Does every workplace with more than 10 employees have someone who thinks she is Mary Richards and everyone else is a Rhoda?