Arrow-right Camera
Subscribe now

This column reflects the opinion of the writer. Learn about the differences between a news story and an opinion column.

The Slice: An extra knife can’t cut the tension

Can you stand one more of these?

Of course, you can.

“In our household we have four dogs,” wrote Lauri Sippel. “They get dry food plus a bit of Greek yogurt and also a bit of wet dog food. My roommate does the food prep, and insists that he uses a different knife for each container, but I still have decided that I need to have my own container of Greek yogurt – just kind of for the ee-e-e-ew factor. He swears he uses separate knives, but I am not willing to risk it.”

The private language of families: The other day, Lynette Torres’ 2 ½-year-old grandson Ben mentioned seeing the “banana moon” up in the sky.

Chances are, he will be hearing about that at Thanksgiving many years from now.

“We will forever refer to the crescent moon as the banana moon,” said Torres.

Sort of sounds like the name of a classic short story. Or maybe a song, something languid and bittersweet, as Steely Dan once said.

Matching music to medical procedures (Part 3, featuring Pink Floyd): “Don’t forget the official song of the anesthesiologist … ‘Comfortably Numb.’” – Robert Fairfax

If Spokane, Washington, had a middle name: Pat Cadagan was among those who reminded me that it once did.

“Falls,” he said.

Another reader suggested “Bob.” You know, like Joe Bob or Jim Bob.

Except this would be Spokane Bob. As in Spokane Bob, Washington, the city of churches, crackpots and beautiful grandmothers.

Happy Monday.

Warm-up questions: What local elected official do you name as a rebuttal when confronted with someone going a tad overboard in praising the collective wisdom of Spokane area residents? Are you aware of what happens to the online version of your signed letter to the editor that ran in the print paper?

Today’s Slice question: You know how Oscar winners name people they wish to thank? Sure. Well, how do you suppose those potentially thankable people who don’t get mentioned by name feel?

Which leads to…When you have a lot of people to thank for something, what’s your approach about singling out/not singling out individuals?

Write The Slice at P. O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. There will be no Marmot Lodge meeting this month.

More from this author