The Slice: Feline fantasy life

Here’s a case of self-image being at odds with reality.

“As if we needed further proof that cats have the richest fantasy lives of anyone on the planet …,” Ellen Sherriffs began her story.

“My cat squirted out the door this morning when I went for the newspaper. There were 12 turkeys in the front yard so the cat went into stalking mode. What makes this ridiculous, besides the size differential, is that the cat is 18 and only sees out of one eye. He helps me keep things in perspective.”

Hey, we all need a fantasy life.

Slice answer: “You have to look no further than Eighth and Arthur to find the heart of Spokane,” wrote Sue Manfred. “The Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery (where Sue was executive director) has provided a safe loving home for thousands of Spokane’s most vulnerable and at-risk children. It was founded with private donations from the citizens of this beautiful city and remains privately funded over 25 years later. When asked by people across the country how they could replicate our success, I told them it would take a total population transplant as the people of Spokane have the biggest hearts for children that I have ever seen.”

Slice answer: Re: What you can infer from someone’s habit of placing “The” in front of freeway numbers or highway names.

Lots of readers knew. It means the speaker has lived in Southern California.

“The genesis of this curious tradition comes from the very first freeway built there,” wrote Barry Bauchwitz. “Back in the day the freeways were named for their final destination. THE Pasadena Freeway was first, followed by THE Hollywood Freeway, THE Santa Ana Freeway, etc. In the ’60s the freeways were assigned state and/or interstate numbers. The old tradition stuck. The Hollywood Freeway is the 101, Santa Ana Freeway the 5, San Diego the 405, etc. To my knowledge no other city in the U.S. uses this curious nomenclature.”

Habeas corpus: “My wife is a definite arachnophobe, and often calls me to her rescue,” wrote Joseph Long. “Unfortunately, on occasion, the offending spider escapes my grasp, leaping behind the refrigerator or a bookshelf. In those cases I still call out ‘Got it, honey.’ ”

But she’s on to him.

“She now insists on seeing the corpse.”

Today’s Slice question: Does the racial makeup of certain professional sports give minority children an unrealistic perspective on athletics as a future vocation?

Write The Slice at P. O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. What is downtown Spokane’s signature sound?