The Slice: This could be the record-breaking year

There’s no need to mention names here.

But there are, in our midst, people who regard Halloween as a faith-based occasion.

That is, even though the trick-or-trick turnout at their residences has been meager for years, they live in hopes that one of these Halloweens a clamoring crowd of costumed kids will arrive at their porch in festive waves.

Maybe, for instance, Tuesday night.

The spouses or significant others of these true believers can only shake their heads and sigh. Not gonna happen, they might mutter as their wide-eyed life partner excitedly says things like “What if we get a rush?”

Oh sure, in certain instances, some of this might be a ruse designed to rationalize purchasing ludicrous amounts of high fructose conveyances. But some of this hope is sincere.

And you know, maybe this will be the year.

Slice answer (the stoic heroism of baby boomers as children): “Not only could we not watch one program and record another, we could not fast forward through all the commercials,” wrote Glenn Winkey, a retired Spokane police officer.

But just because you couldn’t zip through the commercials doesn’t mean you actually watched them. Glenn explained.

“Baby boomers used to have their bathroom breaks and fluid consumption down to an art, and timed to the length of commercials.”

Complete this sentence: “The thing that I simply don’t give a rip about but The Spokesman-Review seems obsessed with is ….”

This date in Slice history (1995): There’s still time to get it fixed in your mind.

Remember, when driving over smashed pumpkins, turn into the skid.

Just wondering: What happened after that one person in your family who held everything together died? Did others step up and maintain the connections or was a growing estrangement inevitable?

Slice answers: In the matter of what to order when meeting someone for coffee if you do not drink coffee, readers presented several options.

“Hot chocolate,” said Dennis DeMattia.

“Iced tea in summer, hot tea in winter,” said Darlene Norton.

“Water,” said Edgar Lincoln.

And Sue Swanson’s order is always the same. “A mug of hot water, with room for ice.”

She usually leaves a nice tip. “I’ve got money since I don’t spend it on coffee.”

Today’s Slice question: Assuming you have the financial resources to make it an option, what’s the one thing keeping you from becoming a snow bird?

Write The Slice at P. O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. How gross does your workplace refrigerator have to get before the office administrator sends out a scolding email?