The Slice: A different way to measure our city

Sometimes it’s funny how pride in Spokane manifests itself.

A colleague shared some entertaining observations a journalist friend of hers had written about riding the bus to work in Seattle. The vignettes featured passengers engaged in various sorts of sketchy behavior.

My colleague showed me these snippets because I occasionally write about riding the No. 43 bus here in Spokane and might enjoy comparing notes. She was right.

We joked that the SR features section could run our tales of bus riding side-by-side. I noted it might have a Country Mouse/City Mouse flavor.

A bit later, I found myself second-guessing what I had said and feeling defensive on Spokane’s behalf. With all the maturity of a petulant little kid snapping “Oh, yeah!” I started recalling moments of strange behavior on Spokane buses.

Call it perverse civic pride.

I know. That’s an insane category to be competitive about.

But here’s the thing. Anyone who has lived in Spokane for any length of time eventually runs into people who only begrudgingly grant that we are even a city. That’s ludicrous, of course. But perhaps no more nuts than the urge to cite sketchy behavior on STA buses among our urban bona fides.

Yes, Spokane has numerous wonderful attributes. But sometimes, when confronted with the notion that this city is just an overgrown Hooterville, one can experience a very real urge to tout the fact that all sorts of bad or weird things happen here.

Or perhaps it’s just me. After I moved here from Memphis 30 years ago, I would occasionally find mind myself in conversations about crime in Spokane. If asked for a perspective, I often said the same thing.

I would say that the worst, most dangerous neighborhood in Spokane would not even make the dicey-district playoffs in much larger Memphis. Not even close.

Eventually I wised up and stopped saying that. I realized it was as if I were suggesting Spokane is not a real city.

Those who have never lived in sometimes overlooked, often underdog cities might not understand.

But residents occasionally feel the need to mention the bad stuff when there is some doubt that we are a real city, with real city problems.

It’s a strange affirmation, I’ll grant you.

Oh, and that iffy behavior I’ve observed on STA buses? It’s nothing to write home about.

Mostly I see people minding their own business and looking at their phones. You know, city scenes.

Today’s Slice question: What did you break when you fell on some ice last week?

Write The Slice at P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. How long can two people work in the same office without ever actually meeting?