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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

The Slice Nothing Keeps You Warm Quite Like A Good ‘Fleas’ Coat

Helen Kennett, music teacher at Blair Elementary School on Fairchild Air Force Base, complimented a first-grader on the softness of the jacket he was wearing.

The little boy proudly reported that it was his new “fleas” coat.

Fleas, fleece, whatever. If it feels good, wear it.

Perhaps there’s an opening: “I would like to apply for the position of ‘Sign Spelling Checker’ for the city of Spokane,” faxed Frans Keylard. “North Division alone would be a full-time job. We can’t have visiting Canadians laughing at us!”

Think green: Organizers of this year’s Spokane St. Patrick’s Day Parade want to salute all those around here either born or married on March 17. If that’s you, call (509) 922-2500.

The school district with the best first names: A Stevens County reader sent a list of Colville kids whose parents decided not to settle for Tom, Dick or Mary. “Clover, Prairie, Gypsy, Ahniwah, Kassidy, Aspen, Cedar, Starla, Talinna, Netherly, Skyler, Hunter, Basel, Tenielle, Jeddith, Misty, Damotra, Mahala, Dirk, Sierra, Abra, Helena, Lizette, Tobias, Zane, Sabera and Tor.”

A newcomer writes: “Do you want to know what I REALLY hate about Coeur d’Alene? To spell it on the phone. (When I reach ‘little d, apostrophe’ my desire to move back to Denver becomes overwhelming.) Recently I ordered a catalog. It arrived addressed to Corda, Idaho.”

Family feud: If you want to bring up a sore subject, mention smoking around the grandchildren.

You can tell Cheney’s Daniel Cheek has been spending too much time with his new computer: Because he has been double-clicking the automatic garage door opener.

Ready for the coffee house circuit: Spokane third-grader Matthew Robertson had a poem published in the February issue of Highlights for Children, a national magazine. The poem is called “Red.” And here it is:

Red is feeling mad.

Red tastes like cinnamon.

Blood, vampires and lava are red.

Red sounds like explosions and screams with sirens blasting.

Red feels hot and like when you have too much work to do.

Red feels like the thorns of a rose and smells like roses, too.

When you see a firecracker bursting and taste strawberries you have red.

Today’s Slice question: Do people whose last name is “Lake” ever stop doing double-takes when hearing references to “the lake place”?

, DataTimes MEMO: The Slice appears Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. Write The Slice at P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; fax (509) 459-5098.

The Slice appears Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. Write The Slice at P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; fax (509) 459-5098.