The Slice Catching Up With Our Readers

Stand back. We’re dumping out a pile of reader responses.

Rick Robinson, a truck driver who lives near Newport, was our favorite of the approximately 30 entertaining “Elvises” who called us on the King’s birthday. He said the Inland Northwest has been the perfect place to hide out and find peace after all these years. We’re sending him a souvenir coffee mug from Memphis.

Another ersatz Elvis reported that Spokane is a great place to retire, “Even if you’re dead.”

In the matter of the modern equivalent of running off to join the Foreign Legion, Spangle’s Eleanor Hill offered “Moving to Southern California to sell real estate.”

Chewelah’s Mary McDonnell just said “Moving to Los Angeles.”

Moses Lake’s Clifford Hogue said “Going to Arizona to play golf.”

Marcy Tunik wrote “Paying $150/hour to discuss the situation with a psychiatrist.”

But Cusick’s Sherry Porter wins the Magic Eye coffee mug. She said “Joining a religious group to help you work through the pain of child abuse that you just discovered as a result of therapy.”

Readers said the grade schools most likely to produce problem-solving future leaders include Hamblen, Mullan Road, and Hutton.

The Spokane health club most like “Melrose Place”? Central Park and Spa Fitness led the voting.

Sue Harris said a drink called a “Double Spokane” would be made of a latte, seltzer water and Everclear. Other suggestions included prune juice and vodka.

John Linden said if the Inland Northwest came with instructions, they would say “Fragile: Handle with care.”

The difference between people who shovel snow and those who don’t? It’s NOT laziness, said Terry Aylor and Sprague’s Mary Ruud. They asserted that leaving the snow alone is far safer for pedestrians.

And Spokane’s Kathleen Melka noted that shoveling isn’t always an option for the disabled or elderly, some of whom cannot easily afford to pay someone else to do it.

Readers had more to say on the subject. But that will have to wait.

Let’s end with a note received from Moses Lake’s Marvin Williamson. We had asked why, after Bing Crosby’s death, people hadn’t started rumors that he was secretly alive. Mr. Williamson wrote: “Who cares?” Let’s make that The Slice’s motto for 1996.

Today’s Slice question: Which is more valued in the Spokane area - quantity or quality?

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Drawing of envelopes

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