It Hasn’T Been The Same Since
Everybody’s afraid to say it.
But Spokane hasn’t had a clear identity or sense of purpose since the Cold War days when this city took pride in being on the Soviet’s Top 10 Targets list.
* One sentence descriptions of Spokane: “The Cleveland of the Inland Northwest.” — J.K. Linville, Coeur d’Alene
(He didn’t say whether this is a reference to that Ohio city’s downtown resurgence. For some reason, we suspect it isn’t.)
“A mere fleck of dust amidst the vast westward wagon wheel ruts.” — Pamela Stark
“Happily wandering through the mists of time.” — Anne M. O’Malley, Moses Lake
* People who know a zillion customers’ names: Wendell Peck said Mike Robb at the Iron Horse restaurant belongs on the list.
Ann Winkler mentioned Chante Fleming at CLC Associates.
And Dave Cox of Valley, Wash., sent a note about a UPS driver he knows only as “the Flyin’ Hawaiian.”
“He’s a legend around here,” wrote Cox. “He knows everybody from Colville to Loon Lake.”
* Rewriting the lyrics: A reader who lives near Cheney told about her 7-year-old grandson’s version of “America the Beautiful.”
It features the line, “Oh beautiful, for space ship skies …”
* Silliness ahead: Jan Rudnick recently had visitors from San Francisco. Her friends came up with several spin-offs from the word Spokane. They call it spocorn.
They decided someone fired from a job hereabouts could be said to have been spokanned.
Mystery novels set in the Lilac City could be called spoke and dagger.
A shady salesman in this city might be known as a spoconartist.
Respecting varied opinions could be summed up as “Different spokes for different folks.”
A dance started here? Spokankan.
An ordinance aimed at restaurants could require “No Spoking.”
John Steinbeck’s novel set here would have been “Spokannery Row.”
Local delicacy? Spoked salmon.
Spokey the Bear might promote fire prevention.
Down to earth residents could be described as simple spokes.
Hired help? Spokhands.
Getting really frightened? Spoked.
Fad similar to streaking? Showcan.
Area cowboys? Cowspokes.
Public restroom? Spocan.
Relatives in Spokane? Spokin.
After a blizzard? Snokane.
Localized cartoon sign-off? “That’s all, Spokes!”
* Today’s Slice question: Compared to other places you’ve lived, how would you rate Inland Northwest handshakes?