The Slice: Sure signs we’re out of touch

Sara Symons lives in Chattaroy and works in downtown Spokane, and she has noticed something during her commute.

This area’s time/temperature signs are out of control. There is zero consistency.

She wondered if there’s anything that could be done.

Sadly, Sara, there isn’t. These erratic signs are symptomatic of the Spokane area’s resistance to the concept of ‘reality.’

•Things a friend did: “When I went through eight hard sessions of chemotherapy, I would always find a cooler on my front porch the next day with a fabulous, complete homemade meal for myself and my family,” wrote Mary Jo Kane. “My girlfriend Suzanne Dolle in Cheney delivered it to my porch in the Valley. Still chokes me up.”

Those cancer treatments caused her to lose her hair. So another friend, De Scott, would show up at Kane’s door every month with a new, personally decorated hat. “They were hilarious,” said Kane. “The silliness of them was so good for me at the time.”

Rick Stillar turned 50 not long ago. His family threw a party.

One guest was “Gear Head” Gary Keyes, Stillar’s best friend since fifth grade. He arrived riding his present to Stillar. It was a 1980 Yamaha 850 motorcycle that Keyes had acquired and personally fixed up.

“He knew I had been saving money to buy a bike,” said Stillar. “What a friend.”

And a reader in Stevens County told about being hospitalized with depression back in the mid-‘80s. Someone wanted to help.

“The 4-year-old son of a good friend gave me his very favorite teddy bear,” she wrote. “I cherish that gift from the heart to this day, and never fail to get all choked up when telling (or even e-mailing) someone about it.”

•More Slice answers: “Yes, we always imitate Steve Martin’s character, Navin Johnson, in ‘The Jerk,’ when the new phone book arrives,” wrote Pamela Galloway. “The new phone book is here! The new phone book is here!”

Doreen Robbins answered the question about favorite fight songs. “Any school except USC,” she wrote.

It seems she found herself seated next to the Southern Cal band at a WSU game in Pullman a few years ago. “I fell into a stupor and lost count after I had heard it 33 times.”

Regarding the angle of sunlight at our latitude, Charlie Lee suggested we get used to it because it would be exceedingly difficult to change.

And regulars have been able to count on seeing waitresses Nancy Tedrow at the Red Lion Hotel at the Park and Kathy Sattler at the SS Beryl for 23 years.

•Warm-up questions: What local grocery cashier has to put up with the most flirting from customers? Has your employer ever pressured you to get out of jury duty?

•Today’s Slice question: What lifestyle statement does your underwear collection make?