The Slice: Lost highway probably ruined his trip

It was a case of here today, gone today.

To make way for a reroofing, a tree-trimmer had snipped a few limbs off a big maple draped over a one-story South Hill house. A few hours later, a puzzled squirrel could be seen up on that same roof. Clearly the animal wondered what had happened to the aerial arterial that had been there just that morning.

There’s no telling what the bewildered rodent concluded. But it’s hard to resist trying to guess.

A) “Man, I’ve got to stop drinking.”

B) “Is this an episode of ‘The Twilight Zone’?”

C) “Apparently someone has mistaken me for Rocket J. Squirrel.”

D) “Is this a trick?”

E) “Did that cat have something to do with this?”

F) “Shouldn’t there be a detour sign?”

•Trying to pick up the scent: Bill Hochstatter wanted to figure out which publications were selling their mailing lists and to whom. So he used his dog’s first name for certain subscriptions.

•Janis Ian, Dave Alvin, Psychedelic Furs, Lindsey Buckingham: What singers or bands are on your list of small-venue performers who appeared in Spokane that you wish you had gotten up off the couch and gone to see?

•Can you believe: That when we note the moon-landing anniversary next year it will have been 40 years?

(If you want to go ahead and acknowledge the 39th anniversary, it is a week from Sunday.)

It has been called the greatest technological achievement of all time. Of course, if you weren’t around then and think nothing important happened before you were born, you might be tempted to rank it behind the popularization of the graphical user interface.

That, of course, would be proof that you are an idiot. But we all have our crosses to bear.

In any event, The Slice’s favorite movie dealing with the moon landing is a 2000 Australian film called “The Dish,” which I’ve mentioned before. Check it out. If you don’t always require car chases and cleavage, you’ll like it.

•Speaking of space flight: If you take into account the original series and all of the spin-offs, what was your favorite “Star Trek” episode?

Me? I’d certainly put “Darmok” from “Star Trek: The Next Generation” in the top five. And maybe “Blink of an Eye” from “Star Trek: Voyager.”

•Full disclosure: I am working on a fairly decent farmer tan, but I have to admit I sometimes get confused about sorghum and silage.

•Today’s Slice question: Inspired by the book “365 Nights: A Memoir of Intimacy,” a reader suggested that The Slice ask what couple around here has engaged in marital relations on the most consecutive days.

Um, OK. Consider it asked.