The Slice: Let’s just call it thirtysomething

Mitch Kemple could relate to Tuesday’s question about forgetting how old you are.

The other day, he was out in the yard answering a Census worker’s questions. The data collector asked him his age.

“My mind went blank,” said Kemple. “I answered ‘35,’ looked up at him and said ‘Wait, I am 36, no 35.’ ”

Kemple saw his sister and asked her. She said, “You’re 37, no wait, 36.”

“The Census worker looked at me again and I gave him a puzzled look.”

About then, Kemple’s wife and kids came outside. So he asked his wife.

But before she could provide the correct answer – 36 – Kemple’s 6-year-old son helpfully volunteered that his dad is 13.

Sunday quiz winner: Quite a few readers went online and found Dr. Carl Schlicke’s fine account of “The Robinson Affair.”

It’s the story of how, some 80 years ago, Dr. William W. Robinson broke with tradition and testified against another Spokane surgeon in a malpractice case. Subsequently ostracized by the local medical community, Robinson filed a slander suit against several of the pre-eminent physicians in the city.

That eventually led to a settlement in Robinson’s favor. He went on to found the original Rockwood Clinic.

I’m sending the coveted reporter’s notebook to Ruth Birch because she said she really wanted one.

Slice answers: Most respondents were against the idea of reinstituting bridge tolls in Spokane. “NOOOOOOOO!” wrote Nancy Kiehn.

But Curt Olsen, among others, suggested installing bridge trolls.

Stores readers would like to see here include: Dillard’s, IKEA, Fleet Farm, In-N-Out Burger, Fry’s Electronics and Trader Joe’s.

Today’s Slice question: Why do some who could easily afford an energy-efficient automatic dishwasher continue to do that chore by hand?