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The Slice: They see no need to give those hoofers a brake

Here’s what I don’t understand.

We’ve all heard about how plenty of Spokane drivers have a somewhat casual attitude about respecting the rights of pedestrians. But why don’t those motorists learn from their own experiences when they themselves are on foot?

But perhaps that’s just it. Maybe they never walk anywhere.

Sometimes it’s fun to push the envy buttons: So here are half a dozen things you can say to skiers who live in parts of the country where air travel is required in order to get to the slopes.

1. “Oh, yeah. There are several OK places to ski right around us. I can’t remember exactly how many. Guess I take them for granted.”

2. “Starting in late fall, my boss sometimes disappears in the afternoon and I know he has gone to get in a few runs.”

3. “Lodges? Yeah, I guess they have them. But I don’t think you understand. These places are so close we just drive home in time for dinner.”

4. “I’ve never flown with ski stuff. Is that sort of a hassle?”

5. “I don’t know. Couple dozen times a year maybe.”

6. “Snowboarding turned my son from an angry, alienated teen into an angry, alienated teen who gets some fresh air now and then.”

Slice answers: A lot of readers still call this section of the newspaper “IN Life.”

In some instances, that’s habit. But in a few cases, it’s partly that and partly something else.

“ ‘Today’ seems so mundane,” said Marilyn Othmer of Chewelah.

Today’s Slice question: If your family operated a Northwest winery, what would you call it?

A) Dancing Marmot. B) Scablands. C) Lake Something. D) Off the Grid.

E) Three Crows. F) Lost in the Woods. G) Grouch Mountain. H) Loud Children Creek.

I) Mullet Moon. J) Naysayer’s Knob. K) Unlicensed Dog. L) Usurped Grizzly.

M) Poacher Crest. N) Dropout Hills. O) Chateau Cars in the Yard. P) Sleeping Squirrel.

Q) Out in the Garage. R) Rotting Dock. S) Sixty Cats. T) Reverie River.

U) Shotgun Sunset. V) Palouse Women. W) Dick’s Winery. X) Spare a Quarter.

Y) Spendy North. Z) Other.

Write The Slice at P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; fax (509) 459-5098; e-mail pault@spokesman.com. I hereby declare today to be Sande Paulson Day.

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