The Slice: If this car’s a runnin’, don’t bother a stealin’

Jody Hamilton’s husband was parking near the Red Lion Inn at Park when he spotted some dear friends he had gone there to meet.

“He jumped out of the car and there were hugs and greetings all around,” wrote Hamilton.

Then everyone strolled away to have lunch.

Walking back to the car about two hours later, Hamilton’s husband realized he couldn’t find his car key.

Not to worry. It was still in the ignition, with the engine running and the doors unlocked.

“What crime rate?” said Hamilton.

Eat it, just eat it: Jeremiah McKee wonders if a local street-food vendor specializing in quintessential Spokane fare might offer macaroni and cheese.

This area’s worst drivers: “Those well-meaning folks who desperately want to get out of the path of emergency vehicles but can’t make up their mind which way to move,” wrote Karen Sprague.

“Women,” said Sally Kober. “Especially the young ones up to about age 35.”

“Subaru drivers,” said Joe Jovanovich.

Reader challenge: “A rewrite of the movie ‘Chinatown’ set in Spokane would be called ‘Dog Town,’ ” wrote Sherri Crisp. “The actors would step in unpoliced dog poo; their expletives would give the movie a coveted ‘R for language’ rating.

“Employment would boom with plenty of extras being hired to play the parts of local dog walkers looking the other way, pretending they are oblivious to their dog doing his duty.”

Then there was this from Mike Cain. “ ‘Chinatown’ Spokane would be about a railway company that used political clout and absurdly antiquated federal statutes to build a huge railroad refueling depot over the Spokane Aquifer’s most vulnerable spot, and dared the region’s residents to do anything about it.”

Today’s Slice question: Does someone in your extended family have a version of “Isn’t that special,” “Well, that’s different” or “Bless her heart” that is universally understood to be a biting condemnation?