The Slice: The name sounds familiar

One week ago, I asked how often someone with the same name as you shows up in The Slice.

I was thinking, of course, of Slice readers and their names.

But a few days later, I heard from Paul Turner. The other Paul Turner.

“Well, I have to say I think I should win this category hands down,” he wrote. “Every morning when I open the paper and go to The Slice, there is my name ‘Paul Turner’! I think we may even share the same middle initial ‘B’.

“In 1991 when I moved to Spokane I called the phone company to get my name and number in the phone book. I first said ‘Paul Turner’ and was told there already was one so I said ‘Paul B. Turner’ and was told to try again. I finally went with PB Turner.

“In 1993 when my daughter was born, an aunt from Louisiana was trying to reach me. She of course dialed ‘information’ and got the number for ‘Paul Turner’ and apparently left you numerous messages regarding the birth of my daughter. You actually put in The Slice for the ‘other Paul Turner’ to call Aunt Sandy in Louisiana. We still have that clipping in a photo album. BTW, my daughter graduates from Gonzaga in a few days!

“The other fun thing was when I was accused of having a secret savings account. My other half had gone online to check our bank balance and had somehow accessed your account. Got through that one unscathed once I pointed out a few inconsistencies and we notified the bank.

“A few years ago I thought it would have been fun to do a job rotation and see if anyone noticed. I figured after a few weeks in my job you would slit your wrists and I did not want to be blamed for that so just left things the way they were.

“Overall it has been a good experience. It is quite often that The Slice is mentioned when I hand someone my credit card or am having my ID checked. I have yet to have anyone blurt out ‘Are you that $%*^$#$#$ that writes The Slice?’.

“Keep up the great writing. It’s still one of the things we look forward to each morning.

“Paul B. Turner

“aka: The other one”

Paul, it’s an honor to share a name with a gentleman such as yourself. And I don’t say that just because your wife has demonstrated an ability to access my bank account.

Congratulations on your daughter’s graduation.

Today’s Slice question: Can you remember when drivers picked up hitchhikers?

Write The Slice at P. O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. Children are more than conjunctivitis vectors.