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The Slice: Relating to the Tin Man or Iron Man

Let’s talk about living with metal body parts.

“Having a stainless steel plate and 11 screws holding my ankle together, I have to say the best thing about having metal parts is that I don’t have to rely on Tom Sherry to get the weather report,” wrote Ed Simpson. “And the worst thing about it … not having to rely on Tom Sherry to get the weather report.”

Robert Diedrich wrote, “Every time you fly, every time, you are patted down and searched (if there is no X-ray). After a while, if you fly often, it gets old.”

Kirsten Fehlig wrote, “My shoulder has three large screws in it to hold it together and whenever there is a lightning storm it tingles and feels like ants crawling.”

And Bonnie Narrance shared this. “I am 80 years old, walk with a cane, have two replacement hips and two replaced knees. I have been searched all over my body every time I fly. I have missed one flight because the TSA took so long searching me. Seldom fly anymore. What a raw deal.”

I asked Bonnie if the TSA folks had ever bothered to explain why relying on profiling (which, logically, would make the airport experience easier for her) has inherent risks.

“No,” she said. “Not ever.”

“Beware of …” signs: Spokane could use more “Beware of Turkeys” signs, said Valerie Adams.

Favorite airport in the West: “Kahului Airport on Maui,” wrote Don Hartvigsen. “I would go there any day.”

“Felts Field,” wrote Charlie Greenwood. “They’ve got the Skyway Cafe which is full of memorabilia and the ceiling fans look like dive bombers.”

And Jeanne Kalbfleisch offered this. “My favorite airport is GEG, Spokane International. Upon departure, I’m full of excitement about new adventures ahead.”

But it never fails that, when her trip has concluded, she’s glad to come home.

The difference between HGTV and reality: “What takes an hour to view on HGTV takes months of dirty, dusty work,” wrote Cindy Matthews, who is five months into a supposedly simple renovation of her own. “Endless decisions, trips to suppliers, showrooms and home shows. Constant adjustments to the master plan, and budget, and unpleasant, expensive surprises.”

Warm-up question: Which local colleges use these slogans?

“Start something big.”

“This is where potential expands.”

The answer is down below The Slice contact info.

Today’s Slice column: Are you old enough to remember when newspapers were rife with casual racism?

Write The Slice at P. O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. EWU uses the first one, GU the second.

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