One way to get a spot out of a garment

I thought we were done with laundry disasters.

But retired nurse Kathy Higgins shared a story you might enjoy.

“I have been widowed since December of 2012. My husband, Pat, was an industrial arts instructor at Lewis and Clark High School for close to 30 years.

“He was great with wood projects, auto repair, building homes, et cetera, but not good with laundry.

“He had purchased a pair of light blue walking shorts in the late 1980s. The first time he wore them, he decided to finish a small project with white paint.

“Several days later, he discovered one drop of that paint on the front of his new shorts. We tried all of the stain-removing products available at the time with no success.

“He was determined to ‘right this wrong’ and decided to put them in a two and one-half gallon Rubbermaid bucket of water with some bleach. They soaked overnight, with no results.

“He added a bit more bleach to the solution. Still no success.

“He repeated this action for several days. I can’t remember the exact number of days it took, but the final morning he checked, the shorts had vanished except for the waistband, pockets, and several Velcro pieces floating on the top.”

Well, at least the paint spot was gone.

I asked Kathy how Pat took it. “He was upset,” she said. “To him, it was a big deal.”

Never mind that the shorts were probably purchased on sale, as Pat was known to be, what’s a nice word for this, uh, frugal.

But Kathy said her husband did get something from the experience.

“He loved telling the story.”

Stars realignment: Here’s your Slice Horoscope for the day. Remember, this is the only zodiac column written by someone who might buy something from you. It is guaranteed to be as accurate as any other astrological forecast.

Aries: Good day to get up, go to work and then come home.

Taurus: Good day to stay in bed.

Gemini: If invited, pet a cat today.

Cancer: Don’t try giving a bear a noogie today.

Leo: Don’t trust your instincts.

Virgo: A good day to mutter and flounce.

Libra: Do not make any wagers.

Scorpio: Better have that looked at.

Sagittarius: Arrive early, stay late.

Capricorn: Gird your loins.

Aquarius: Eat local.

Pisces: Get a third opinion.

Today’s Slice question: What did you learn from your divorce?

Write The Slice at P. O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. Where do you do your best thinking?