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The Slice: Don’t leave home without it

Back when cellphones were new, not all of us were quick to embrace this technology.

Then, even after we foot-draggers owned portable phones, the idea of having them with us and turned on at all times seemed, well, a bit much. Do we really need to be reachable every blasted second of the day?

But then something happens. Not all at once, but gradually, over time.

You start to feel naked without your phone. You arrive at a point where being away from it seems hopelessly disconnected and out of touch.

You ask yourself, what if someone needs to reach me about something important? What if I need to look something up?

You wonder, what if something happens right in front of me that I want to photograph?

Or maybe it’s just me.

Food drives: “When I was in Alaska last year, twice we drove over 100 miles for pie,” wrote Julie Hoseid.

“We once drove the entire North Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii, in order to have some of Tex’s malasadas,” wrote Kristine Peterson.

The pastor and porn: Lonnie Scott saw the question about movies seen in Spokane area theaters long since closed. His story is a little different.

“I was stationed at Fairchild AFB October 1974 – April 1978. Until June 1977, I was single and used to go into Spokane with friends a lot.

“One of our destinations was the Dishman theater, which at the time I was going to town with friends was known for showing older ‘family’ movies such as ‘Poseidon Adventure’ and ‘Billy Jack,’ movies I did see there.”

Key phrase there is “at the time.”

“After leaving Fairchild, my wife and I were stationed in Greece until December 1981, and we went to Portland for me to attend Bible college to study for the ministry. (I’m now the pastor at Spangle Community Church).

“About a year into attending Bible college, I was talking with three fellow students, two of them women, all from the Spokane area. I was saying how much I enjoyed Spokane when I was there, mentioning the raceway, favorite food handouts, and then said I enjoyed going to movies at the Dishman theater. They all three gaped at me, and then one of the women turned and walked away.

“I was quite confused until we cleared up what had happened to the theater after I left for Greece.”

Today’s Slice question: Spokane is the ideal test market for what product?

Write The Slice at P. O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. What are the odds the young Bing Crosby rode his bike on your street?

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