THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 18, 1994 TAG: 9412160256
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 05 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 111 lines
Wednesday, Nov. 30
Clay Hill Christmas Tree Farm, Suffolk`When we moved out here, I promised my wife we would only live in that house six months,'' Buddy Wirt says.
He has nearly finished the family's new log cabin behind the small, white frame house that has been their home.
``How long have you lived here?'' the woman asks.
``Uh, too long,'' he says.
``Nine years,'' she says emphatically.
- Susie Stoughton Friday, Dec. 2.
Noon - N.C. 37, a Gates County crossroadHe is tooling happily along, going about 10 miles over the 55 speed limit. Maybe he's late for a Christmas shopping trip. He is about to be late for whatever.
A state trooper pulls him over. The men exchange pleasantries, a ticket is issued, the driver is on his way. This time he observes the 55 limit. Once he is out of sight of the officer - who knows?
- Frank Roberts
3:20 p.m. - Hallway of the municipal building, Market Street, SuffolkAman walks in the rear door and cuts through the line that snakes out of the treasurer's office and stretches down the hall.
``What's this line for?'' the newcomer asks, looking bewildered.
``Taxes,'' a woman replies.
He heads to the rear.
``Welcome,'' says the woman, who has been inching her way forward for the past 15 minutes. ``It doesn't get any better than this.''
- Susie Stoughton
3:25 p. m. - Hallway of the municipal building, Market Street`There's five women in there,'' says a man leaning against the doorway of the treasurer's office.
``And nobody's doing anything. Everyone's watching TV.''
The woman behind him turns around to a woman behind her and chuckles. ``He thinks the computers are TVs,'' she says.
- Susie Stoughton Wednesday, Dec. 7
Noon - At Finney Avenue and Main Street A female motorist waits anxiously at the intersection.
The reason for her concern?
A very large 18-wheeler is about to make a tight lefthand turn - hopefully onto Finney Street and not onto the compact station wagon she is driving.
Relief comes when the truck driver skillfully negotiates a neat turn with inches to spare on either side. Looking up to smile a grateful ``Well done!'' to the truck driver, she is surprised to discover that the adept teamster is another woman, an attractive, young brunette wearing a confident smile.
Time to stop believing all those woman-driver jokes!
Phyllis Speidell
2:25 p.m. - 800 North Main St., Suffolk The cleverly crafted Christmas tree in front of Lee Tires is sure to turn heads.
Five stacks of tires painted a bright green have been placed in a circle to form the shape of a tree. Peppermint-striped tires, which meet near the top, are coated in red and white paint. The ``silver star'' on top appears to be two shiny hub caps.
A budding artist has designed not only painted gold ornaments, but brushed on a white garland that surrounds the cone-shaped decoration.
A unique way to advertise while celebrating the season!
- Shirley Brinkley Thursday, Dec. 8
1:30 p.m. - United Way victory celebration, Crestar Bank conference room, Suffolk.`There's only one `t' in Matovich,'' says Mike Matovich as he returns to his seat with a plaque the board has given him for his work on the United Way promotional film.
``But that's OK,'' says Matovich, the city's cable TV coordinator. ``You wouldn't believe the amount of mail I get addressed that way.''
United Way officials apologize and promise to have it corrected.
Billie McClintock, however, suggests an alternative.
``Just get him to change his name so the plaque will be right,'' she says.
- Susie Stoughton
1:45 p.m. - United Way victory celebration, Crestar Bank conference room.`Lisa Mizelle called and said she needed a little poster for the United Way and would I help her,'' says John Taylor, a local artist.
`` `Sure,' I told her,'' he says.
Then Mizelle, director of the Suffolk Museum, called back, saying she needed something a little, says Taylor, explaining how the project for the United Way's kickoff luncheon evolved.
Taylor said he could handle it. Then he arrived at the Suffolk Museum ready to paint and discovered a case of foam cork board.
``Lisa said, `I need a mountain,' '' he says.
Still, he was confident he could do it. Finally, she confessed the ``mountain'' was 40 feet long, Taylor says.
``That's the whole Blue Ridge Mountain,'' he says.
- Susie Stoughton Tuesday, Dec. 13 11:30 a.m. - Booker T. Washington Elementary School
The fourth-grader watches the photographer rewind a roll of film in the camera - 13, 12, 11 . . . down to 3, 2, 1, E.
``Do you know what the ``E'' means?'' he asks her.
She thinks for a moment. ``Easy.''
Makes as much sense as ``empty.''
- Frank Roberts ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JOHN H. SHEALLY II
Watch out, kids. Santa was at First Baptist Church on Main Street to
collect gifts for needy children and, probably updating his gift
list for other children.
by CNB