THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 28, 1996 TAG: 9601260187
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 123 lines
Saturday, Jan. 21
8:15 p.m. - Food Lion store in Kempsville.
Four youngsters have queued up in the express lane, two girls in front and two boys behind. None appears to be older than 12 or younger than 8.
The two boys each clutch a box of Slim Jims, and the oldest lugs a 2-liter bottle of fruit punch.
The girls hold single serving-size bags of Funyons and potato chips and the oldest lays down a small box of birthday candles.
All four children hold $1 food stamps.
As the clerk rings up the girls' purchases together, he realizes their currency.
``You have to have 75 cents for these,'' he says, holding up the candles. The nonfood purchase just won't do.
The girls look at each other then at the boys behind.
``I don't have no money,'' the oldest boy tells the oldest girl.
The clerk gives them a few more seconds to ponder their dilemma, then deletes the candles from their total.
The hopes they had for their birthday celebration grow a little dimmer as they head out the door bearing only their snacks.
- Kevin Armstrong
Tuesday, Jan. 23
8:30 a.m. - Princess Anne Road.
Two men pull up in a red convertible with the top down at Creeds Food Market.
The thick fog and low temperature are not compatible with the springy look. Looking rough and cold, the two walk in the market and head straight for the food area.
After they order coffee, an older man looks up and asks, ``So, what part of Florida you boys from?'
As everyone laughs, one of the two men tries to explain why the top is down.
Not really caring about their car malfunctions, the older fellow speaks up again, ``I know, you all heard it was going to be 68 degrees today so you wanted to get a jump on it!''
- David B. Hollingsworth
9:53 p.m. - Columbus Center area parking lot.
A Norfolk resident in his early 20s and a friend head toward Barnes and Noble, where the driver says he has a book of poems on hold. As they walk across the lot, he reminisces about his days as a Virginia Beach resident - nearly a year ago.
``Man when I used to live out here, this was my spot to hang out,'' he says about the bookstore and neighboring Planet Music. ``I'd grab a stack of CDs and listen for a while then come over here grab some magazines, some coffee and I'd be set. It was so cool. I miss it.''
- Larry W. Brown
11:45 a.m. - Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
A spotting scope is set up on the deck of a Sandbridge home aimed across the water at a stand of trees on land owned by the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
A Back Bay refuge official is trying to focus in on a pair of American bald eagles, which have returned for the third year to nest and bear their young.
But Ole Friis Larsen, a visiting Danish journalist who has never seen an eagle, spots them first with less powerful binoculars. One, presumably the male, is resting in the crook of some branches. Another, presumably the female, is resting in a nest the two are building.
``Beautiful,'' Larsen says.
Even though Larsen journeyed to the United States to study American newspapers, he admits he's more impressed with American birds.
``This is the highlight of my American trip,'' says Larsen, who also toured the refuge snapping pictures of snow geese and blue herons.
An avid birder, the editor from Copenhagen purchased a book that identifies more than 400 bird species. He says his country has only about 15 of those birds listed.
Larsen has friends who have visited the United States five times in hopes of seeing an eagle. They were never successful.
``They'll never believe this,'' he adds.
- Debbie Messina
Wednesday, Jan. 24
10 a.m. - A Virginia Beach Boulevard office.
``Is that the latest style?'' a male co-worker asks with a smirk as he stares at an office mate.
The subject of his scrutiny, a woman, dressed in a fashionably long skirt, a matching sweater, businesslike gold earrings and with carefully coiffed hair, glances up at him and then down at the focus of his attention - her shoes.
One is shiny black. The other is tan.
- Melinda Forbes
11:30 a.m. - Laskin Road.
A black Volvo's license plate leaves no doubt about the station wagon's precious cargo: 3 TOEHDS.
- Mary Reid Barrow
7 p.m. - Carolanne Farm section.
A reporter is running late and having trouble finding the address he is looking for. Parking in front of a house, he goes to the door.
He rings the bell, is greeted by the lady of the home, identifies himself and asks if he has, in fact, arrived at the correct home.
``No, they live next door,'' the woman says, then adds, ``You know, I think it's a terrible shame what they did to Dr. Duane.''
The man, caught off guard, is polite. He thinks maybe she has misunderstood him, that she thinks he works for a local television station.
He explains that he and the TV weather man work - or worked - for different companies.
The woman understands this and is friendly, but adamant in her support of the deposed Dr. Duane Harding.
``I know,'' she says and goes on to explain that there will be continued complaints about the way she says the meteorologist was mistreated.
- Gary Edwards
Thursday, Jan. 25
8 a.m. - Chesapeake Bagel Bakery.
``W hat a week for television,'' says a man as he waits for his bagel with a schmear.
``We had the President's State of the Union address one night and the state of O.J. address the next.''
- Melinda Forbes ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by STEVE EARLEY
Basketing in the sun
A warm Tuesday afternoon sun brought out a bunch of teenagers -
mostly students from Salem High School - for an afternoon basketball
game on Chesire Forest Court.
by CNB