THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 11, 1996 TAG: 9602090180
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 125 lines
Thursday, Feb. 1
4 p.m. - Virginia Beach SPCA.
An employee notices that a small wooden duck decoy is missing from the rustic dried flower arrangement that decorates the ladies restroom at the animal shelter. The duck, nestled among the flowers, had been securely glued into place, the employee notes.
``Somebody must have stolen it,'' she says. ``People have been bringing in dogs to us all day and here somebody goes and steals our duck! That's enough to give folks like us a chuckle.''
- Mary Reid Barrow
Friday, Feb. 2
5 p.m. - Farm Fresh on Laskin Road.
The grocery store is jammed with people anxiously loading up for the winter storm. The parking lot is full, the shopping carts are all in use, the checkout lines are backed up a dozen deep.
There's a horde of maniacal shoppers in the store when suddenly the lights go out.
Voices from every aisle howl in unison. ``OH NO!'' is the group moan, as everyone suddenly realizes that no power means no one can check out.
The store is strangely quiet and very dark as shoppers begin nervously chatting with each other, deciding whether to leave or wait for the lights.
After 15 minutes or so, the decision is made for them. ``We're asking everyone to leave the store,'' says an employee. ``We can't get our generator on. It's going to be a long time before we have power,'' she tells a group of women who have parked their full carts by a frozen food case.
``What about all this stuff; what about the frozen things,'' asks a woman, casting a longing eye toward her towering cart.
``Just leave them,'' says the employee. ``We'll take care of it. It's our responsibility.''
- Melinda Forbes
Saturday, Feb. 3
5:30 p.m. - Windsor Woods.
Half of the neighborhood has been without power since about 6:30 a.m.
Hopes rise and residents have visions of warm chocolate chip cookies and heated homes when a big red and gray Virginia Power truck finally makes a turn onto the street.
``They're here! They're here!'' announces a woman, reporting on the truck's progress as it slowly makes its way down the dead-end street. Then it turns around and begins heading back.
``Wait! Oh no!'' she wails. ``Oh no! They're leaving. They're going back out! Someone stop them!''
It's two more hours before the electricity is restored.
- Lori A. Denney
Sunday, Feb. 4 6:30 a.m. - Villas of Glenwood.
The church and school closings are dancing across the television screen while outside fast falling snowflakes add to the blanket of white covering everything.
Just as the husband says someone would have to be crazy to go outside on a day like today, the wife spots a lone figure darting from a running car, its windows still partially covered with a layer of snow.
``Hey, there's someone braving the elements,'' she says. ``I wonder who that could be.''
The husband glances out the window. ``Oh, that's the newspaper girl. She put the paper right against the door today, too.''
- Pam Starr
9:45 a.m. - Villas of Glenwood.
A 9-year-old girl trudges through the snow and carefully maneuvers a set of ice-covered stairs to an upstairs unit. The well-bundled girl is carrying several chocolate chip cookies and two $1 bills.
She explains her mission. ``My mom wants to know if Doug has a pack of cigarettes she can buy. She only has one cigarette left.''
The man in question gives her five cigarettes and the girl tries to hand over the bills.
``Oh, please, keep the money,'' the woman of the house says. ``But we WILL take the cookies. Thanks.''
- Pam Starr
8:45 - Five 01 City Grill.
After a night cap, a patron gets ready to leave.
Turning sideways at the crowded bar to put his scarf on, he suddenly knocks a beer over splashing a small amount in another customer's lap. The soaked neighbor jumps up and shouts to the bartender ``Hey Hootie, cut him off and throw him out.''
About that time the doorman offers the gentleman a ride home.
- David B. Hollingsworth
Monday, Feb. 5
3:50 p.m. - A pediatrician's office in Kempsville.
A doctor explains to a new set of parents what percentile ranking their 2-month-old daughter falls into.
``Jenna is in the 50th percentile for weight, the 75th percentile for head circumference and the 95th percentile for height,'' says the doctor, referring to the 10 1/2-pound, 24-inch infant. ``Oh, actually she's past the 95th for height. She's almost at the 100th percentile. But that's not unusual since her parents are tall.''
The parents smile.
``Yeah, I had her watching a women's basketball game on TV this weekend,'' says the mom. ``I kept telling her `college scholarship.' ''
- Pam Starr
Wednesday, Feb. 7
6:30 p.m. - Wareing's Gym on 19th Street.
``Are schools going to be open tomorrow?'' the father of two children asks a fellow gym patron. There is desperation in his voice.
``I dunno,'' comes the reply.
``I tell you what,'' the stressed parent says, looking back on three days of snow-forced home confinement with his youngsters.
``I'd be willing to drive them to school tomorrow morning myself! Sheesh!''
- Bill Reed ILLUSTRATION: Water, water everywhere
Staff photo by STEVE EARLEY
Workers carry equipment past a small lake formed by water flowing
from a broken water main at 43rd Street and Atlantic Avenue.
Employees of the Virginia Beach Public Works Department and the
Precon Construction Co. shut off the flowing water about 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday.
by CNB