THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 2, 1996 TAG: 9605310208
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: 106 lines
Friday, May 24
10:30 a.m. - Podiatrist office, Pembroke Loop.
The nurses and staff are listening to country music over the office speakers.
``When the doctor gets in, I give him five minutes to change stations,'' his female assistant says.
She hears him enter and marks the time. In fewer than five minutes, the music is coming from an adult contemporary music station.
- Carole O'Keeffe
Saturday, May 25
10:30 a.m. - Bellamy Plantation.
The event the neighbors have been waiting for has occurred. They have all been watching out for a mallard duck who has a nest in Dennis Newman's flower bed. Now the eggs have hatched and mama duck is taking her babies over to the swimming pool next door.
Even though Newman is at work, the neighbors know what to do. Earlier, he had gotten directions from a local wildlife rehabilitator and had drilled his friends in how to take the mallard family to a nearby lake instead.
Try as they might, Newman's neighbors can't capture the female as they are supposed to do. So they load the 11 youngsters up in a box, as they were also told to do, and head down the street, hoping mama duck follows behind. She does.
Then a dog barks and scares her off and she won't come back to the procession.
The neighbors return the youngsters to the nesting site in Newman's yard, thinking the female might follow her instincts and return, too. Sure enough, she does.
This time, one of the neighbors holds a duckling in his hand as the group heads back down the road to the lake. Now mama can see and hear her youngster peeping.
This time, she stays close behind all the way. In all it takes about 2 1/2 hours for the family to be launched safely in the little lake. Newman returns home in time to see the grand finale when all the other ducks in the lake swim up to greet the newcomers.
``All the neighbors joined in,'' he says. ``Everyone took care of them.''
- Mary Reid Barrow
8 p.m. - Ragazzi's restaurant in Kempsville.
A family of adults is enjoying a meal after an infant's baptism. The wine flows freely for some and talk is animated.
The oldest sister asks the youngest sister if she wants to continue the good time at a local nightclub or two. Both sisters had flown in from out of town for the baptism.
``How are you going to get there?'' the middle sister asks, rocking the now-fussy baby in her arms.
``We'll take your car,'' the older sister says.
The middle sister shakes her head. ``Oh, no, you're not taking the Honda out drinking. Call a taxi or something.''
A male guest suddenly offers to rent a limousine. Within the hour, an immaculate super stretch white limousine, with seating for 10, slowly crawls down the street.
``That's the safest way to go out drinking,'' the matriarch of the clan says as two of her daughters depart. ``Have fun.''
- Pam Starr
Monday, May 27
2:30 p.m. - Arrowhead Plaza.
At Feature Presentation Video, a picky customer chats with the owner and a clerk.
``The last one you recommended put me to sleep. Who says this one's a funny one?'' the customer asks.
``He does,'' the manager says, indicating the young clerk. ``What made it so funny?'' the customer demands.
``Well, I didn't see it, but . . . ''
``You didn't see it. He says you say it's a funny movie and you didn't even see it!'' says the customer.
``You just can't please some people,'' the owner says, smiling at the woman, a regular video renter.
- Mark Young
Wednesday, May 29
10:30 a.m. - YMCA on South Boulevard.
The two people seem to be husband and wife.
They are both frail looking, although he looks stronger. She is bent, head forward, using a walker, a focused step at a time.
As a car rounds the corner toward them, he instinctively puts himself between the danger and his lady.
- Carole O'Keeffe
11:35 a.m. - Pembroke Mall.
As two women scurry out of the rain and into the mall, one recites in a singsong voice to the toddler in her arms, ``It's raining, it's pouring and we are all sick and tired of it!''
- David B. Hollingsworth ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by BETH BERGMAN
Dedicated to trying still harder
With the city's new dolphin mascot at her side, Virginia Beach Mayor
Meyera Oberndorf helps Avis' president and chief executive, Joseph
V. Vittoria, cut the ribbon to mark the opening of the national
rental car company's new $15 million processing center in Virginia
Beach. Avis may be No. 2 in the car-rental industry, behind leader
Hertz, but it is No. 1 in Virginia Beach in terms of office
buildings. At 166,000 square feet, the building at the intersection
of Independence Boulevard and Baxter Road beats out the
125,000-square-foot Bell Atlantic regional headquarters as the
city's largest. by CNB