ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, December 22, 1995 TAG: 9512220043
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MIKE HUDSON STAFF WRITER
NOTE: Above
IT'S HARD TO FORGET to brush your teeth these days in Lexington.
Bruce Patterson found something strange when he arrived for work Tuesday morning at Rockbridge County Circuit Court: 53 identical red toothbrushes stuck in the lawn in front of the courthouse.
The Reach brand brushes all have curved necks and white bristles. They are carefully arranged in two lines that run parallel to Lexington's Main Street, then turn up either side of the sidewalk leading to the courthouse doors.
"Uniformly spaced. Uniformly colored. All bristles facing out," Patterson explained. "It's a beautiful sight."
Nobody seems to know who did it - or why. Are red and white supposed to represent Christmas colors? Is it a declaration of all-out war against gum disease? Is it conceptual art?
Patterson, the Circuit Court clerk, has no answers. "I don't know whether somebody is trying to put a hex on us and we should be scared, or they went to a lot of expense and trouble to help us decorate."
Doug Harwood, who edits the Rockbridge Advocate, a monthly magazine that often chronicles strange happenings in Lexington and beyond, usually is willing to hazard some theory that explains far-fetched behavior. But Harwood was at a loss as to who might be behind the toothbrush caper.
"There's a lot of wacky things that happen in this town, but this has to be on the top of the wacky list. Just for sheer oddness. And mystery."
By Wednesday, Harwood was so tickled he was starting to have trouble getting his work done.
"All day long people have been taking me out to look at it, or I've been taking people out to look at it. But once we get there, it's kinda like looking at the cows: What can you say? `Sure is a fine crop o' toothbrushes you got there, Homer. Think they're about ready for harvesting?'''
Patterson says folks at the courthouse will leave the toothbrushes up through Christmas, in keeping with the festive holiday spirit.
Meanwhile, he's trying to be matter-of-fact about the whole thing.
"Y'all don't have toothbrushes around the courthouse in Roanoke?"
What do you think about why the toothbrushes are on the courthouse lawn? Let us hear your theories:
PHONE: In Roanoke, 981-0100. In New River, 382-0200. Press category 7822.
FAX: 981-3346.
EMAIL: roatimesinfi.net
WRITE: Mike Hudson, The Roanoke Times, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, VA 24010
LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: CINDY PINKSTON/Staff. The new decor at the Rockbridgeby CNBCounty courthouse has generated a few smiles. color. KEYWORDS: INFOLINE