THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 29, 1995 TAG: 9501270714
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 122 lines
A woman driving a Blue Beretta uses her license plate to alert drivers of her job. Next to a police seal is the phrase HNDSUP.
- Holly Wester SUNDAY, JAN. 22 10 a.m. - Intersection of Great Neck Road and Old Donation Parkway.
Cars are stopped in all directions at the intersection.
It has the look of some calamity or at least a fender-bender on an otherwise quiet Sunday morning.
Then, one man jumps out of his car, heroically rushes into the middle of the road, takes a quick look around and snatches up - a Bible.
- Marlene Ford MONDAY, JAN. 23 3:30 p.m. - Land & Coates lawn and garden, Bonney Road.
If shiny red garden tillers are lined up outside on display . . . can spring be far behind?
- Melinda Forbes TUESDAY, JAN. 24 11:35 a.m. - London Bridge Road.
The driver of a late-model two- door Honda Civic takes a more classy approach to a popular saying. His bumper sticker reads: Doo Doo Occurs.
- Holly Wester 1:45 p.m - General Booth Boulevard.
A young woman heading northbound in the middle lane appears surprised when a big white truck nearly runs her off the road.
On the side of the vehicle are the words: Samaritan House.
- Holly Wester 4:10 p.m. - Newtown Road.
A red, white and blue bumper sticker on the back of a gray Honda takes a different approach to politics. It says: I smoke and I vote!
- Holly Wester 9:15 p.m. - Holland Road.
A woman lets everyone know where she stands on the highway with a pro-feminism sticker on the back of her white, rusted station wagon. The blue and white sticker reads: Women make good leaders. You're following one.
- Holly Wester WEDNESDAY, JAN. 25 8:20 p.m. - The Great Neck home of George and Kay Griggs.
Kay Griggs, executive director of the all-volunteer Virginia International Visitors Association (VIVA), is hosting a casual dinner party for a few friends, two Russian mayors, one Russian economic development director and an interpreter. The Russians and interpreter have been on a monthlong tour of the United States and Virginia Beach is their final, two-day stop.
The guests serve themselves from the well-laden buffet table and sit down in the living room to eat.
Russian vodka and white wine flow freely and Vladimir Chunikin, the economic director, gets up and makes a charming toast to the hospitable American people. Everyone clinks their glasses and says ``cheers!''
A few minutes later George Griggs delivers another toast, praising the Russian visitors and his ``beautiful wife,'' Kay. Another round of clinking glasses, and the guest down their drinks, saying ``to the Russian people!''
A while later Mikhail Chernyshov, mayor from Rostov-on Don, stands and tells a Russian folk tale through the female interpreter. Then the other mayor, Vataly Pevnev rises to make yet another toast.
``This whole evening I feel like I'm in my own home,'' he says through the interpreter. ``When we arrived at the airport I wondered how we would know our hostess. But I realize that a person with such a great soul as Kay would know her people anywhere.''
Kay Griggs looks up, touched, and can only mutter ``Oh, my!''
He continues. ``This is a toast for our dear hostess Kay, as the American woman who has taken us into her heart. I thank you.''
Everyone clinks their glasses and Kay wipes the tears from her blue eyes.
The party continues, and toward the end of the evening mayor Chernyshov delivers the last toast, another Russian folk tale. He tells about an old man who is visited one stormy night by friendship, love and riches. They ask to be let in but the old man says he doesn't have room for them, as his cottage is very small. He can let only one in. So friendship comes in.
But love and riches entered right behind friendship, and the old man was surprised to find that they all fit.
``Wherever friendship goes, there's always room for love and riches,'' says Chernyshov with a broad smile, holding out his glass of vodka. Everybody cheers and clinks their glasses.
``That was beautiful!'' Kay exclaims. ``You're all philosophers!
``To friendship, love and the communication of language,'' she says, her eyes bright with tears again. ``You are all so wonderful.''
- Pam Starr THURSDAY, JAN. 26 11:20 a.m. - Baxter Road.
A lone woman is standing at the counter of a plumbing supply store. To the right and left of her, men in work boots are waiting to be helped, some of them reading trade catalogs, others watching CNN on the overhead TV.
Her turn arrives and she carefully unwraps the paper towel from what she's brought in. She holds up a plastic part with a cracked rubber gasket on it.
``I need one of these,'' she says.
``Hmm,'' says the guy behind the counter. ``Do you use those drop-in toilet bowl tablets?''
She says yes, concedes that she suspected that's what caused the damage to her ruined part and swears she'll keep on using the automatic cleaner.
``Ahhh,'' he says, eyes narrowing as he peers at the parts and price list on the computer screen in front of him. ``We can be very persuasive.''
- Krys Stefansky ILLUSTRATION: It's worse on the spectators
Photo by PETER D. SUNDBERG
Nena Long, left, and Nate Anderson, 4, try to keep warm as they
watch a softball game on a chilly, blustery Saturday afternoon. Long
was on hand to watch her boyfriend play in the winter league at
Princess Anne Park. Anderson was watching his dad, Mike, pitch.
Related story, Page 28.
by CNB