THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 23, 1995 TAG: 9504210188
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 119 lines
Monday, April 10
1 p.m. - Intersection of Southern Boulevard, Euclid Road, and Opal Avenue.
A long line of drivers waits more or less patiently behind a tractor-trailer that's trying to make a left turn from Southern onto Euclid.
Several times the driver appears to be ready to start out, then hesitates as he waits for a longer break in the traffic.
Finally, as he pulls his rig very slowly through the intersection, the reason for his reluctance becomes obvious to the other drivers.
There on the back and sides of his trailer the words STUDENT DRIVER speak for themselves.
Half way back in the waiting line a driver sticks his hand out the window and gives a big ``thumbs up'' sign. The novice trucker flashes a big grin but keeps his own hands tightly glued to the steering wheel.
- Jo-Ann Clegg
Sunday, April 16
10:59 a.m. - Virginia Beach United Methodist Church.
The Rev. William D. Bruner, minister of outreach, is making the morning announcements and welcoming the overflowing congregation to an Easter Sunday service.
``And,'' he says as he winds up his remarks, ``I've got another note here to pass on to you. It says, `sit close!' ''
- Melinda Forbes
3 p.m. - A house in Shadowlawn.
It's Easter dinner and a handful of family and friends are pigging out on a buffet, packed with ham, bread and every casserole imaginable.
One young woman at the party, who looks satisfied with her plate of goodies, decides she needs one last thing. Dressed in an electric blue dress and pumps, she walks over to the refrigerator, opens it and pulls out a bottle of Budweiser.
But she's having trouble with the simple twist off cap. She tries a dish towel. It doesn't work. She uses her teeth. They fail, too.
Finally, after watching her struggle, an older male comes over to assist her. With one quick twist, the top comes right off.
Before handing her back the opened bottle he whispers, ``It's a man's world - don't you forget it.''
- Holly Wester
Monday, April 17
9 a.m. - Newspaper office.
A a man on the phone wants to talk to a newspaper writer. ``I'm STUD PPY,'' he says. ``She wrote about me in yesterday's paper.''
Indeed, there was a small item about a ``balding man'' in a red car with the license plate STUD PPY. ``I just wanted to tell her I'm not balding. I've got hair. It's just cut short,'' he laughs. ``My friends sure got a kick out of it, though.''
- Melinda Forbes
Noon - Independence Boulevard and Columbus Street.
A white Ford Bronco sitting in a bank parking lot has a license plate that reads - OJDIDIT.
- Melinda Forbes
2:30 p.m. - Central Library auditorium.
An ad hoc group of citizens known as ``Citizens for Solutions'' is discussing possible solutions to the access dispute between Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park.
The problem is that human activity at the wildlife refuge disturbs the birds that use the refuge's habitat for resting and feeding. But the only way for people to get to the adjacent state park is to walk or hike through the refuge.
Participants are tossing out ideas to minimize the disturbance to birds, to get people through their habitat without them noticing. None seem workable.
Then one participate leans over to another and whispers, ``Bird suits.''
``Hand them out to people before they go in.''
- Debbie Messina
9:45 p.m. - Holland Road.
A huge blue truck lets other drivers know its purpose in life. The license plate reads: CLUB MUD.
- Holly Wester
Wednesday, April 19
11 a.m. - Farm Fresh on Virginia Beach Boulevard.
A father and mother with two kids in tow line up their groceries at the checkout. Everybody is grinning as they watch their fuzzy kiwis, slices of pre-packaged watermelon, ugly guava and pint of strawberries go into a plastic sack.
A next-in-line finally says, ``Looks like you all are pretending it's summer.''
``Pretending?'' the mother answers. ``Oh, no we're not pretending. We're visiting from Canada. When you're from Montreal, this IS summer.''
- Marlene Ford
Thursday, April 20
8:30 a.m. - Intersection of Kempsville Road and Princess Anne Road.
A man is hawking newspapers as a long line of cars backs up near Kempsville High School.
The man walks carefully down the white lines between the cars, holding up the day's big news - the bombing in Oklahoma City.
He nabs a couple of customers as he approaches a small blue wagon.
The driver of the wagon holds up a copy of the newspaper and flashes it back toward the seller.
Undaunted, the ultimate salesman tells the driver: ``Buy one for a gift.''
- Mark Kozak ILLUSTRATION: Why we need Lake Gaston
A truck owned by Absolute Bottled Water Co. flipped on its side last
Thursday on Shore Drive about a mile east of the Fort Story gate.
The driver's injuries were not serious. A wrecker from Century
Towing Service pulls the truck back up right as bottles of water
fall out onto the ground.
Staff photo by CHARLIE MEADS
by CNB