THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 11, 1996 TAG: 9608090185
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: 108 lines
10:15 a.m.
Providence Square Shopping Center.
A gray pick-up truck sits parked in front of a photography business. Inside the truck, a man and a woman can't seem to keep their lips off of each other.
She leans over and kisses him. He leans over and kisses her. Back and forth they go until finally, the reason for the affection is clear.
On the back window of the pick-up is a fading white sign that says, ``Just Married.''
- Lori A. Denney
12:30 p.m. - Central Fidelity Bank at Pembroke.
There's something a little fishy about one of the customers waiting in line to see a teller. When her turn comes, the woman nonchalantly moves up to the counter.
The other customers stare at her out of the corners of their eyes. She's got sparkling glitter on her face and in her hair - and she's wearing a green, tight-fitting mermaid costume, complete with finny tail.
- Melinda Forbes
8:30 p.m. - Virginia Beach Amphitheater.
As a small entourage of VIPs enters the amphitheater from the backstage area right before the evening's Hootie and the Blowfish concert begins, a young woman exclaims, ``Hey, it's the Guv. He's a Hootie fan!''
- David B. Hollingsworth
9 p.m. - Kempsville.
A reporter returns home from covering National Night Out events. Unloading the car, she realizes that she has left her gadget bag filled with film, filters, instruction manuals and spare batteries somewhere along her path.
She thinks for a few minutes about where she last saw it, then calls Audrey Mills, president of the L&J Gardens' Civic League, her first stop of the evening.
``I've got it right here,'' Mills assures the reporter. ``Someone found it and turned it in to me.''
The reporter thanks Mills and hangs up with the thought that the kind of people who care enough about their neighborhoods to organize a march against crime are the kind of people who will make sure that lost property will find its way back to the rightful owner.
- Jo-Ann Clegg
9 p.m. - Princess Anne Park.
As Greg Harding is hitting a home run smash over the left-centerfield fence, Hootie and the Blowfish are pounding out one of their many smash hits at the nearby Virginia Beach Amphitheater.
The ``background'' music can clearly be heard throughout the coed and men's church softball quarterfinals and semifinals of the 15th annual Tidewater Softball Championships.
With the opening last spring of the outdoor music hall, national recording acts have been pumping out the tunes during many an adult league softball game this summer.
The ``entertainment'' scheduled for Friday night's finals is the Scorpions and Alice Cooper.
- Lee Tolliver Wednesday, Aug. 7
2:15 p.m. - Hill's Department Store on Virginia Beach Boulevard.
A woman is paying for two stacks of more than a dozen boxes of Crayola markers.
A customer waiting behind her in line can't help but comment.
``Teacher?'' questions the customer.
``No, but that's what everyone's asking me,'' laughs the Crayola woman. ``Actually, it's the PTA. I'm a BIG TIME PTA volunteer.''
- Lori A. Denney Thursday, Aug 8
2:15 p.m. - Marian Manor.
Several residents sit in the tastefully decorated lobby listening to strains of classical music. At first glance, it appears that a pianist has been hired to play for the lunch crowd in the retirement home. But upon closer perusal, the ``pianist'' is a young Filipino man dressed in jeans and a T-shirt.
``Isn't the music beautiful?'' says a female resident, sitting in a wheelchair. ``And did you know that he never took a lesson in his life?''
Certified nurse aide Charles Cledera, who is a registered nurse in the Philippines, plays music by ear and has since he was 10.
He has worked at Marian Manor for five months and has been in the United States since last August. The humble man, now 25, smiles shyly when asked about his talent.
``I just play - I don't know how I do it,'' he says, stopping momentarily. ``Sometimes I hit the wrong key, but they don't mind.''
Another resident wheels herself in from outside and looks over at Cledera.
``Play some more!'' she demands in a loud voice. ``I didn't hear you before - I was outside.''
Cledera grins and bends over the keys.
``OK,'' he complies, as the lilting melodies float through the lobby again.
The resident relaxes in her wheelchair and offers her opinion to the other listeners.
``He plays such beautiful music!'' she yells.
Everyone nods in agreement, some with their eyes closed, as they enjoy the afternoon interlude.
- Pam Starr ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Man on a hot tin roof
Rob Shelor, 33, of Virginia Beach uses a seaming machine Wednesday
morning while installing the sheet metal roof on the new Rock Church
on Kempsville Road. The 95,000-square-foot building is scheduled to
be completed in December. Shelor works for Baker Roofing Co. of
Virginia Beach. by CNB