
DATE: Sunday, July 20, 1997                 TAG: 9707180245

SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN             PAGE: 04   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Sun Spots 

                                            LENGTH:   52 lines

SLICES OF LIFE IN WESTERN TIDEWATER

Wednesday, June 18

Mid-morning - Fire headquarters, Market Street, Suffolk

After four decades of dealing with disasters, Robert L. ``Bob'' Smith is looking forward to his retirement at the end of the month.

``I promised my wife that she would never have to spend another hurricane without me,'' says Smith, the city's emergency services coordinator.

- Susie Stoughton Friday, June 20

1:45 p.m. - Holmes Ltd., Suffolk Shopping Center

A man drives up to the curb and a sales clerk inside the store runs out the door.

He hands her a bag . . . she waves . . . and he drives away.

The clerk walks back into the store with a big smile on her face.

``That was my `Meals on Wheels','' she said, laughing, as she carried her lunch into a back room.

- Shirley Brinkley Tuesday, July 1

1:30 p.m. at the Holland Open Air

The Holland Open Air market on Holland Road is suffering from the dry spell.

Nearly three weeks late in the crops, the fruit and vegetable bins were half full with smallish peaches, cantalopes, tomatoes, corn and squash from South Carolina and lower parts.

Even the flies seemed disinterested in the offerings.

What to do? Idleness is only the refuge of weak minds.

A woman behind the counter is perched over a lanky farmer in a barber's chair, chopping a clean, cool, summer haircut.

``This is a community service farm market,'' she said, laughing.

The lanky man slicked his haircut back and checked the mirror.

Not bad.

- Louis Hansen ILLUSTRATION: A winning look

Forget everything you were told about tennis. It's not in the

racket. It's not in the swing. It's not in the fancy court shoes.

It's in the facial expression as evidenced by Lex Ferguson who puts

a little ``oomph'' in his swing in a match against Randy Bowden of

Chesapeake. Ferguson was playing in the 12-and-under finals in a