Not Exactly Her Idea of Pin Money

We go now to the Pure Platinum nightspot in Oceanside.

On the honky-tonk strip of North Hill Street. Catering to young Marines from Camp Pendleton and other males of refined taste.

On stage, lissome young ladies wiggle in studied ecstasy. Rock ‘n’ roll music plays. Men watch, drink and go bug-eyed.

On this particular eve, a dancer named Tammy Rowland, 30, is doing a “table dance” for a small group.

In this art form, the dancer moves within inches of the patrons, who then reward her with currency. The going rate is $5.

One patron is slow to pay. Tammy gets impatient. Arnold Heller, 64, of Solana Beach is fumbling in his pocket.

A hand grenade pops from his pocket. Understandably, Tammy gets agitated at the sight of a grenade between her legs.

Another dancer, April White, 22, rushes over. The cops are called.

White says she has a degree in psychology, which helps her cope with Pure Platinum’s interesting clientele.

The grenade is just a dud from World War II, Heller tells the cops. So are you buddy, they reply, and haul Heller off to the Vista jail.

Heller explains: I’m a World War II veteran. I just keep a hollowed-out grenade to scare off panhandlers.

Heller is now charged with a misdemeanor, like someone who makes a phony bomb threat. Trial is set for Oct. 19.

The folks at Pure Platinum hope the case will make a statement about what constitutes acceptable behavior at skin parlors.

Yelling and whistling are fine. Grenades, even hollowed-out ones, are anti-social.

“In this business, you see a lot of weird things,” said assistant manager Dave Galaviz. “Guys get out of line with the girls all the time, but I’d never seen one pull an explosive device out of his pants.”

Lighter Than Air

News with an attitude.

* Profiles in political courage.

The San Diego Apartment Assn. has endorsed Jack Drown and Jim Roache for sheriff.

* Discount Gun Mart in San Diego is selling gas masks for $19.99. Made by a West German firm for the Israeli Army.

Now the masks have an updated name: Saddam Specials.

* The Republican National Committee’s site selection committee for the 1992 convention will be in San Diego on Oct. 11-12.

The Republicans do not travel light: 22 people will make the trip.

Here’s the pitch they’ll hear: Use the Convention Center for the preliminary sessions and San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium for the big stuff, like the acceptance speech.

* Spotted in downtown San Diego: a transient with his possessions in a shopping cart, including a cylindrical tank of acetylene gas (used for welding). No one noticing.

* North County bumper sticker: “I Brake for Escrow Officers.”

Yes, but only after a 30-day waiting period.

Turban-Powered

Find a need and fill it.

* Two Ramona entrepreneurs feel they know just what U.S. troops in Saudia Arabia need: T-shirts that can be converted to turbans to prevent heat stroke.

Dave Stampfli and Bill Seitz are willing to provide the Velcro fasteners and technology if the public will donate the T-shirts.

They run a firm called Turban T’s and are shipping the shirts via Operation Homefront at Camp Pendleton.

* San Diego attorney Dennis Dorman picked up an Outstanding Trial Lawyer Award at last night’s San Diego Trial Lawyers Assn. banquet.

Dorman was honored for winning a $1-million judgment in the Case of the Big Buns.

His client was severely injured when a large metal rack of hamburger buns fell on her at the Burger King in El Cajon. The damage suit against ITT Continental Baking Co., parent of Wonder Bread, took seven years.