When the Flu Was More Than a 3-Letter Word
Upon reading the story here about the clerk who spelled jazz pioneer Bix Beiderbecke’s last name as Big Spider Beck, Leonard Wines recalled a note he received from the mother of a student in his high school teaching days.
It was “in the early ‘50s . . . during a widespread flu epidemic which was given the name Virus-X,” Wines said. The mother “excused the girl’s absence ‘because of Vira Sex.’ ”
L.A.’S URBAN SPRAWL ISN’T THAT BAD: Mike Leviton, C.J. Welch and several other readers point out that, in its Oct. 13 issue, Newsweek states that the Getty Museum is in Mali. Says it twice, as a matter of fact (see accompanying).
Leviton quipped that perhaps Newsweek was “saving the ‘bu’ for Halloween.”
Welch pointed out that his computer spell-check system says that “Malibu” is “not in dictionary” and offers as alternate spellings the African country of “Mali” as well as the word “malice.”
Of course, the error wouldn’t have occurred if the status-minded Getty people didn’t insist on saying the museum is in Malibu when it’s really in Pacific Palisades.
Anyway, I’m certain Newsweek meant no malice.
HEY, YOU’RE THE FORTUNETELLER: Paula Van Gelder of L.A. came upon a psychic’s sign that requires extrasensory powers in order to determine the entire phone number (see photo).
THE WELL-KNOWN WHAT’S-HER-NAME: In the movie “In & Out,” Kevin Kline’s father advises him to sue, but adds that he should “get Johnnie Cochran, not that woman.”
To whom is he referring? Gloria Allred? Or Leslie Abramson? Or Marcia Clark? I’m not sure what name would fit, I must admit.
SHOOT ME (NO, I’M KIDDING!): In my continuing search for an “I’m sorry” hand signal to use while driving, Gail Chambers phoned with a unique idea.
“The most effective gesture of apology I’ve used,” she said, “is the gun-to-the-head gesture [as in], ‘just shoot me, put me out of my misery.’ People see that and understand implicitly that I’m sorry.”
APOLOGIZING FOR AN APOLOGY: In a previous column, a reader mentioned the Hawaiian ‘Shaka’ hand sign--little finger and thumb outstretched--as a gesture of “good will and good feeling” that could be used on the roadways.
Not so fast with that gesture.
Anna M. Garcia writes: “I’m a cultural anthropologist who has worked both in Mexico and the U.S. for many years. I warn your readers that the suggested ‘Shaka’ sign . . . may have serious repercussions on California roadways.
“Among Mexicans (and I assume it is true among other Spanish speakers as well) this hand sign is used to indicate to a male that he is being betrayed by his wife, lover or girlfriend. He is a cuckold. Le estan poniendo los cuernos (They are putting the horns on him).”
I think I’ll just take Metro Rail.
miscelLAny
Sometimes you have to wonder how far evolution has progressed in Southern California. Thousands of years ago, saber-toothed tigers and other creatures became mired in the La Brea Tar Pits. The other day, several humans in automobiles became mired in traffic on the Pomona Freeway. The reason? A tar spill. The humans all escaped, I think.
Steve Harvey can be reached by phone at (213) 237-7083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com and by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, Times Mirror Square, L.A. 90053.