Finding a Way to Serenade Peaches Without Getting Creamed

With Valentine’s Day approaching, Art Purcell was reminded of an unusual gig his Santa Monica Oceanaires had. The Oceanaires are male quartets who deliver singing Valentines.

“On this particular occasion we were sent to an auto body shop,” he said. “We had an order to sing to someone called Peaches. The rather gruff males working there just looked bewildered and annoyed when we asked for Peaches.

“Finally the manager came out and asked what the problem was. I asked him if there was someone working there named Peaches. He reddened visibly, and said, ‘Maybe.’

“So we serenaded him, as he turned a deeper and deeper shade of crimson, while his assistants tried to pretend they weren’t noticing. Needless to say, we didn’t stay around to find out how he liked his Valentine.”

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ON THE ROAD: In Oregon, Robin Voorhies of Santa Ana came upon a sign with a less than restful message (see photo). She added: “The rest stop was no longer there--maybe a big rig wiped it out.”

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GUERRILLA COPYREADERS’ REPORT: More unusual bits of writing spotted by column readers:

* A scanner that can “crop images in minuets” (contributed by Glenn Cole). Dancing pictures, apparently.

* A plumbing service that says, “Stoppages Guaranteed for 6 Months” (Bill Hutchinson).

* A commercial property that sits in a strip mall “with good parking and exposer” (Terry Brady , Lakewood)

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L.A. INSULT OF THE DAY (HISTORICAL): In the 1930s, Harold Ross, the founder and editor of the New Yorker magazine, was a financial backer of fledgling L.A. restaurateur Dave Chasen. Being a New Yorker, Ross naturally worried about the resources in the primitive West.

“Letters From the Editor,” a new collection of writings by Ross, contains this 1937 lament:

“It seems there aren’t any good steaks on the Pacific Coast, except a few imported by the first-class places from a man named Davis in New York, who ships them out from here by train.”

Somehow Chasen’s survived for several decades. Thanks, Davis, whoever you were.

Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LATIMES, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, Times Mirror Square, L.A. 90053 and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com