The Only Explanation Is That the Passenger Mistook the Taxicab for a Buss

Now, if she meant that as a tip: The police log of the Huntington Beach Independent said “a taxi driver reported that a woman refused to pay her fare and tried to kiss him.”

My big fat grungy wedding: Jenny Mulligan of Azusa noticed something in an invitation that hinted at raucous nuptials (see above).

Speaking of big events: Henk Friezer of Eagle Rock spotted a neighborhood sale that was evidently so big that traffic had to be detoured (see photo).

Still another parking crisis: There’s apparently so little space in Cal State Fullerton’s lots that Bob Bergstrom couldn’t get a spot until late next century (see above).

Just the theories, ma’am: I mentioned TV cop Joe Friday’s 714 badge number in connection with the return of “Dragnet” to the tube, but I’ve never known why that number was chosen. Creator Jack Webb never explained.

David Mikkelson of www.snopes.com, the urban myth-debunking Web site, tells me the origin of the badge number is something of a mystery.

One theory is that Webb took it as “a representation of his mother’s birthday (July 14).”

Another holds that Webb, a big baseball fan, was honoring Babe Ruth’s lifetime total of 714 home runs.

“Dragnet” wouldn’t be the only non-sports TV show to have a baseball connection.

Fast-talking Sergeant Bilko on “The Phil Silvers Show” of the late 1950s was inspired by Steve Bilko, a local minor league slugger.

And agents Scully and Doggett in TV’s “X-Files” were a tribute to Dodger broadcasters Vin Scully and Jerry Doggett.

I’m surprised the “X-Files” never delved into the mystery of why the Dodgers never make it to the World Series anymore.

Rough going: Arriving at the new “Titanic” exhibition Monday, I got a sinking feeling when I saw the line outside the California Science Center.

It was an hour before I reached the ticket window, where the clerk told me the earliest show available was two additional hours away.

Talk about a Titanic disaster.

I bought the tickets. But, at the prodding of my wife, we slipped into an earlier show. Me -- a stowaway at the age of 56.

It was a fascinating exhibit of Titanic artifacts.

Among the survivors of the 1912 cruise was George Brereton (a.k.a. George Bradley), a card sharp whose winnings sank along with the ship. He moved to L.A.

Another survivor was Johann Svenson, a 14-year-old Swede who settled in Long Beach where he got a job -- as a ship welder.

MiscelLAny: Titanic goodies at the Science Center gift shop include “Titanic: The Board Game” (“Watch out ... you might never make it to your lifeboat”), going for $19.95; “The Titanic Songbook” (including “Fall In and Follow Me”), also $19.95; and an inflatable Titanic toy, $16.95. Naturally, that last item comes with an inflatable iceberg.

Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LA-TIMES, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at Metro, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A. 90012, and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes .com.