With Prices Like These, He Just Might Have Spent It All in One Place

The police log of the Long Beach Press Telegram said that “a woman who let her son use her credit card to make a $20 gasoline purchase reported that he had made $3,100 worth of purchases over nine days.”

Probably spent it all on gasoline, judging from the prices these days.

A factor in the gasoline nightmare? I’m referring to the forgetfulness of Southern Californians. Here’s the latest example of a trend I’ve mentioned: A motorist who first complained about a leaking gasoline pump in a call to police “admitted to driving off with the nozzle in his vehicle, causing the gas leak,” the Seal Beach Sun reported.

Speaking of cleaning up: “Enclosed is an ad for an apartment with a dubious fringe benefit,” wrote Mary deVall of Santa Monica (see accompanying).

One-stop beauty shop: Linda Williams of Rancho Cucamonga found a place where you can bring in your body -- or your car’s -- for a little work (see photo). I just hope they don’t mix up the paints.

I beg your pardon! John Jason of Costa Mesa couldn’t help but notice a property listing with an unusual addition. (see accompanying).

Mondegreens of the Day, legal division: “I work in a law firm, and you know how formal and erudite their language gets,” wrote a reader.

“Contrast that with the sometimes questionable educational accomplishments of those hired to type the transcription and you can see the field is ripe for some real doozies.” Such as instances where:

* Traders & General Insurance Co. was referred to as “Traitors and General.”

* The legalism “as afore-stated” came out “as Alfred stated.”

* And, a line that was supposed to read: “The conduct of plaintiff is egregious and warrants the imposition of sanctions” instead called for the “imposition of venison.”

And from the business side ... : “About 20 years ago, our new marketing manager, from Boston (with a heavy New England accent), dictated a memo to our engineer, upon his return from our factory in Japan,” said Jack Wexler of Westchester, “and copied the marketing department. The memo read: ‘Please attend a deep breathing meeting tomorrow morning.’ ”

Added Wexler: “We all heard the tape that was transcribed.... His de-briefing did sound like deep breathing.”

miscelLAny: “A disturbing noise was reported by a resident on Black Hills Drive at 3:18 in the afternoon,” the Claremont Courier’s police log said. “The complainant told officers that someone was ‘singing loudly and badly.’ ”

Mused police Lt. Stan Van Horn: “Do you think they would have reported it if the person was singing loudly and well?” I dunno. I’m still thinking of that imposition of venison. Sounds like a good idea for dinner.

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