Quotes.

"The ocean at night is one of the last places you can walk under the stars with your arm around your sweetie and expect to have some privacy."

"She is numb from her toes down."

A hospital health care provider's note on a patient's chart. Frontier Heathcare, an insurer of about 12,000 physicians, published sloppy patient-chart entries in its newsletter in an effort to keep physicians on their toes lest hastily written notes be used in malpractice cases.

"They look at us like we're crazy."

Springfield, Massachusetts, taxi driver Thomas Waymark, on out-of-towners' response to the cabbies telling them not to flag cabs in the street. The city's no-hailing rule requires passengers to call the cab company to get a ride. A cabbie who picks up someone who hailed the cab can face a 30-day license suspension. The city is reconsidering the law.

Salem, Oregon, Rep. Chris Beck, in defense of starlit strolls along the shore. Beck and his sweetie were surprised on an Oregon beach when a spotlight suddenly illuminated the beach and interrupted their kiss. The eye-opening experience prompted Beck to introduce a bill that would ban owners of beachfront property from casting a light of more than 200 watts onto the shore or the sea.

"I'm sorry to do this. You're so nice."

An apologetic would-be robber who handed a note demanding money to a shoe store employee. The teen's plan was foiled by the equally polite employee, who explained to the girl and her accomplice that she was helping another customer. The girls offered to wait until she was through, and the employee set off the silent alarm system. The girls were soon greeted by police and escorted to jail.

"I don't know where she thought she was going."

Atlantic City, New Jersey, police sergeant Michael Tullio, puzzling over a truck driver's detour onto the city's boardwalk. The driver of the 18-wheeler claims she got lost and wound up on the boardwalk. No one was injured, but the damage from the truck's 1.2-mile seaside trek qualified the incident as an accident. The driver was charged with reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident.

"Oops! I'm presiding in that trial."

Brighton, New York, Judge Karen Morris, who was summoned for jury duty in a case she was to hear. Morris granted herself a postponement and tossed her name back into the pool.