ANSWER PAGE

Q. I’ve been to the High-land Park theater at least 40 times in two years. Each time I go, I notice a large 40-ish black man who falls asleep during the film. He snores. Who is he? P.D., Dallas.

A. Benny Goldlee is the mystery patron of the Highland Park Theater, and for years he was the theater’s number-one patron. Seven days a week he appeared at the theater at 5 p.m., paid for a ticket, snuggled into a seat and fell asleep. About 11:30 p.m., he left. Because of complaints about his snoring, though, Benny was recently banned from the theater. But Benny had a reason for snoring. He works days in a cafeteria in Dallas and nights at a doughnut shop in Fort Worth. Between his two jobs, Benny needs a few hours of shut-eye and his apartment is too far from both jobs. Theater employees say Benny was a friendly customer, in fact, for several months they admitted him for free. What does Benny do now? He says he snoozes in the back of a friend’s Lincoln whenever he can.

Q. I’ve heard that the panes of glass on the gold towers along Central Expressway by NorthPark contain real gold. Is that true? G.A., Dallas.

A. Yes, it is. The glitter of the twin towers of Campbell Centre comes from 24-karat gold dust in the window panes. At current prices, each window costs about $700 (about $5 to $6 million for the whole complex). If one breaks, though, don’t rush to prospect the gold; in each it’s worth only about $20. The bulk of the windows’ expense is in manufacturing.

Q. What is the document disintegration service I’ve seen advertised all over Dallas? S.S., Mesquite.

A. Document disintegra-A. tion, as might be expected, is the fine art of ripping papers and other items beyond reconstruction. Security Archives Inc., 840 S. Lamar, sells its destructive power to banks, government agencies and anyone else willing to pay 8 cents per pound ($40 minimum) to have stuff torn up. Some customers send armored guards to watch their documents, canceled checks, microfilm and other important items be chopped up, strained and packed off to the city dump.

Q. Recently I tried to go Q. to Cafe Dallas, but wasn’t allowed in because I have a goatee. Can they do this? The rule seems ridiculous. P.G., Richardson.

A. Ridiculous as it sounds, any establishment can legally deny a prospective customer admittance if his attire does not comply with their established dress code. Owners, however, may not choose who they will make comply with the rules; if one man is denied admittance because of his goatee, all goatee-wearers must also be barred from the place.

According to Gary L. Nail, general manager for Caf坢 Dallas, his bar allows no hats (except Western), tennis shoes, sandals, shorts, T-shirts or “messy” jeans (designer jeans are okay). Men’s hair must be collar length or shorter and, of course, no goatees.

“I’ve been in the club business for quite a while,” says Nail, “and most people who wear goatees are rowdy people. Nine out of ten people who wear goatees are trouble-makers. Most of them are Mexicans. We want Caf坢 Dallas to last a long time; if we have trouble, it won’t last.”

Q. I thought billboards were just huge posters pasted on the signs along the roadside. Recently, though, I saw a man painting one. Now that he’s finished, it looks like a photograph. How is this done? D.R., Grand Prairie.

A. Most billboards in Dal-las are oversized posters and are simply “wall papered” to their perches, says Bob Heinisch, marketing services manager for Foster & Kleiser. But about 500 of their 3,200 signs displayed in Dallas are hand-painted. Usually, these are painted in a studio rather than outdoors. The company projects artwork on a billboard-sized sheet of paper, and traces the images with an electric pencil that leaves holes along the outline. The sheet is then hung over the billboard panels and dusted with charcoal powder. Artists use the outlines only for proportions, and rely on skill to paint the correct colors. The process takes two to 10 days. Upon retirement, the panels are covered-over and their surfaces contracted for new art.