[F] [Meet Report] A Conspiracy in Berkeley

[Nathan Fenenga Yospe]

It was getting close to 8:30 pm, pacific standard time, and my expresso had
begun to cool. I had made a point of arriving early... I always try to case
a spot out first... and was now scanning the faces as they entered. We were
meeting at Peet's, a coffee shop of some minor notoriety. I had not met the
others before, and while at least one of them had been informed of my dress
and appearance, the possibility that we might fail to recognize each other,
while faint, was worrying. Beside that, I was not the only person in a gray
trenchcoat present at the time. I returned to my book, a novel by a certain
Terry Pratchett. Any person that recognized it was bound to be either there
for the same purpose as myself, or an unwitting candidate for that purpose.

The other shadowy figure present in the cafe got up to leave, and I found I
was alone in my manner of garb. This suited me. I went back to reading, but
had only just begun when I heard my name. I followed the voice to a vision;
this, then, would be Velora. Behind her, another recent arrival turned with
a slight widening of her eyes. Hobbes had recognized us as well, making our
party three. No others turned, but the specified time had just passed. With
at least one other intended attendee, we decided to wait, and hold our meet
there for a time. Introductions complete, we hit that strange silent moment
that marks an anticipated point passing, when all plans expire and no words
spring to mind. Fortunately, this was brief, and we were soon sampling food
I had brought from Hawai'i... dried Li Hing Mango, Plum Seeds, Arare... and
far more palatable, macadamia nuts, kona coffee centered chocolate, cookies
with macadamia nuts and chocolate chips. Food makes easier any tense social
situation.

We were well into our discussion of the food, the location, and the quality
of the local coffee shops when the last two attendees made their appearance
in the shop. Additional drinks (caffiene based, in accordance with the mood
of the meet - and we agreed that, as a drug, caffiene would have to be made
acceptable in place of alcohol, as hobbes was too young for bars, and those
of us who were of alcohol purchasing age were not so inclined) were ordered
from the bemused servers, and introductions were made. Billy said he posted
on occasion, though not to the overzealous degree employed by certain other
persons present, while Chip was a fan, but not a poster. Our full party had
arrived.

A good two hours into the meet, Peet's decided to close on us. Unsuspecting
as we were, we decided to move on to a nearby used book store. The meet hit
a book collection comparison mode, as people identified authors and pointed
out books to buy, to read or to burn. Piers Anthony was subjected to severe
ridicule, David Brin was praised, and Terry Pratchett's works proved scarce
as always. No one seems to sell Pratchett books, and those that are sold do
not remain on the shelf for long. But just as we were really getting to the
best part, eg quoting back cover blurbs from random books, that suspicious,
if unsuspected, action was repeated. The bookstore closed on us. We set off
in search of another haunt. We walked up and down the street, talking, with
the intent of finding something open. It was only 11:00 pm, and it seemed a
strange thing that a city with such a college as Berkeley would close down,
much less before 3 am.

A while after midnight, having looked into several stores, recorded several
quotes of dubious effect, laughed at the collectable antiques in one store,
and boggled at the fact that everything was closed, we found ourselves with
no definate destination. Chip and Billy had to leave, and we headed for the
street they had parked on. After a last few jokes, they headed off, and the
rest of us took to wandering again. Until they closed the sidewalk on us.

And after that? The official meet was over, so it won't go into the report.
Besides, this _is_ a family newsgroup, more or less... suffice to say, with
many hours between this and the meet in Quincy, we filled time.
--

Nathan F. Yospe - Aimed High, Crashed Hard, In the Hanger, Back Flying Soon
Jr Software Engineer, Textron Systems Division (On loan to Rocketdyne Tech)
(Temporarily on Hold) Student, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Physics Dept.
yospe#hawaii.edu nyospe#premier.mhpcc.af.mil http://www2.hawaii.edu/~yospe/