So on my way to the theater the other day (see previous report on Super Size Me,) I stopped at the Lakeline Mall to kill time and get coffee. It’s a nice mall, relatively new, just off U.S. 183 on the north side, where all the new development is.

Typical of malls these days, the wide hallways are crammed with portable kiosks where small-timers sell all sorts of bricabrac. I pass one selling ladies’ handbags and other small leather goods, and I look over the clerk’s shoulder.

He’s playing Shadowbane. On a little Dell LCD screen.

I talk to him about it. I wish I’d written down his character’s name (Faeland? Something like that,) but he pointed out that he’s on Entropy, playing a level 44 Druid. He proceeds to explain that the kiosk is a family-owned business, and he “works” 11 hours a day on it, so why not kill time playing games? And one of his party on screen was played by his girlfriend.

“So, do you play?” he asked.

No, I said. Co-wrote the strategy guide, was friends with the guys at Wolfpack. Used to play it a long time ago, but life goes on.

“Indeed it does.”

I’ve got more to write about this weekend, still. I love going to Austin.