[The barista is a woman, in her early 20s, with dark red hair and a quick, dry wit. I will call her Amber because for the longest time I thought that’s what her name was. It isn’t. I approach the stand, looking for my usual cup of coffee and some conversation.]
!Amber: So how are you enjoying your new bag?
Me: Oh, I love it! And I got my new laptop yesterday, too, so it’s fulfilled.
!Amber: Did you get a PC, or a Mac?
Me: I got a Mac.
!Amber: So you don’t game, then?
Annnnnd… scene!*
* Actually, !Amber was quite chatty today and we talked about a lot of stuff. Turns out she’s kind of a geek; wants to go to Comic-Con and dress up like a superhero, plays video games, stuff like that.
I don’t know why that surprises me, even now. Games and comic books are mainstream, not subculture. OK, maybe it’s not surprise; it’s delight that there’s more of “us”, my tribe, the Geeks, out there, and that the tribe includes beautiful young women. 13 year old Brian would be thrilled beyond belief to learn of this development.
