MONDAY, IN THE guest office we use for a lunch room, E was telling J and I about a guy who tried to hit on her on the T. She was listening to her music and reading a book, when someone poked her with his umbrella. She shook it off, until the guy said "excuse me" and she realized he had not done it accidentally, but to get her attention. She took off her headphones, and he asked her about the book (which was about Columbus), and whether she was reading it for class. No, she told him, just for pleasure.

Turned out the guy was really into Columbus. E chatted with him for a little while because, as she said, "How often do you get to talk to someone about Columbus?"

"You should see the movie 1492," he told her earnestly. "It's not available in the US anymore but I got my copy from Brazil."

E thanked him for the tip and went back to listening to her music.

But it wasn't over. He poked her with his umbrella again (hot tip for the guys: if you want to get to know a girl, don't hit her repeatedly with your umbrella), and she took her headphones off again. The guy asked for her email address, so he could forward the info on acquiring the movie.

"Uh, no thanks, I'll google it," I supplied her response.

"Yeah, basically." "Wait, how old is he?" interjected J. "Like, your age, or ...?"

"Yeah."

"Is he cute?"

"No." E raised a hand with index finger extended, and wagged it ever so slightly in unison with a small shake of her head and her spoken denial.

"OK." J allowed her to continue.

Anyway, E declined to share her email address, but there was still more of the train ride to go, and the guy continued to press, so she told him point blank that she wasn't going to give him her email, but he could give her his, if he wanted. He produced a business card and gave it to her.

This made her feel bad, so on impulse she gave him the book. "Here. I want you to have this."

He said he couldn't possibly, but she assured him she had another copy and it was ok. Shoving the book into his hands, she fled to a seat on the other side of the car, then put her headphones on again.

"So, that's like, four things that never happen to me on the T," E summarized. "One, talking to -- anyone. Two, getting hit on. Three, having a conversation about Columbus. Four, giving my book away."

YESTERDAY, WALKING OUT to buy lunch, I got to an intersection just as the light was turning green for the cars. The first car in line didn't move until someone further back honked. I saw as it pulled around the corner, it was sort of official-looking, all white with a green seal on the side. "VENOM PATROL SERVICES," the seal read. "ALWAYS WATCHING."

Well, snakes on a plane ...

LUNCH WITH THE HUSIGANG today. Mango lassi was had by most, and a good time (I think) by all, though the buffet failed at adequate supply.

The first thing toxicfur did upon her arrival was give me one of the promotional paper cup sleeves that Starbucks has been producing for "Akeelah and the Bee." The word featured on the sleeve? Antediluvian. It's tacked up on the wall of my cube now.

Contextless flashback (not to do with lunch):

ZAPHOD: I'm a pretty dangerous dude when I'm cornered.
FORD:   Yeah, you go to pieces so fast people get hit by the shrapnel.