Very nice birthday celebration last evening for Marv Wolfman. His charming spouse Noel arranged it all at an outlet of a chain I'd never heard of before — Dave and Buster's. Here's their website if you're interested. They're kind of like Chuck E. Cheese for a slightly older audience. They have video games and non-video games and pool tables and private rooms for parties and apart from the fact that it meant driving to Arcadia, it was a great experience.
After grub (but before cake and present-opening), we all fanned out through the place for some serious gaming. My longtime friend Alan Brennert claimed he'd never played any of these games before…then went up to a claw machine and, first time out, snagged a very nice wristwatch. In the background, one could almost hear the manager yelling at someone, "What's wrong with that claw machine out there? Somebody actually won something!" I did great at Skee Ball. In fact, I'm seriously considering quitting this silly writing business and seeing what kind of living I can make hustling Skee Ball.
Carolyn and I almost didn't make it there because we did something extremely foolish out in the parking lot. We tried to follow the signs. Please note that if you ever go out to the Westfield Mall in Arcadia and want to find the Dave and Buster's, it's easy. Just do the opposite of what the signs tell you. If they have an arrow pointing left, turn right and vice-versa. It'll get you right there.