I'm going to a movie. Steve is with me, and we go into the men's room beforehand. I'm carrying a handled shopping bag, setting it down near the door. As I leave, I check what's in it, and there is nothing except a small red drink. Ok, I think, I don't need to get something to drink, if I get thirsty, that will be enough.

Back out in the lobby, we are joined by Sheleen and I think Minda. Sheleen says she is hungry, will I go with her to get something quick to eat. I say sure, thinking we'll hit the popcorn stand or something, but she says no, she wants some real food.

The theater is attached to an underground mall, and we start heading through it to find some food, but it is mostly closed. Some of the stores even have Christmas decorations in their display windows, as if they have been closed for a long time. I remember that there was a Subway eatery just up around the corner, so I cruise on ahead to check it out, but either she doesn't want Subway, or it isn't there any more.

I exit the mall into a small park area, with a mound in the middle. The mound is covered in round holes, kind of like hand-holds for rock climbing, but it's not vertical, you can almost walk right up it. I go up to the top, where I can see a long way, and I remember that there was a sort of fair up the way a bit, with several food booths.

As I'm looking for it, a tourist asks me where to go to see the sights, apparently this fair and some other things, seeming lost. We're right along the west side of the 217 freeway, so I try to tell her "just get back on the freeway, go one more exit to where it says 'expo center'" (where the food booths are, that I am seeking), but then a young boy about 14 sitting on the other side keeps interrupting me. Through many frustrating stops and starts I explain that there are three things to see along here, and a nice little train connects them all, so go to that one because it has the best parking.

Then I see Sheleen and Minda coming up the side-road that flanks the freeway, a hundred yards or so away, so I start walking toward the fair, on a road that will intersect with theirs.

We end up together again at a fine restaurant, with wine glasses and white tablecloths on the tables. A waiter starts to seat us, but I look at my watch and it's 3:02. I'm not sure what time the movie starts, but I don't want to miss it. "I'm going back to the movie," I say a little angrily, "you can eat here if you want to. It's your problem for not eating before you came."