Walking the dog this afternoon, an older man on a bike stopped to get my attention.

I took my headphones off.

“Where is the nearest store so I can get a Sudoku book?”

I stared at him, mind racing to think of an answer. Where do they sell Sudoku books? I knew there was a used bookstore nearby somewhere, but did they have Sudoky? Were they even open right now? I stared at him, not answering.

“You know what Sudoku is, right?”

“Yes,” I said. “I just am trying to think of where they might sell it. I mean, there is a Rite Aid nearby, but I don’t know if they sell Sudoku.”

“That would be perfect!” he said.

I gave him directions, and he biked off. I continued on my walk, turning around before I got to Foothill Blvd.

He ran into me on the way back, “2.99! and the other one was 3.99! At the 99 cent store there are stacks of them for 99 cents!”

I shrugged at him.

“Thanks!”

early evening Sudoku jonesing is a terrible thing