When he should have been doing anything else in high school, it was a sure thing that D.L. was playing video games. So when it came time to 'choose a career', he made the natural choice, and went in for programming.

Two years later, he landed a sweet internship at one of the largest video game companies on the coast. His excitement waned when he spent the first three weeks feeling like a cross between a gradeschooler and a coffee jockey. Wondering if he'd made the right choice on a cosmic level, D.L. realized that he hadn't played a game for fun in over a year and a half. Punching out early the day before a holiday weekend, D.L. headed down to the local arcade to try to rekindle his love affair with gaming.

Which is where D.L. met Kal.

KAL was the high score on every game in the arcade. Even the supposedly unbeatable one with the awesome graphics that ate quarters like candy. Kal was one of those annoying creatures with either too much time, money, or talent. Maybe all three. But standing there in the arcade with a pocket full of quarters, D.L. felt a little of his old excitement again as he silently swore he'd become the high score on at least one of those machines.

It took him an entire three day weekend, but he did it.

Feeling better about life in general, D.L. went into work on Tuesday with a general feeling of accomplishment and renewed determination. When Friday rolled around again, he headed back to the arcade; he couldn't resist checking to see if he still held his place on the unbeatable machine.

KAL

He was floored. Passing by the attendant on his way out, D.L. managed a nod of acknowledgement when the guy told him to have a good afternoon. He went a few more steps before executing a painful, clumsy double-take; D.L. dazedly re-read the nametag on the attendant's faded gamer tee.

Kal.

And immediately asked him out.