Last Thursday Rob messaged me about playing Laserforce after [his] work. They have a cheap happy hour between 6pm and 7pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which is too early for most people to make it too, but fine for me obviously and similarly suitable for Rob, since he works all of about 10 minutes away.
So, we decided to do that. I mentioned it to a few people – whomever was online during the day – but didn’t get any takers. When Rob & I arrived, it was very quiet at Sidetracked… when we spoke to the guy at the counter he mentioned that there were two kids interested in playing… he called them over via the P.A. system, but they mustn’t have liked the look of us, as they decided not to. So, Rob and I sat there for fifteen minutes or so, hoping some more people would come in. We were in luck, as a group of four wandered in, and we were set.
We played for about an hour – 6:30 to 7:30 – more or less non-stop… five games; three free-for-all and two teams. Half way through another three guys joined us, and one of the staff jumped in as well, so there were up to ten of us at a time, which seems to be a good number. Aside from that one staff member, the others were all relatively inexperienced. Rob & I were vying for the top spot in each game – usually well ahead of the rest. Not that we did especially well in any case though – scores were around 4,500-5,500. But Rob & I were both hampered for the first few games at least, by forgetting that you can’t hit the chest. Such a silly design flaw, that one.
After that we were both a bit peckish, of course, so we did the usual – Pancake Parlour at Chadstone. :D I hate the area between Sidetracked and Chadstone, though. That bit where Huntingdale Road intersects North Road in some kind of Impossible Puzzle™… grr… it took three tries to actually get on to North road. I then took another wrong turn, evidently, off North road, although I nonetheless found the Princes highway eventually.
And yet I still beat Rob there. He got lost in Chadstone itself, apparently. :)
Dinner was good, of course. There’s a waitress there that I wonder about every time I’m there – she looks really familiar, and sometimes I get the feeling I know her from somewhere, but I can never place it. Occasionally she’ll do something to encourage that – like this occasion, where she was our waitress and was just generally odd.
I suspect that if I actually knew her I would have figured out why by now, so it’s nothing more than an ongoing story now. Still, it’s amusing at times. :)
I messaged Sarah while we were on our way, inviting her to join us. I didn’t actually expect her to; I just usually do when I’m up her way, to support my position the next time we have an argument over her blowing everyone off these days. Unfortunately – an hour and a half later – she messaged back saying she was on her way. D’oh. Rob & I had been about to leave, but of course I then had to wait behind. After a while Sarah & Sverra turned up. We chatted for a while, although I had a bit of a headache from Laserforce, so I wasn’t really the greatest conversationalist. Eventually we all left, and I headed home.
It’d be nice if Laserforce could become a regular thing – it’s such incredible exercise, packed into that one hour – but as I noted, it’s too early for most people to make it after work. Rob & I could chance it again this week – see if anyone else randomly turns up to play against – but I’m sure it won’t be long trying that luck before it runs out.
