In our continuing adventures, we must be wary my travelers for there are traps abound. Some are pits, with sharpened stakes at the bottom and carefully placed leaves on top. Some are, if you can believe it, even more subtly destructive. I recently found myself ensnared in the most social of tripwires, the conversation.

But I was ready for this one, oh yes. Though traditionally traps are to be escaped from, or else are to lure others into, there are some are so well oiled and cleverly wrought that one cannot help but throw oneself in to their snapping jaws. I kept that in mind as I emerged from the Gentleman’s basement, reeking of delinquent substances, knowing that as a host of the Engagement, he was surely lying in wait at the top of the stairs to drown all that crossed in a rich sauce of a discussion. Having been a party to similar discussions with similar Gentlemen at similar Engagements prior, I knew that such an interaction would surely take the better part of an hour and would be about oh just whatever was on hand.

I headed him off! Sidestepping rolling inquiries I plunged in to the thick.

“Say now, I noticed you’ve archived quite a few books and radio shows down there. Was that, by any chance… The Shadow?”