I went to a place that I didn’t even suspect existed until yesterday — Fry’s electronics, a chain of colossal big box stores that sell everything — everything — that a nerd could want. Dan Evander, a programmer at [A client], took me there with his dad (also named Dan Evander.) Ever been in one of those colossal Wal-Marts? You know, the ones with the supermarket in them, and the bank, and the auto dealership? Imagine that Wal-mart done up in an Aztec theme, with towering fiberglass palm trees inside and doorways encased in twenty-foot snake heads. Imagine that ENTIRE store filled with aisle after aisle of electronic multitesters, plastic and foam eggshell equipment cases, pyramids of 45GB hard drive boxes, computer components, entire computers, HDTVs, car stereos, Lego Mindstorm kits (even the sold-out ones, like the Dark Side Developer’s kit), freaking EVERYTHING A GEEK COULD POSSIBLY WANT. Dan and his dad were mildly surprised that we didn’t have places like that in New York. What, are you freaking kidding me? This nirvana, this stately pleasure dome? I just don’t know how I’ll get my co-workers back in NYC to believe this.