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Description
On the way out to the party, Ree kept randomly shouting, “WOO! BILLIONAIRE BEACH BARBECUE!” which made me laugh but I could see Triz’s teeth clench and eyebrow twitch every time she did it.

Just across a little bridge off Beachhead Drive is the charming little Linda Vista Island which is now the privately owned world headquarters of QuantUmYeah Inc. Not just their corporate offices and research and development labs, but also housing for its employees - all in this one shiny skyscraper that Triz calls home and Ree calls “Quinton Nash’s ‘Look At My Big Ol’ Dick’ Tower.”

The place has parks and shops and movie theaters and restaurants and gyms. Really, it’s pretty impressive. I’ve been there a few times to visit Triz but, with all the security rigmarole (Word A Day!) involved with getting “civilians” into the place, we usually just hang out in El Milagro.

Once we got there, I could see why Triz was not in her element. The Linda Vista beach was full of hundreds of QuantUmYeah employees and their families all decked out for sunny fun times. There were food carts and barbecues grilling, there were shaded stalls turned into open bars and smoothie vendors. There was a dj booth pumping out music for the revelers. It was crowded and loud and Triz practically glued herself to my side, even when coworkers waved and made beelines towards her.

Fifteen minutes in, she started to loosen up (the Sour Appletini Slushie may have helped). Heck, she even laughed at some of Ree’s snarky little asides. And then she said, “Oh boy...”

A stocky, goateed guy had spotted us (her) and made his way over, saying, “Hey, Beatriz! Hey, hey, Beatriz! Wow, hey!”

She introduced us to the guy, whose name was Vince. I’d heard her talk about him before and he was exactly what I imagined. A middle-aged guy who dressed like an outdated scenester and was always kind of flushed and twitchy. He was such an awkward nerd that she honestly pitied him. Apparently, although they worked in different research departments, they’d been part of the Q-Bit team. According to Triz, Vince is a brilliant A.I. programmer.

And though he gave a couple of cursory glances Ree’s way (and none mine, but no offense taken), he clearly had eyes only for Triz. Who could blame him?

Description
On the way out to the party, Ree kept randomly shouting, “WOO! BILLIONAIRE BEACH BARBECUE!” which made me laugh but I could see Triz’s teeth clench and eyebrow twitch every time she did it.

Just across a little bridge off Beachhead Drive is the charming little Linda Vista Island which is now the privately owned world headquarters of QuantUmYeah Inc. Not just their corporate offices and research and development labs, but also housing for its employees - all in this one shiny skyscraper that Triz calls home and Ree calls “Quinton Nash’s ‘Look At My Big Ol’ Dick’ Tower.”

The place has parks and shops and movie theaters and restaurants and gyms. Really, it’s pretty impressive. I’ve been there a few times to visit Triz but, with all the security rigmarole (Word A Day!) involved with getting “civilians” into the place, we usually just hang out in El Milagro.

Once we got there, I could see why Triz was not in her element. The Linda Vista beach was full of hundreds of QuantUmYeah employees and their families all decked out for sunny fun times. There were food carts and barbecues grilling, there were shaded stalls turned into open bars and smoothie vendors. There was a dj booth pumping out music for the revelers. It was crowded and loud and Triz practically glued herself to my side, even when coworkers waved and made beelines towards her.

Fifteen minutes in, she started to loosen up (the Sour Appletini Slushie may have helped). Heck, she even laughed at some of Ree’s snarky little asides. And then she said, “Oh boy...”

A stocky, goateed guy had spotted us (her) and made his way over, saying, “Hey, Beatriz! Hey, hey, Beatriz! Wow, hey!”

She introduced us to the guy, whose name was Vince. I’d heard her talk about him before and he was exactly what I imagined. A middle-aged guy who dressed like an outdated scenester and was always kind of flushed and twitchy. He was such an awkward nerd that she honestly pitied him. Apparently, although they worked in different research departments, they’d been part of the Q-Bit team. According to Triz, Vince is a brilliant A.I. programmer.

And though he gave a couple of cursory glances Ree’s way (and none mine, but no offense taken), he clearly had eyes only for Triz. Who could blame him?