How they did MDLM before laptops

It's snowing like mad outside right now, the shop here in sugarhouse is just about empty, save me and two old guys....

[One of the] old guy[s] has brought a rollout chess game and is teaching himself to play from a book. Nobody to play with, no matter. He sets up a theoretical chess situation and proceeds to ponder it for a few minutes. He stands up and stares out the window at the passing traffic, still thinking about the puzzle on his table, then it comes to him and [he] sort of jumps to make his next move. After a few minutes of that, he gathers up his things and moves to a comfy armchair to nestle down for a little nap.

Read "another coffee shop anecdote..." from Kim's Live Journal.