Byte McSoft: hard boiled technology news reporter

It was a dame, her voice as cool as a wintergreen-flavored Altoid. "Hi Byte, how's it going?" she said into the telephone.

"I'm at work, ain't I?" I said.

I shook a Lucky from its deck, lit it and leaned back in my chair. The cigarette smoke curled out the window and into San Francisco's fog, so thick it enveloped the city skyline like the embrace of an obese aunt.

"I know you're busy," she cooed. "I've got something you'll be interested in."

Here we go again. The bile churned, making a mess of my Egg McMuffin and bad-but-free vending machine coffee breakfast. "So far, you sound like everybody else," I said.

She took a deep breath to deliver the punch line. "Would a Microsoft story interest you?"

"Microsoft will make a major wireless announcement Monday. We can give you the scoop, an exec interview and photos. But agree to an embargo? The usual Sunday 9 p.m. PDT print time. I wouldn't bother you if I didn't think it was worth it."

"Sure you would," I spat. I told her I would noodle it and get back to her.

Would a Microsoft story interest me? Sure, so would a call to be the New York Yankees' starting centerfielder. Good Microsoft stories were an avalanche of readership and a big hitter meant resting on laurels for a few days.

Microsoft, wireless, Microsoft, wireless. What could Bill Gates be up to? I could always accept the embargo; and Microsoft is all-too-eager to talk but I can't publish until Billy Boy Gates tells me so.

Bill controls a lot of things. But he doesn't control me. Not yet. Other weary soldiers began arriving, and desk phones started to ring. A voracious beast's maw was once again opening as the audience demanded its share of news.

I stubbed out my cigarette, dialed back the flack and told her no, I wouldn't take her embargo. Then I got back to the question rattling around my innards like a coin in a clothes dryer: What was this big Microsoft wireless announcement coming up?