Business cards, story ideas and the Indian

I'd spoken several times on the phone with Caleb Cage, executive director of the governor's Office of Veterans Services, but we'd never met. Caleb writes a column about veterans' affairs for the Appeal, and we decided to meet for coffee one morning last week at the funky Comma Coffee to share ideas. On the phone, Caleb speaks precisely, graciously and in perfectly formed sentences. In my mind's eye, I pictured a trim, middle-aged military retiree with a gray buzz cut and a chestful of fruit salad on his uniform.

Arriving at Comma a few minutes early, I paused to survey the room. At one table, four gray-haired guys were chewing the fat. I wasn't trying to eavesdrop but couldn't help catching a few phrases - "Saw it in the Appeal ... Ron Knecht ... Board of Regents ... WNC ..." Holding court at the table was the venerable Gil Ayarbe, of C Hill Flag fame. We shook hands and he introduced me around, but no Caleb here.

I looked around - two young women were chatting quietly at another table, and an older woman was reading a book in an easy chair.

Comma's iconic wooden Indian, Chief, sat stoically in the corner, taking it all in.

Two men sat alone at the counter. With the awkwardness of a blind date, I asked each, "Are you Caleb?" Nope and nope.

Then a youngish-looking guy with a neatly trimmed beard, an immaculate blue suit and a briefcase walked in: Caleb. We talked about veterans, about his columns, and about reading and writing and publishing fiction (as one of two principals in The Nevada Review, he does all three). Turns out we know some of the same Washington journalists and are both fans of Nevada author H. Lee Barnes (whose new novel, "Car Tag," is set largely in Carson City).

As we chatted, the Nevada Assembly's Republican leader, Pat Hickey of Carson City, walked in. Caleb invited him to join us and made the introductions. Pat used to write a column for the Appeal and teaches journalism at Western Nevada College. Moments later, Assembly candidate Becky Harris walked in, and Pat made the introductions. They had no sooner departed than in walked Heidi Gansert, chief of staff to Gov. Brian Sandoval. Caleb again graciously made the introductions. This was becoming a regular Meet the Press, with legislative players and agency chiefs and talk of politics and literature and whatnot.

Over two cups of Comma's finest Peruvian organic brew, my hour and a half with Caleb led to a friendship, several new acquaintances, a pocketful of business cards and half a dozen story ideas.

Chief seemed unimpressed, his expression revealing nothing. Comma owner June Joplin explained that she brought Chief to Comma about six years ago from Knott's Berry Farm, where he had spent decades sitting at a card table with cowboys and other Indians, perfecting his poker face.

• Editor Dennis Noone can be reached at dnoone@nevadaappeal.com.