David Sedaris is famous now, but he's spent so much time remembering the years when he was a slacker and a pothead that he's come to seem like the ordinary kid who one day discovers he has superpowers. Upon few are such gifts bestowed. Will he apply them to the good of humankind?

The author, whose sold-out readings have lifted him to rock-star status, is obviously no longer a slacker (if he ever really was). As he informs us in his sixth book, "When You Are Engulfed in Flames" (Little, Brown), the pot is a thing of the past, too. He doesn't even smoke cigarettes now. The question of how he'll use his gifts continues, though.

One side of him just wants to be funny. How many essayists get invited to perform their work on David Letterman? When Sedaris did, he judiciously chose to discuss the Stadium Pal, "an external catheter currently being marketed to sports fans, truck drivers and anyone else who's tired of searching for a bathroom." It's in the book.

Another side of him is more ambitious — more introspective, more "serious." At 51, his young man's meanness has cooled. These days he regards people more in the manner of an anthropologist than of a judge. Two of the best pieces in the book are lightly regretful memoirs of elderly (now deceased) neighbors he feels he might have been a little nicer to, even if one was a foulmouthed thundercloud and the other a child molester.

Sedaris has always been open about being gay, and he gets a lot of mileage out of his now long-term relationship with his partner, Hugh. Occasionally the Hugh essays verge on shtick; there's something very marital sitcom about his feigned exasperation with a man he so clearly adores. But others go deeper. One lovely piece of writing, "Old Faithful," addresses the unglamorousness of monogamy. Another, titled "All the Beauty You Will Ever Need," is about the freedom gay couples have from straight role-playing (as in "Which one's the man?").

— Craig Seligman, Bloomberg News Service

DINNER ON THE GO

It's been a long day, you're stuck in traffic, and there's no dinner waiting for you at home? Skip the drive-through and pick up something healthy and delicious. Just dial the number, place your order, and the friendly people at Well Bento will have your meal ready without a sweat.

Choose from an array of take-out choices — grilled chicken, salmon, steak, 'ahi or vegetarian plates like grilled tempeh, tofu and seitan. All are served with a macrobiotic combination of brown rice, miso gravy and blanched vegetables. The low-sodium, low-oil meals are prepared with local and organic ingredients whenever available. A meal so delicious, you won't even notice that it doesn't come with a toy! The Well Bento, 2570 S. Beretania St., Suite 204 (upstairs); 941-5261.

— L.M.

ANCIENT HISTORY

Makini: In the Hawaiian language, it means "a group of spears tied together, used as a battering ram in war; many deaths; or a gourd mask used by canoe men." Fashioned with 'uki grass, and carved out of coconuts, it is a symbol of war, death and power. Nowadays, these handcrafted masks are often used as accessories to hang on your rearview mirror.

At Fitted, the hat company strives to share Hawaiian history by incorporating stories and native Hawaiian symbols into its designs. The Makini hat has an overall "power" look, with embroidery representing the eyes of the gourd mask, red detail to represent the 'uki feathers, and a water tattoo around the base of the hat — representing strength. The hat is lined with satin, and printed on the bill is "Pupukahi'i holomua," meaning "To unite, move forward — by working together, we make progress." This rare, detailed hat dropped just yesterday, so get down to Fitted to score yours. Fitted Hawaii, 1438 Kona St., Suite B; 942-3100.

— Lacy Matsumoto

SALES & BARGAINS