The late David Foster Wallace had a genius for describing thorny emotions and ideas in bright, colloquial language. His formidable intelligence is easy on the ears. Tonight's readers include Brian McGuigan, Veronica D'Orazio ("writer, teacher, florist"), Cienna Madrid, David Schmader, and Paul Constant, who will read from "Shipping Out," Wallace's Caribbean-cruise essay with the great beginning: "I have now seen sucrose beaches and water a very bright blue... I have heard steel drums and eaten conch fritters and watched a woman in silver lamé projectile-vomit inside a glass elevator." (Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 322-7030. 7 pm, free, all ages.)