diff --git a/rowbot b/rowbot
index 342e149..314d260 100755
--- a/rowbot
+++ b/rowbot
@@ -115,6 +115,16 @@ unset key file setting setting_var env_name env_var
 # utility and helper functions
 ###
 
+any_file() {
+  local files=( "${1:-.}"/* ) max idx
+
+  if (( ${#files[@]} > 1 )); then
+    (( max = ${#files[@]} - 1 ))
+    idx=$(random 0 "$max")
+    printf %s "${files[$idx]}"
+  fi
+}
+
 die() {
   # error "$@"
   exit "${STATUS:-42}"
@@ -153,6 +163,11 @@ is_reloaded() {
   [[ $RELOADED = yes ]] || (( LORE_LIVES > 1 ))
 }
 
+random() {
+  local min=$1 max=$2
+  (( (RANDOM % max) + min ))
+}
+
 run_callbacks() {
   if (( ! $# )); then
     return 1