The Main Event

Several (and by several, I mean a lotta) years ago, I ran across this little book listed in Matt's Science Fiction Book Club catalogue. It was hardly worth glancing at, except the tiny blurb was so catchy and clever I thought "Why not? If I don't like it, it's just eight bucks." (It might have been twelve, I can't remember.) When I had finished reading this little book that nobody else had heard of yet, either, I was bawling and cheering and my emotions were running so high that I was completely unable to wait to share it with my family for storytime.

As I read a very young Colleen and a not quite so very young Matt the first chapter of the first Harry Potter book, Matt and I had to convince our daughter that it really wasn't boring and she should give it another listen. I don't have to tell you that by the end of the book, we were all fanatics - just like the rest of the world.

It became one of those family traditions that saw us through some periods in our family when it was probably the only thing that kept us talking to each other. We couldn't wait for the next book to come out. We re-read whatever stories had preceded, reserved copies, laid the newest installment at my elbow on the dinner table and rushed to finish whatever we probably hardly tasted just so we could settle in and start reading. And nobody could read it except me. I. Whatever. It was my solemn and beloved duty to read the books with as much passion and enthusiasm as I was able. And I was always able. Not to mention it became something of a game to our family to see if I could meet the challenge of different voices for each new character introduced. Even more of a challenge: would I be able to remember them by the time the next book was released? And Colleen, man, she would be on me if I forgot or changed it - or in the case of Luna Lovegood and ... aw, crap, I can't remember her name...you know...Emma Thompson....the clarivoyant silly lady....well, you know who I mean. Apparently I switched up the voices on the next book, but Colleen said she liked it better that way, so it stuck.

Today we purchased our copies of Harry Potter. They were reserved, although it seems as though we timed it right. The bookstore had to keep restocking the displays. At our 4:30 pm purchase, there were still many store copies not kept behind the counter but that rather takes the 'special' out of it, doesn't it? I had to purchase two copies. One for us. One for Colleen. And there were a few tears shed today. Colleen and I had made promises that no matter how old she was when the last Harry Potter book was released - 12 or 21 - we were still going to sit down and read it out loud for family story time. It was a promise I had looked forward to keeping. Matt has said that I should go ahead and read it to him. I will. I know he knows how much that means to me. I also know it keeps our daughter close to us for just a little bit.

Now, the thing is, I'm not planning on logging on to this computer for at least twenty four hours and will probably not sleep a wink in that same time period. Walker's daddy is spending the night 'camping out' on the floor with him, which means the bedroom (AND the middle of the bed, glory hallelujah) is mine, all mine. Bwahahahaha. I have my reading glasses, my glass of South African shiraz (Sebeka, if you wanted to know), and a book full of words I can't wait to experience.

So, dear readers, until I know how the whole damn thing ends...adieu.