(Still) Waiting for Harry Potter

The youngster rousted me a half hour before midnight. “Do you still want to go?” Of course not. Yes, I mumbled. I grabbed the paper with our reservation number and drove to Barnes & Noble.

The initial signs weren’t encouraging. The parking lot was completely filled, and we had to park across the street next to Macy’s. Entering the store, we couldn’t discern any lines or system, just masses of children and parents milling about. Perhaps at the witching hour of the first day, order will be brought to the chaos.

At midnight a loud cheer erupted from the corner next to the cash register. A line began to coalesce—oh ye of little faith!—and snaked around the book racks to the restrooms in the back. A quick mental computation---three clerks each processing one order per minute---put the book in our hands around 6 a.m. I relayed this opinion to the youngster, who questions everything I say except my math. (I reminded myself to examine other ways in which I can exploit this exception in his mental universe.)

I promised him that we’d come back later on Saturday. A small price to keep him reading through the weekend.

[Update - 7/21/07, 1 p.m.: It was much more civilized twelve hours later. There were stacks of books on the table, and there was no waiting. I was sad; in my lifetime I know that I'll never again see people standing in line at midnight for a book.] © 2007 Stephen Yuen