the insanity of harry potter

2005-07-19 at 2:07 p.m.

1. I assure you there are no plot giveaways in this post.

Harry Potter night was insane INSANE. I went to my old store for the party and... WOW... it was SO FULL. There were (at last count) About a THOUSAND people there. I swear. I couldn't sneeze without applogizing to at least three people. I was number 136 to get my book (at least according to my wristband. Stupid line cutters) And I finished the new Harry Potter book last night.

Surpizes abound. Lemme know what ya'll think!

So, yeah, AHP (after Harry Potter) I go to work and.. man, I thought my old store was trashed! I spend three hours as soon as I got there trying to make the books in my section upright. Wheew. Keep in mind, three people had already spend their ENTIRE EIGHT HOUR shifts putting up the books that they couldn't work on last night... when they stayed two hours to recover the store. Yeah. The comment I think best summs up the insane mess is "I'm used to Christmas. Christmas is fine. But I'm used to it being over a two weeks, not two hours." Yeah. So, I get to be line manager for awhile (that job is fun) and then I get to be greeter. I've never been sneered at and confided in as much in one hour as my greeter hour. Everyone NOT wanting Harry Potter read my sign (aloud) "Harry Potter Check-In. Huph." And sneered and walked away.
I had a guy walk by me THREE TIMES. ANd each time HAD to tell me "you know, costco has is for 14 bucks. just send people there." Yeah. Because... I would? No. And then the frantic, "I need Harry Potter! I need him! Where is the book? I need it!"

But despite the insanity... and the fact that I've read the book and REALLY want to talk about it.. (i'll resist.. no spoilers) It was (like last party) SO MUCH FUN.

Everyone gets to be a kid again. Full grown adults, teens that would normaly be too concerned with looking cool, and kids down to infant carriers are all dressed in the many variations of Harry Potter costume. They all make wands together, and do the fact painted, and everyone is SO excited... it's better then many concerts, as far as the energy level goes. Just everyone.. all happy to be there, and happy to be with other people. And random strangers talking to other random strangers about the books. Not to mention.. Its a book. A BOOK. If a book makes a million dollars... people write histories about it. If a movie makes a million dollars, its a flop. Even Gigli (number #44 lowest rating movie on IMDB) made 6 million...

It's just so amazing. To see so many people, from all walks of life there... wanting just one book.

Oh, and funny story:
Saturday my store ran out of Harry Potter for people who didn't have reserves. I felt so bad for this guy in line. I handed the last band to - literally- the person in front of him. So he tried bribery.
"I'll give you 60 bucks and buy you dinner at the Cheesecake Factory if you sell me a copy of Harry Potter."
I held up my hand and said "You see this ring? My fiancee would NOT like it if you took me out to dinner."
He says "Well, my boyfriend wouldn't like it either, but I'd do it anyway!"

So funny.

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