How to Buy the Seventh Harry Potter Book

By all reports, the lines at the bookstores were long last night, as Harry Potter fans lined up early to acquire their copies of the new release. At Barnes and Noble Booksellers, staff members were issuing armbands, so that people in line would receive copies of the book in turn. Those who pre-ordered first, of course. Others would have to wait. But everyone would, in turn, hopefully get a chance. And the lines were long. And the parking lot full. Around the world, fans camped out. Silly.

Such would my silly husband have been, were it not for my very sage advice.

At midnight, I sent him to the grocery store. I had, after all, forgotten Hamburger buns and Applejuice. The grocery store was also selling the Harry Potter book starting at 12:01, while supplies last. The grocery store is sort "ghetto". Half the people around here don't read much. And at least a fourth of them are fundamentalist enough to condemn Harry Potter books as evil, sight unseen. No concept of symbolic literature, Christian or otherwise.

So, to the ghetto Kroger store he went. No lines. No waiting. He said perhaps six people were grabbing copies of the book off the table where the store worker was setting up a display. He checked himself out using the U-scan express and got a five dollar discount for using his Kroger Plus card.

And then, dear readers, he had hours and hours to read in which, had he gone to the yuppie bookstore, he would have beens standing in line.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Sometimes it pays to live in the ghetto.

Comments

DebD said…
Ha! That is so ingenious. I'm trying to teach my kids that patience pays and having them wait their turn at the library. Or, they can wait until they're available for a song on Amazon's Marketplace.

Enjoy!
Liz in Seattle said…
My plan of action has always been to skip the late night parties, get up at 4:30 AM, run down to the grocery store, and be back on my couch with a cup of coffee by 5AM. DH knows to keep the boys away from Mom on Harry Potter Day!

I finished by 6:15 tonight, and now I won't risk hearing any spoilers :-)

So, d'ya wanna know who dies? (ducking)
Anonymous said…
Woo Hoo!! You're time 12:00 midnight Friday/Saturday is our time 9:00 am Saturday (a much more reasonable time!) Somewhat like your husband, we went to our local department store book section and at 9:15am were third in line to purchase the book. However, going out into the mall the lines to the three book stores where unseemly long. Yep, that was one day that my daughters thought that their mama was smart!!!
Suzanne
Dollymama said…
Brilliant!
We preordered one but haven't gone to pick it up yet. Lazy, lazy....